BBQ Chicken, Cherry & Fig Balsamic Salad

A salad for all seasons, taking advantage of leftover smoked or rotisserie chicken, this dish balances sweet, savory and acid. Cherries and a goat cheese-fig balsamic dressing pays homage to wine country. Hearty enough to stand up on its own, a big salad!

As a bonus, use smoked/barbecued chicken, which lends a lot of smoke and sweetness to the dish. Rotisserie chicken can also work if it's well seasoned.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• Greens - Any combination of Arugula / Cress / Leaf Lettuce / Butter Lettuce - 4 - 6oz

• 4 cherries - pitted and chopped

• Goat cheese - 2oz (goat cheese with honey is even better for this dish).

• Leftover Chicken - smoked - 4-6oz - thighs or drumstick meat preferred. - pulled apart, chopped- room temperature or cold.

• Black Pepper

Dressing

2 oz goat cheese

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp fig flavored or reduced balsamic vinegar (aged if possible)

1 Tsp of aged balsamic

Salt

Black Pepper

optional (minced garlic)

(if you can only find fig preserves, just substitute it (1 Tbsp) for the fig balsamic, but make sure you still have a vinegar, like regular aged balsamic)

Steps- Goat Cheese & Fig Balsamic Dressing

This dressing takes some heavy whisking or shaking/blending to emulsify the goat cheese.

Start with the balsamic, then whisk in the olive oil, once emulsified, add the goat cheese little by little and keep whisking. If too thick, add a touch of water, then salt and black pepper.

Steps - Salad

Simply add the chicken, cherries and goat cheese to the greens, and add dressing right before serving , or serve with the dressing on the side.