Grilled Chicken and Goat Cheese Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

With summer in full swing around here, we like to take things nice and slow. I guess you can already tell that by the fact that I've not posted in a while! Sorry, friends. We've been "sleeping in" a little, taking day trips to spend time with old friends and we've tackled a few projects around the house. Since we've been moving at a slower pace, we tend to eat dinner a little later and my dishes always center around seasonal ingredients. In a recent addition of Southern Living, I saw a beautiful salad made with fresh lettuces, strawberries and goat cheese. I loved all the ingredients and was inspired to make my own version.

I combined my favorite greens (spinach, romaine and butter lettuce) then tossed in the strawberries and cucumbers. Sauteeing the goat cheese was easy and I added grilled chicken to make this salad into a complete meal. Lastly, I blended up the strawberry, poppy seed dressing. The combination of flavors with the smokey, grilled chicken along with the creamy goat cheese and sweet dressing made a delicious meal. This was one beautiful, easy recipe for the slow, lazy days of summer.

Grilled Chicken & Goat Cheese Salad 

1 goat cheese log (8 ounces)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1 large egg 

2 tablespoons whole milk 

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

5 cups mixed lettuces

1 1/2 cups strawberries - sliced

1 cucumber - thinly sliced

3 grilled chicken breasts - sliced

• Cut goat cheese log into 8 rounds. Gently press each round to 1/2-inch thickness on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze 20 minutes.
• Place flour in a small bowl. Whisk together the egg and milk in a second small bowl. Combine the panko, salt, and pepper in a third small bowl. Dredge goat cheese rounds in flour, dip in egg mixture, and dredge in panko mixture until coated. Place on a plate, and chill until all goat cheese rounds are breaded.
• Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium until hot. Add goat cheese rounds to skillet, and cook until golden brown on each side, 3 to 4 minutes total. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Arrange salad greens on a serving platter; top with strawberries, cucumber, onion, and goat cheese croutons. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1 cup quartered fresh strawberries 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

5 tablespoons white wine vinegar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

1 tablespoon poppy seeds 

• Toss together strawberries, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Transfer the strawberry mixture to a blender, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Turn blender on low, and gradually add olive oil in a slow, steady stream.
• Return mixture to bowl, and whisk in poppy seeds. Whisk vinaigrette just before serving.