Recipes, Recipes - Pinot Noir

Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

I challenged myself to cook what was on hand this week, instead of running out to the store every afternoon to pick up a few items. So last night I concocted a salad with a few things I had on hand. It was delicious, and the real surprise was that it was a great match with the 2008 Big Fire Pinot Noir – now that’s not something you can say about very many salads. The balsamic vinegar you choose will make a big difference in how well this goes with wine. You don’t need to get out that precious balsamic that someone brought you as a hostess gift – save that to drizzle on a perfectly ripe fresh tomato – but you do want to make sure the vinegar you choose is pretty mellow, so as not to conflict with the wine. I actually used a grocery store brand called Colavita in this recipe.

3 or 4 servings

4 or 5 chicken thighs, I used bone in, skin on

2 T Balsamic Vinegar

6 T Olive Oil

4 oz. mild blue cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Romaine lettuce

Preheat a grill, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the thighs till they are done to your liking (about 20 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is).

Make the vinaigrette. Combine the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil in a bowl, add salt and pepper. Crumble up the cheese and using the back of a fork, mash it into the vinaigrette. I just did this enough to get the cheese somewhat incorporated into the vinaigrette, but I didn’t try to get all the lumps out.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and cut the meat off the bone into whatever size pieces you like.

Tear the romaine into bite sized pieces and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Lay the chicken on top of the lettuce and pour the remaining vinaigrette over all.

Not the most beautiful salad in the world, but definitely yummy and so simple for a warm Thursday evening.