Ingredients

2 rotisserie chicken breast halves , skin removed and thinly sliced
12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons pecans , toasted
4 tablespoons golden raisins
2 teaspoons sesame seeds , toasted
1/2 cup blue cheese , crumbles ( for garnish )
10 kalamata olives ( for garnish )
1/4 cup pepper jelly
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Zea's Pepper Jelly Chicken Salad is a famous dish that originated at Zea Rotisserie and Bar, a chain of restaurants in the USA. This salad is a perfect blend of tangy, sweet, and savoury flavours and is perfect for summer days. The salad is made using fresh baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pecans, golden raisins, sesame seeds, and a generous amount of pepper jelly dressing, which takes tastebuds on a flavourful ride.

Instructions

1.Prep all the ingredients beforehand and keep them separately.
2.Heat the pepper jelly in a microwave-safe bowl for 10 seconds, stir in the balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, and olive oil to make salad dressing. Set it aside.
3.In another pan, toast the sesame seeds and pecans and keep them aside.
4.Take a salad bowl, mix the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
5.Add the sliced chicken to the salad bowl and pour the salad dressing over it. Toss well.
6.Garnish with blue cheese crumbles, kalamata olives, toasted sesame seeds, pecans, and golden raisins. Serve chilled.

PROS

Zea’s Pepper Jelly Chicken Salad is a perfect blend of sweet and savoury flavours and a perfect meal for summer days.

It can be made ahead and packed for lunchboxes or carried on picnics or potlucks.

The recipe is very flexible, as the toppings or dressing can be customized according to one’s preferences.

CONS

The recipe requires a lot of ingredients and prep time, hence can seem tedious to make.

The salad dressing is high on calories, which makes it unsuitable for people on a low-calorie diet.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

The salad is rich in vitamins and minerals, as it contains baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
The pecans are a good source of heart-healthy fats, while the blue cheese crumbles are a good source of calcium.

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