Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey-Jalapeño Vinaigrette

Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey-Jalapeño Vinaigrette

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - flour

1 tsp. - salt

1/2 tsp. - freshly ground black pepper

6 (4 oz. each) - skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 - egg, beaten with 1 T water

Vegetable oil, such as canola, as needed for frying

9 cups - lightly packed baby spinach

Honey-Jalapeno Vinaigrette, divided

6 oz. (about 1-1/2 cups) - Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 slices - crisp-cooked thick bacon, crumbled

3 small - tomatoes, each sliced into 4 wedges lengthwise (8 wedges total)

DIRECTIONS

Thoroughly combine flour, salt and pepper; reserve.

Pound chicken until each piece is of uniform thickness. Coat chicken with egg, then press each side into reserved seasoned flour.

Heat 2 inches oil in a large frying pan until hot but not smoking. Fry chicken, in batches if necessary, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes total. Drain on paper towel.

Cut chicken across grain in 1/2-inch wide strips, keeping strips from each piece together; reserve.

Put 1-1/2 cups spinach on each serving plate. Drizzle each with 1 Tablespoon vinaigrette. Top each with strips from 1 piece chicken. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese, then 1/6 of the crumbled bacon.

Garnish each with 2 tomato wedges. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon remaining Honey-Jalapeño Vinaigrette over each salad.