Grilled Chicken and Roasted Delicata Salad

Delicata squash has an appropriate name.  It's light and tender and you can definitely eat the skin. Forget the deep fried onion rings - roast up some delicata rings; serve 'em as an appetizers, on sandwiches, or adorn a fresh salad.

2 boneless chicken breasts
2 delicata squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 cups lettuce greens
1 cup radiccio leaves, broken up
6-8 radishes (red or white), sliced
4 Tbsp crumbled bue cheese
4 Tbsp sunflower seeds
crushed red pepper flakes

Dressing
juice of 1 lime
1/4 olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
dash salt and pepper

Heat grill, and heat oven to 425F.  Cut squash in half at the waist (not lengthwise) and scoop out seeds with a soupspoon.  Now slice squash into rings, about 1/4-inch thick.  Toss rings in a bowl with the oil and brown sugar.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Tip squash onto a rimmed jellyroll pan and roast for about 20-30 minutes, turning once.  The rings should brown well and be soft to the tip of a knife.

 

Meanwhile, salt and pepper chicken breasts, and grill over medium heat, about 5-8 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through.  Remove to a platter.

Whisk together the dressing.  Then assemble the salad by distributing the greens and radiccio evenly about 4 plates.  Slice the chicken thinly on a bias, and lay in a pinwheel pattern, alternating with the tomatoes, on top of greens.  Top with even portions of the squash and radishes.  Then scatter the blue cheese and sunflower seeds on top of salad.  Dress with dressing and the red pepper flakes.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  Delicata squash is usually about 6 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter.  On the East Coast US it can be hard to find, but seems to show up at the grocery stores in early fall.  Buy up a bunch when you see them!