Chicken, Cheese, And Grape: Perfect Trio For Your Palate

Chicken, cheese, and grapes are a delicious combination, and there are several ways to serve them together. For example, you could make a salad with chicken, blue cheese, and grapes, or a spring salad with grilled chicken, grapes, and goat cheese. If you're looking for something heartier, you could try a recipe for thyme-roasted chicken with grapes and burrata, or chicken with blue cheese and grapes.

Chicken salad with blue cheese and grapes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 ounces mild blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 1/2 cups halved red and green grapes
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup salted roasted sunflower seeds

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and vinegar until well combined.
• Gently fold in the blue cheese, breaking it up with a fork as you go.
• Add the diced chicken, grapes, celery, and parsley to the bowl and fold gently until everything is coated in the mayonnaise mixture.
• Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.
• Finally, fold in the sunflower seeds and serve.

This chicken salad can be served wrapped in Bibb lettuce leaves for a refreshing and light meal. It can also be refrigerated overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or making ahead for a special occasion.

Feel free to get creative and add your own twist to this recipe! You could try using different types of cheese, such as goat cheese or feta, or experiment with additional ingredients like walnuts or walnuts and rosemary for an extra crunch and flavour.

Grilled chicken and grape salad with goat's cheese

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• Olive oil (about 2 tsp)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (5 oz) pkg baby spring lettuce blend
• 1 1/2 cups red grapes, sliced into halves
• 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
• 1/3 of a small red onion (about a heaping 1/3 cup), sliced into thin strips and run under cool water
• 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
• 2 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

Method

• Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat. Pound thicker parts of chicken with a meat mallet to even thickness. Brush chicken lightly with olive oil, sprinkle evenly with rosemary and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Grill until chicken has cooked through (internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit), rotating once halfway through cooking. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into strips.
• Add all remaining salad ingredients to a salad bowl. Pour over dressing, lightly toss and serve, or alternately plate salad then drizzle individual servings with dressing.
• Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper). Blend for about 20 seconds until emulsified. Pour into a container and chill. Whisk before serving.

Tips

• There are lots of fun ways to remix this delicious salad. Feel free to try the delicious dressing on everything from marinades to rice bowls, and use whatever produce you have in your pantry!
• Fresh veggies like tomatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts
• Sweeten it up with strawberries, pears or cherries
• Add crunch with cucumbers and apples
• Other nuts like almonds, pecans, or cashews
• Mix up your cheese by using feta cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, or gorgonzola
• Slice steak for a steak salad instead of chicken
• Swap spring greens for arugula, kale, or spinach salad

Thyme-roasted chicken with grapes and burrata

This is a simple yet delicious recipe, perfect for a weeknight dinner or a Sunday night feast. It combines sweet and savoury flavours and can be served with wild rice, beer bread, and roasted broccoli for a healthy, hearty meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (skin on or off, but I prefer skin off)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into quarters
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups red grapes
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 balls burrata cheese or fresh mozzarella

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prepare the chicken by rubbing it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, thyme, cayenne pepper, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat, adding more flour if needed.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
• In the same skillet, sear the chicken on both sides until golden, which should take about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Once it shimmers, add the shallots and cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in 1/2 cup of water, balsamic vinegar, and apple cider vinegar.
• Slide the chicken back into the pan and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and add the grapes, drizzling them with honey. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the bacon back to the skillet and break the burrata over the chicken. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and enjoy the combination of juicy grapes, creamy burrata, and thyme-roasted chicken.

Variations and Tips:

• You can use a mix of chicken breasts and thighs for added depth of flavour.
• If you prefer your grapes to be more caramelised, you can roast them separately in the oven while the chicken is cooking.
• For a complete meal, serve this dish with wild rice, beer bread, or roasted broccoli.
• If you want to add some crunch to the dish, you can include toasted walnuts or pecans.

Chicken with blue cheese and grapes

This dish is a fancy dinner recipe, perfect for special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, or romantic holidays. It's light yet full of wonderful, contrasting flavours and textures. The sweetness of the grapes and the tanginess of the blue cheese complement each other beautifully, while the walnuts add a satisfying crunch.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Flour
• Wine (Riesling or other sweet wine) or chicken broth
• Rosemary
• Red grapes
• Blue cheese
• Walnuts

Instructions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and butter.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in the skillet for 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove the chicken and keep it warm.
• Add the remaining butter to the skillet.
• Stir in the shallots and garlic.
• Whisk in the flour until blended.
• Carefully pour in the wine and broth, whisking until smooth.
• Return the chicken to the skillet, bring to a boil, and cover.
• Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove the cover.
• Add the rosemary and grapes, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with the sauce, and sprinkle with walnuts and blue cheese.

Tips:

• You can use chicken broth instead of wine if you prefer not to use alcohol in your cooking.
• The chicken is initially browned in the skillet and then cooked through later when added back to the pot with the sauce to prevent overcooking.
• The actual cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts, with thicker cuts taking longer.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Simple side dishes like cooked rice or garlic butter pasta go well with this dish.

Chicken and grapes with mozzarella

Chicken, grapes, and mozzarella is a delicious combination. Mozzarella is a versatile cheese that can be used in many ways, and it goes well with the sweetness of grapes and the savouriness of chicken.

One way to prepare this dish is to make a salad. You can mix together chicken, grapes, and mozzarella with other ingredients such as lettuce, walnuts, and a vinaigrette dressing. This creates a fresh and tasty salad that is perfect for a summer day.

Another option is to create a warm dish by cooking the chicken and grapes together and serving them with melted mozzarella on top. You can also add some herbs and spices, such as thyme and cayenne pepper, to give the dish extra flavour. This option is perfect for a cozy Sunday night dinner.

You could also try a stuffed chicken breast dish. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then spread on a layer of softened mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with chopped grapes and your choice of herbs, then roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with toothpicks. Bake in the oven until cooked through, and you'll have a delicious and impressive dish.

Finally, you could try a chicken and grape panini with mozzarella. Simply layer the ingredients between two slices of bread and grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. This is a quick and easy option that doesn't require much preparation.

There are many ways to enjoy chicken, grapes, and mozzarella together, so feel free to experiment and find your favourite combination!

Frequently asked questions