Chicken-Strawberry Spinach Salad

Today is National Pick Strawberries Day. Although strawberries are common in dessert, I like them just as much in salads, where their sweet note balances nicely with bitter and savory flavors.

Search the web and you'll find many combinations similar to this: strawberries with bitter greens, nuts and sharp cheese. I've used spinach, pecans and soft goat cheese, but certainly arugula, walnuts and blue cheese would be just as good. For some extra tang, I bet quick-pickled red onion would be good in here too.

Chicken-Strawberry Spinach Salad

Salad:
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. chicken breast cutlets
Seasoned salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup pecan halves
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. warm water
10 strawberries, sliced
3 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
2 oz. soft goat cheese (chèvre)

Dressing:
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When hot, pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towel and add to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through. Set aside to cool and cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Heat a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add pecans and toast until fragrant. Stir together honey and warm water and then add to nuts, stir until nuts are evenly glazed and the water has evaporated. Set aside on a plate to cool (don't put on a paper towel).

3. Combine the chicken, nuts, strawberries and spinach in a large bowl and toss to combine. Whisk together dressing ingredients, pour over salad and toss gently until salad is evenly coated. Gently stir in the goat cheese.

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