BBQ Chicken and Pear Salad
Ingredients
For Pear BBQ Sauce:
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 cups diced canned pears, with 2 cups juice
1 cup hoisin sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 1⁄2 tsp. chili-garlic paste
For Vinaigrette:
1⁄3 cup balsamic vinegar
1⁄3 cup reserved pear juice
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1⁄2 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper
For BBQ Chicken:
4 1⁄2 lb. boneless chicken breasts and thighs
2–3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. BBQ seasoning rub
For Pear Salad:
3 1⁄4 lb. canned pear halves, reserve juice
1⁄4 cup honey
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. BBQ seasoning rub
1 lb. hearty salad greens
1 1⁄2 lb. frozen peas, thawed
1 qt. roasted corn kernels
3 cups crisp bacon bits
1 1⁄2 cups sliced scallions
Steps
1. To make BBQ Sauce: In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Stir in onion and continue cooking 3 minutes, stirring often. Add pears and cook 3 minutes. Stir in pear juice, hoisin, ketchup and chili paste; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes until thickened; cool. With a hand blender or in a food processor, process until smooth. Let stand at least 4 hours before use; refrigerate if not using immediately.
2. To make Vinaigrette: In container with cover, mix vinegar and pear juice; stir in mustard. Whisk in oil until thick and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Per order, lay chicken on an oiled sheet pan and brush with oil. Liberally sprinkle with seasoning rub. Grill until browned on both sides and cooked almost through. Place back on sheet pan and brush liberally with 1 cup Pear BBQ Sauce. Bake at 450°F. until BBQ sauce is browned and bubbly. Cool to room temperature.
4. To make Pear Salad: On an oiled sheet pan, spread pear halves in an even layer. Place under broiler for 3 minutes. Mix honey, BBQ seasoning rub and oil; blend well. Brush tops of pear halves liberally and broil until browned and bubbly, basting often. Remove from broiler; cool to room temperature to serve.
5. For each serving, spread 1 cup greens over chilled dinner plate and top with 5 ounces sliced chicken. Arrange 1⁄2 cup peas, 1⁄2 cup corn, 1⁄4 cup bacon pieces and 1⁄4 cup scallions around chicken. Set 4 barbecued pear slices around edge of salad and serve with 3 tbsp. Vinaigrette and extra Pear BBQ Sauce.