Roast Chicken Salad with Grapes and Sweet Wine Vinaigrette
This roast chicken salad with grapes and sweet wine vinaigrette pairs succulent roast chicken with bitter greens, sharp cheese, sweet grapes, and a tangy pan dripping and sweet wine vinaigrette in this Dracula-inspired recipe!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 753kcal
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts bone in, skin on
- kosher salt and pepper as needed
- olive oil as needed
- 1 cup walnut halves or ½ cup chopped
- 1 small bunch red grapes
- 1 small head radicchio about 2 cups chopped
- 1 bunch dinosaur, or lacinato, kale about 4 cups chopped
- ½ cup shaved sheep's milk cheese such as Manchego or Pecorino
Sweet Wine Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup Tokaji wine *see note
- 2 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup reserved pan drippings
Instructions
- If desired, dry brine the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry. Liberally sprinkle kosher salt all over the surface of the chicken, even on the back. Place the chicken breasts on a plate and cover. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the fridge a half-hour before you intend to roast them. Remove any covering and pat the chicken dry. Allow to come up to room temperature uncovered to allow the skin to dry off.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven while it's preheating. Check the walnuts when the oven reaches temperature. Remove if toasted or allow to roast another few minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool before chopping.
- Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with a rack. Generously drizzle the backs of each breast with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. Repeat on the skin side with more olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Place the chicken skin side up on the baking sheet and roast for 45 to 50 minutes or until fully cooked. The chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clear when the breast is pierced.
- Cut the grapes into several large clusters and arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with oil and season with kosher salt. Begin roasting the grapes after the chicken has been in the oven for about 20 minutes. The grapes are done when they are opened and begin to soften.
- When the chicken is fully cooked transfer the breasts to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup making sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the drippings. If needed, add olive oil to the measuring cup to make ⅓ cup total.
- To make the vinaigrette, add the Tokaji wine to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and allow the wine to reduce to about two tablespoons, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- In a small bowl combine the sherry wine vinegar, reduced Tokaji wine, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and pepper and whisk together. Slowly drizzle the pan drippings into the vinegar mixture, whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing.
- Peel the outer leaves off the radicchio and cut into wedges. Remove the core and roughly chop. Set the radicchio aside. Remove the stalks from the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- When ready to serve, drizzle about ⅓ of the vinaigrette over the kale. Use your hands to massage, or squeeze, the kale. This will help tenderize the kale. Add the radicchio to the kale along with the chopped walnuts and shaved cheese. Pour over another ⅓ of the vinaigrette and toss together.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the breasts from the backbone and cut into thick slices. Top each plate with a serving of the salad. Arrange the grapes and chicken breast slices alongside the salad. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the chicken. Serve with a glass of the chilled Tokaji wine and enjoy!
Notes
*Substitute the Tokaji wine with another dessert wine such as Sauternes, or use white grape juice to make this dish non-alcoholic
Nutrition
Calories: 753kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 727mg | Potassium: 1402mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6929IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 3mg
