Pear, Walnut & Prosciutto Chicken Salad

This salad is a delicious balance of savory, sweet and salty. The crunch of the candied walnut with every bite is simply divine!

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 grams) chicken breast or chicken tenders
1 cup walnut pieces
3 tablespoons maple syrup (omit for Whole30 & 21DSD)
1/2 -1 cup or more thick cut diced prosciutto or pancetta
Handful of chopped green onions (about 1/4 cup chopped)
2 medium sized pears, any variety (For 21DSD, sub Granny Smith Apples)
1/4 cup or more homemade or Primal Kitchen Mayo
Cracked pepper and salt to taste

Optional 4 grain/gluten free crusty buns, small bowls or lettuce wraps for serving.
Note: Pictured are the “Large Choux Buns” from My Paleo Patisserie, topped with poppy seeds” (Page 76 & 77) Also try “Against The Grain Original Rolls”

Note: To make this Whole30 friendly, just use toasted walnut and skip the instructions for the candied walnuts.

Note: To make this The 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly use toasted walnuts instead of the candied and sub Granny Smith apples for the pears

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (this is for the candied walnuts but it is also the temperature needed if you plan to make the choux bun recipe from My Paleo Patisserie.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then in a medium sized bowl add the walnuts (break into coarse pieces if they are whole) and maple syrup, tossing till well coated. Pour out onto the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring twice. Continue baking until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to cool on the baking sheet. Walnuts will become crunchy as they cool.

While the walnuts cool, fry the diced prosciutto till browned and crispy. Drain off the oil and set aside.

Slice the pears in half, core them, then chop the pears and chicken into 1-inch (2.5-cm) size pieces.

In a large bowl, combine them together with the, walnuts, prosciutto, green onions and mayo. Toss to coat evenly then season to taste. Add as much or as little mayo as you like!

Divide the salad among 3-4 sliced gluten/grain free buns, lettuce wraps or in bowls.

Serves 3-4 or just 1 if you’re greedy like that! Eat right away or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If making ahead of time, keep the candied walnuts separate and add just before serving or the will become soft and sticky.

Tip for making large choux buns from My Paleo Patisserie: Measure about 1/4 cup of batter into the molds of a whoopie pie pan or pipe into the molds of a large donut pan. The slightly curved and raised edges help the choux bun to rise upward and not out. This makes getting a good “rise” much more fool proof and works well even if you got your dough a little too runny.

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