I love Virginia Beach. I lived down there for years. All of
my stories are in some way related to the Tidewater area. So when Elle Cosimano, an up-and-coming YA Thriller/Suspense writer, invited me to go on a
writing retreat with her to a cabin in Virginia Beach, I eagerly agreed.
The cabin we rented turned out to be a lodge. And it came
stocked with everything except an indoor stove. No, really. We’re talking a FULL bathroom, AC, two separate sleeping areas, a half-fridge, hot and cold running water and a flat screen television. (But since we were there to write,
the TV sat alone and unloved the entire weekend.)
Saturday night, after a day spent torturing our characters,
we decided to break for dinner. I brought my husband’s propane barbecue grill and discovered, I am Queen of the Barbie! The chicken turned out beautifully.
Since I spent my time at the grill, Elle put together the
salad. As you can see from the recipe, she didn’t stop at lettuce and tomatoes.
Together, we created a gourmet meal that was simple, healthy, fresh and completely gluten-free.
Raspberry Vinaigrette Chicken on the Barbie
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Smoked Gouda Cheese
Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing (gluten-free version)
Bag of Salad (lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, cherry tomatoes)
Pistachios
Pears
Grapes
Here’s the SUPER Easy Recipe
Marinate chicken in Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing for several hours in an air-tight container. When ready to make dinner, grill on medium heat for 7-10 minutes on each side depending on thickness of breast.
Just before removing from heat, add 1-2 slices of Gouda
cheese on top of the chicken. Let it melt slightly.
Prepare bag salad as usual and place on plates.
Slice pears.
Serve chicken over salad. Garnish with pears, grapes, pistachios and another slice of Gouda. Top with a small amount of Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing.
Enjoy!
Geez, this sounds so good. And so simple. I love salad toppings that aren’t the norm. Yummy salady goodness!
Best of all this salad was heavy enough to be filling as a meal.
I eat gluten-free too, so will certainly give this a try. Looks like it’s right up my alley. Love salads like this. Thanks!
The pears and the pistachios really make this meal different. I loved it and I hope you enjoy it too, Cathy!
This looks so good, I want it for dinner!
Go for it!
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I still think the s’mores were the best part of dinner!
But in all seriousness, the chicken salad was to die for. And the company was wonderful too!
Hi Elle!
Thanks for stopping by.
I’m not sure which s’mores were better: the ones over the grill or the ones over the campfire.
Definitely a good time, wonderful food and great company!
Yum! If I hadn’t just had roast chicken tonight, this would be tomorrow’s dinner! And just in time for summer! Thanks, Jess!
You’re welcome. When you do make it, let me know what you think.
As luck would have it, I’ve got raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing and chicken breasts on hand! But I don’t have any gouda cheese.
But I do have coupons for gouda. 
Time to send Trim Man to the store! *grin*
If not cooking on the grill, would you bake them in the oven or pan fry them?
Hi Lis’Anne,
I’d put a little vinaigrette in a pan and cook the chicken over medium heat. It takes about 20 minutes. If you like the seared effect, sear them first over high heat blackening the chicken then lower the heat and continue cooking.
When we were desperate, we used smoked cheddar. Not the same but still worked well. Just a thought.
Enjoy!