Caribbean Jerk Chicken and Berries Summer Salad

I love a good salad! This particular salad started out as a happy accident and now it is a favorite of mine. I made the base of this salad (without protein) to serve along side jerk chicken wings, grilled kielbasa sausages and burgers one evening. Everyone loved the salad, especially when they got pieces of jerk chicken mixed with a bite of salad.  The next time I made this salad, I seasoned a chicken breast with some jerk marinade and cooked it in my skillet then added it to the salad. It was a huge success!

First I seasoned my chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of store bought jerk marinade. I prefer Walkerswood jerk seasoning. I added some onion powder, garlic powder and salt, then combined everything in a large ziplock bag, added the chicken breast and mixed it up until the breasts are completely coated with seasoning (as shown above). I typically let the chicken marinade for at least an hour, but preferably over night.

For this particular recipe I cooked the chicken in the oven, but you can also cook it on the grill. I placed the marinated chicken in a baking dish and put it in the oven to broil. I broiled it for 20 minutes to get the skin crisp, then I reduced the oven temperature to 375 °F and cooked the breast for an additional hour. I am using bone-in chicken breasts which are a bit thicker and takes some time to cook all the way through.

Once the chicken cooked all the way through and had an internal temperature of 160°F, I removed from oven. I then placed the chicken on a cutting board and cut the breast from the breast bone. I then sliced the chicken into 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside.

For the salad I used a spinach and baby kale mix I bought from the supermarket. Even though the salad packaging states that it is prewashed, I washed it again (you just never know). You can use paper towels to dry the greens or a salad spinner (if you have one). I added strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and some toasted sunflower seeds, then drizzled some caramelized onions and citrus dressing over the the salad. The recipe for the dressing is below. It’s pretty simple to make and really delicious. You can make it in a large batch and store it in the refrigerator to use on other salads.

Putting the salad together is pretty simple. I tossed everything together in a large salad bowl.  I typically serve this salad in a bowl topped with chicken but when I want to get fancy, I serve it in a plate with the chicken on the side. It’s totally up to you and how creative you want to get!

Caramelized Onions and Citrus Dressing

Althea Brown

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This sweet onions and citrus dressing is perfect for summer salads!

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Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Course Salad Dressing

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 white onion diced
• ▢ 4 cloves of garlic whole
• ▢ 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• ▢ 1/2 cup + 2tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ juice from 1 lemon
• ▢ 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions 

• Cook onions and garlic on medium heat in 2 tbsp of olive oil, until soft and brown.
• Set aside and let cool.
• When cool combine cooked onions and garlic and all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth using the liquify setting of the blender (if available).

Notes

1. A tip to speed up the caramelization process for the onions is to add a little bit of sugar while sautéing the onions.
2. Make the dressing ahead and store it in the refrigerator and use for other salads.
3. You can substitute sugar for honey in this recipe for a healthier version

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The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.

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