Pear and Chicken BLT Salad

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Pear and Chicken BLT Salad

Ingredients

  • 8 cups diced cooked chicken
  • 8 cups Caramelized Pear Slices (recipe follows)
  • 3 cups Pear Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)
  • 12 cups finely chopped lettuce
  • 8 cups diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups crumbled, crisp bacon
  • 24 slices whole grain bread, toasted

  • CARAMELIZED PEAR SLICES
  • 16 cups Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, slices, in juice, drained and juice reserved
  • 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • PEAR RANCH DRESSING
  • 4 cups reserved Pacific Northwest Canned Pear juice
  • 2 cup prepared ranch dressing

Method

In a large bowl, combine diced chicken, Caramelized Pear Slices and Pear Ranch Dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat the ingredients and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, toss lettuce with tomatoes. For each serving, place 1 cup of lettuce and tomato mixture on a plate and top with 1/2 cup chicken and pear salad, and 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon. Repeat for each serving and garnish with 1 slice toasted whole grain bread.

CARAMELIZED PEAR SLICES

Preheat convection oven to 375 degrees F. Drain pears and reserve juice for dressing.

Place pear slices in a bowl and toss with oil to coat. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake 35 to 40 minutes, turning once, until the pears are caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Makes 8 cups

PEAR RANCH DRESSING

In a saucepan, heat the reserved pear juice over a medium heat and reduce by three-quarters to make 1 cup syrup. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Add the ranch dressing to a bowl and whisk in the cooled pear syrup until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 3 cups

Servings

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients

2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups Caramelized Pear Slices (recipe follows)
3/4 cup Pear Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)
3 cups chopped lettuce
2 cups diced tomatoes
¾ cup crumbled, crisp bacon
6 slices whole grain bread, toasted

CARAMELIZED PEAR SLICES
4 cups Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, sliced, in juice, drained
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

PEAR RANCH DRESSING
4 cups reserved Pacific Northwest Canned Pear juice
1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing

Method

In a large bowl, combine diced chicken, Caramelized Pear Slices and Pear Ranch Dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat the ingredients and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, toss lettuce with tomatoes. For each serving, place 1 cup of lettuce and tomato mixture on a plate and top with 1/2 cup chicken and pear salad, and 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon. Repeat for each serving and garnish with 1 slice toasted whole grain bread.

CARAMELIZED PEAR SLICES
Preheat convection oven to 375 degrees F. Drain pears and reserve juice for dressing. Place pear slices in a bowl and toss with oil to coat. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake 35 to 40 minutes, turning once, until the pears are caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. (Makes 2 cups)

PEAR RANCH DRESSING
In a saucepan, heat the reserved pear juice over a medium heat and reduce by three-quarters to make 1 cup syrup. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add the ranch dressing to a bowl and whisk in the cooled pear syrup until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Makes 3/4 cup)

Servings

Makes 6 entrée salads