Grilled Golden Beet and Chicken Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese

If you've a leftover deli or roasted chicken breast, a little goat cheese, and a few golden —or other— beets, this is your go-to dinner. Filling and beautiful with a lovely combination of sweet and tangy flavors, this salad also offers several differing textures to entertain your palate.

Ingredients

4 medium golden beets, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins
Olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
5 ounces goat cheese (chèvre) sliced into 1/3-inch thick rounds -- cold or frozen
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups fresh salad greens--your choice
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup sliced red radishes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped plus extra for garnish
1 cooked chicken breast--boned, skinned, and shredded
Crushed red pepper
Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe in notes below)

Instructions

GRILL THE BEETS: Heat indoor or outdoor grill to medium. Toss sliced beets with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Grill beet slices for 8-10 minutes or until browned and well-marked. Turn and cook until tender --perhaps another 10 minutes -- covering if necessary. If beets are cooking too quickly, lower heat. When done, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove to a bowl and reserve.
FRY THE GOAT CHEESE: Dust the sliced cheese on both sides with a pinch of flour. (Chill again for 15 minutes if you have time.) Heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium-high flame and pour in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pieces of cheese to the pan leaving a little space between each. As soon as brown on one side, carefully turn; brown on the other, remove to a plate and reserve. (Work quickly, paying attention all the while here, or you'll have cheese whiz.)
ARRANGE THE SALAD/SERVE: Add the salad greens, scallions, red bell pepper, radishes, and cilantro to a large shallow bowl or platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with two tablespoons of sherry vinaigrette (recipe below) or to taste. Toss. Mound the chicken at the center of the salad and arrange the reserved grilled beets and goat cheese evenly around it. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper and add a few flakes of crushed red pepper to each goat cheese round. Drizzle with another tablespoon of sherry vinaigrette over all or to taste. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Notes

Sherry Vinaigrette*

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, peeled and minced
pinch each kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard - or to taste
9 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegars, shallot, salt and peppers, and mustard. Let rest 3 or 4 minutes. Drizzle in oil, whisking, until well-combined.

Do buy whole chickens or at least bone-in chicken breasts for this recipe. They taste so much better among many other things. Read all about it under TIPS: "The More Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts I Sell, the Worse I Feel."