Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Salad with Candied Pecans

Thank you to Foster Farms Simply Raised, locally grown in California, for sponsoring this recipe.

This Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear salad has all my favorite fall flavors and when combined with the citrus vinaigrette it is absolutely amazing! Foster Farms asked me to check out some of their locally grown, Simply Raised (without antibiotics) chicken so I was glad to put it to use here. This salad is a meal and it’s definitely one that should be on your table this season.

The fresh pears and roasted butternut squash really add an insane layer of flavor to this salad. This salad really feels like a decadent treat with all of the fabulous flavors . . . and I love anything with goat cheese.

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce
Baby kale
Green cabbage
Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken Fillets- baked
Roasted butternut squash
Candied pecans – You can buy these already candied or make them yourself. We are kind of partial to these brown sugar candied pecans.
Goat cheese
Dried cranberries
Pears, sliced thinly

Citrus Vinaigrette Ingredients

3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c orange juice
1 t salt
1 t Rosemary
1 t black pepper
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t Italian seasoning

Preparation

Start by baking your chicken at 375° for about 20 minutes or until the inside is no longer pink. I season this with my favorite grill seasoning but any of your favorite seasoning will work here. We used Foster Farms Simply Raised (without antibiotics). I love the quality and flavor of Foster Farms chicken and here in California all the chicken they sell is locally grown in California which is perfect because I love buying local whenever I can. There’s such a huge difference in freshness when you buy local and I love the idea that I’m helping to support local farmers. All Foster Farms fresh chicken products are American Humane Certified.

Wash and prepare your lettuce, kale, and cabbage. I tear the lettuce but cut the kale and cabbage into thin strips.

Roast your butternut squash by cutting it into cubes (or buying it already cut into cubes), tossing it in olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and roasting at 400° for about 20 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding it to your salad.

Dress your salad with the roasted (and cooled) squash, dried cranberries, sliced pears, candied pecans, and a few dollops of goat cheese.

To make the salad dressing, combine all the salad dressing ingredients and mix well. It’s simple but the added flavor is delicious.

This salad is perfect for fall entertaining or even just a weeknight meal. It’s has some of my favorite flavors in it and is loaded with protein so it is definitely one that will hit the spot.