In a lighter take on the trendy retro dish, chicken breasts and fresh seasonal stone fruit replace the usual quartered chicken and dried fruit. They’re marinated in a caper-and-olive-flecked dressing, then grilled and served on a bed of flame-kissed greens and toasted bread. The extra dressing becomes the classic savory-sweet white wine sauce that pulls all the flavors of this salad together.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives, halved, plus 2 tablespoons olive brine
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup capers with brine
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ripe but firm stone fruit, such as plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines or a mix, cut into wedges
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half parallel to the cutting board
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup white wine vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup water)
- Four 1-inch-thick slices day-old sourdough or other country-style bread (about 8 ounces)
- 2 romaine hearts, quartered lengthwise, root ends kept intact
Instructions
- Whisk the olives, olive brine, vinegar, apricot preserves, capers and brine, brown sugar, oregano, 1/3 cup of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Combine 1/4 cup of the dressing with the fruit in another medium bowl, cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. Combine 1/4 cup of the remaining dressing with the chicken in a third medium bowl, cover and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Reserve the remaining dressing.
- Preheat a large grill pan or a grill over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved dressing, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
- Grill the chicken and fruit, flipping the chicken halfway through and turning the fruit frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the fruit is caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest.
- Grill the bread, flipping occasionally, until toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and tear into bite-size pieces when cool enough to handle. Right before serving, grill the lettuce, turning occasionally, until slightly wilted and charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the serving platter and toss with the torn bread. Slice the chicken and arrange it, along with the fruit, over the bread and greens. Drizzle with the warm dressing and season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 541 |
| Total Fat | 21 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 27 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 83 mg |
| Sodium | 1021 mg |