Warm Winter Salad

Warm Winter Salad
Sauteed radicchio, fennel and carrots are topped with chicken, walnuts and Gorgonzola in this warm and hearty main-dish salad. Serve with crusty whole-grain baguette. EatingWell Test Kitchen



Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
2 pears, sliced
2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 small shallots, minced
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)
6 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cups shredded cooked turkey, or chicken (12 ounces; see Tip)
12 large butterhead or Boston lettuce leaves
1 large head radicchio, thinly sliced 1
/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola, or goat cheese

Directions
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
2. Whisk shallots, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl; add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add turkey (or chicken), radicchio, fennel, carrots and walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Return the pears to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide lettuce leaves among 4 plates. Top with the warm salad and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 2 Variation: Halve the ingredients and prepare the recipe in a large nonstick skillet instead of a Dutch oven.
notes

Tips: To poach chicken breasts, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.


Place chopped walnuts in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.