Pretzel Crusted Chicken Salad

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Submitted by Denise Walburg

Ingredients

• 3 cups mini pretzel twists
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 to 10 cups spring greens or your favorite lettuce
• 1 Honeycrisp apple, chopped
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, chopped or grated
• 4 baby cucumbers, sliced
• ¼ cup Pickled Red Onion

Apple Mustard Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons Fustini's Michigan Apple balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Great Lakes Bee honey
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup Fustini's Medium Single Varietal olive oil

Pickled Red Onion

• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 cup Fusitni's Apple Cider vinegar

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Directions

Step 1. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray.  Pound the chicken breasts so they are evenly thick all over. Season the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper. Place the pretzels in a food processor and blend until mostly fine crumbs remain. Place the pretzels in a bowl. Stir in the garlic powder.  In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs.

Step 2. 

Take each chicken breast and coat it in the beaten egg. Dredge it through the pretzel crumbs, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on the rack and repeat with remaining chicken. Once all the chicken is finished, spray it with avocado or olive oil spray. This is important and really helps things get crispy and golden!  Bake the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes. Flip it gently and spray the other side with the oil spray. Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, assemble the salad. Place the greens in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the chopped apples, cheddar, cucumbers and pickled onions.  Remove the chicken from the oven and slice it. Add it to the salad and drizzle on the dressing. Enjoy!

Step 3.  Apple Mustard Vinaigrette

Combine balsamic, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  While whisking, slowly add olive oil to emulsify.

Step 4.  Pickled Red Onion

Place the onions in a jar or cup. In a bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk in the vinegar. Pour over the sliced onions. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can obviously make this ahead of time and once made, store it in the fridge in a sealed container or jar. They last about one week.

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Product:
• Single Varietal ,
• Michigan Apple ,
• Great Lakes Honey ,
• Whole Grain Mustard ,
• Apple Cider

• ← Herb Crusted Cauliflower Steak
• Sundried Tomato Corn Chowder →