Chicken, Pear and Smoked Gouda Salad
Chicken, Pear and Smoked Gouda Salad is the ultimate salad lover's recipe! Greens, chicken, fresh pears, smoky cheese, and crunchy cashews all in one salad, topped with a fresh and simple salad dressing. Perfect for weddings or baby showers, family reunions or holidays.
Ingredients
- 2 unpeeled red pears (or apples), washed, cored, and thinly sliced or cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 (8-10 ounce) package baby spinach and spring greens mix
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups celery, thinly sliced
- 1/4-1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
- 2 cups (6-8 ounces) smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups salted cashews
Honey-Mustard Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar or white balsamic
- 1/4 cup green onions or scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3-4 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
For Dressing:
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients (or use an immersion blender) and blend until combined. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
For Salad:
- Toss pear slices with lemon juice and a couple tablespoons of salad dressing. Place in a ziplock bag or small bowl and refrigerate.
- Place lettuce in a bowl or on a serving platter. Layer all salad ingredients, except cheese and nuts, on top of lettuce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.May be refrigerated for 2-3 hours before serving. If storing for a longer period, follow directions on recipe notes for make-ahead. Always place cheese and nuts on the top layer. When ready to serve, toss salad with a portion of the dressing just before serving and then serve extra dressing on the side.
Notes
Leaving the skins on the pears (or apples) adds even more color to this delicious salad.
One small rotisserie chicken may be subbed for 3 cups cooked chicken breasts.
When making this salad ahead of time, prepare ingredients by chopping the chicken, celery and onion, and shredding the cheese. Place each in a separate ziplock bag. You may slice the pears (or apples) ahead of time as well. My tip is to toss the fruit in lemon juice and a few tablespoons of dressing to keep from turning brown. Place lettuce in the serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and then place the ziplock bags of individual ingredients on top of the bowl. I like to chill the bowl before a party, if possible, to help keep the salad as cool as possible as the event unwinds. Dressing should be stored in a small jar or container in the fridge. When ready to toss together, save some of the salad ingredients to place on top of the salad for a beautiful presentation.
You may also layer salad ingredients on individual plates or on a large platter (my preference) and drizzle with dressing.
I like using cashews in this salad. However, almonds, pecans, or pistachios can be used as well.
Fresh basil may be substituted for green onions (scallions) in the dressing.