Autumn Chicken and Pear Salad Recipe with Poppyseed Dressing
Autumn Chicken and Pear Salad with Poppyseed Dressing is made with fresh mixed greens, crispy bacon, juicy cajun seasoned chicken, and sliced pears. Topped with sunflower seeds, green onion, avocado, and creamy poppyseed dressing, this chicken and pear salad is delicious and bursting with flavor!
Servings: 4 salads
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to even thickness
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 8 cups fresh salad mix
- 2 pears sliced
- 1 cup green onions chopped
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
For the Poppyseed Dressing
- 1 small shallot peeled and chopped
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ cup miracle whip
Instructions
- Whisk together the paprika, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper, in a small bowl. Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken breasts. Set aside.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is crispy.
- Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the chicken to the same skillet with the bacon drippings. Cook the chicken for approximately 3 minutes on each side until browned. Cover the skillet with a tightly fitted lid and continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165 degrees F. with a digital thermometer.
- As the chicken cooks, prepare the poppyseed dressing. Add all ingredients to a small food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble the salad bowls. To each bowl add the greens, sliced pear, green onion, sunflower seeds, cherry tomatoes, and chopped bacon. Top with cooked chicken breast and drizzle with poppyseed dressing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1059mg | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 1225IU | Vitamin C: 25.3mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2.8mg
