Forest-Seared Chicken Salad

Feeds 3 (or 4 with some self-control)

Inspired from our favorite now-reclusive German nationals and their southern neighbors, this salad is incredibly simple. Chicken cutlet, garlic, onion, and truffle complimented by olive oil, feta cheese (God's gift to us via the udder of a goat) and some cider vinegar. This dish in particular needed something sweet to avoid its over-acidic nature, so I paired a buttered-and-toasted baugette topped with even more feta cheese and a crown of fig jam.

The Breakdown:

• 2 Whole Chicken Breast Halves

• 3 Heads of Romaine Lettuce

• 1 Fresh Baked Baguette

• 4oz Olive Oil

• 4oz Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1tblspn Garlic Powder

• 1tblspn Onion Powder

• 1/2tblspn Truffle Powder

• 1 Feta Cheese Block (4-6oz)

• 1 Jar Fig Jam

• Kosher Salt

• Unsalted Butter

The Fun:

Salad Dressing

1. In a mixing bowl, add 2oz of olive oil, 4oz Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2oz finely crumbled feta and whisk rapidly until homogenous and bubbly

2. Set aside on counter

Salad

1. Wash and chop Romaine Lettuce to desired size

2. Drain and set in covered mixing bowl

3. Refrigerate until served

4. At service, add salad dressing and toss until evenly coated

Chicken

1. Slice each chicken breast into halves, the more equal in size the better

2. Salt lightly both sides and set aside

3. Heat medium pan with thin layer of olive oil to medium heat (below smoking)

4. Pan-sear chicken until browned

5. Pull chicken, season gently with garlic powder, onion powder, and truffle powder.

6. Allow chicken to rest

Fig and Feta Toast

1. Slice thinly the baguette

2. Lightly butter one side completely

3. On a low broil, watch until the baguette is evenly browned to your liking

4. Once browned, pull and place sliced feta on top of each sliced baguette

5. Spoon on 1/2 tspn of fig jam

6. Serve before cooled