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Foster Farms Cooking Contest

Tea Rubbed Chicken with Apple Spinach Salad & Spicy Nuts

Rebecca Cameron, Bonney Lake, WA

Serves 4

4 Foster Farms chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
4 tbsp unsweetened instant tea
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 red onion, sliced
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups apple cider, unfiltered
3 tbsp chopped shallot
1 tbsp grain mustard
½ cup canola oil
10 ounces spinach
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 small apples, diced
⅔ cup spicy nuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In small bowl, combine tea, ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar. Coat chicken lightly with olive oil; rub spice seasoning into chicken pieces and sprinkle with one teaspoon salt. Place chicken in hot oven and bake 40 minutes, or until cooked throughout. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and slice into strips.

While chicken is baking, make pickled onions by combining onion slices, one teaspoon salt, sugar, water and vinegar in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and cool. In separate sauce pan, place cider. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until reduced to one cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shallot, mustard and remaining salt. Slowly whisk in salad oil. Cool.

In large serving bowl, combine spinach, bacon, pickled onions, diced apple and about one-fourth cup cider vinaigrette dressing. Toss well to coat. Place chicken strips on top of spinach and sprinkle with nuts.