The strawberries I bought at the Lawrenceville Farmers Market were so much more fragrant and flavorful than the ones from the grocery store, so I didn’t want to hide them in a dessert. This salad spotlights them in the main course. It also used up the spinach, arugula and mesclun greens that were starting to bolt in my garden.
Serves 4
1 cup sliced almonds
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed
1 egg
1 lb of chicken tenderloins (or 4 small chicken breasts)
Salad greens for 4 people
1 pint strawberries
4 ounces of goat cheese
2 green onions, chopped
balsamic vinegar
Crush almonds with the back of a spoon. Combine on a small plate with thyme and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into egg. Then roll in almond mixture. Arrange chicken on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. (Larger or thicker pieces will take longer.)
While chicken is baking, divide salad, strawberries and goat cheese among 4 plates. Top with chicken, sprinkle with green onions and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
(If you’d prefer to grill the chicken, roll the goat cheese into balls and then roll in almond-thyme-garlic mixture.)
