Grilled Chicken with Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

Sweet pear, tart cherries and goat cheese, and perfectly grilled chicken. What combination could possibly go better for a summer salad?

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 Red Pear (Anjou), quartered and thinly sliced
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. honey
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
2 Tbs. chopped walnuts
3 oz. spinach (i prefer stems trimmed)
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbs. dried cherries, chopped
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Spread out the sliced onion on the prepared sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the balsamic, 1 Tbs. olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Set a grill pan on medium heat. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil (about 1 tsp. each) and place on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes on each side and let rest while gathering the salad ingredients.

In a small skillet, toast the walnuts on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Place the spinach in a bowl and add 1 Tbs. of the balsamic mix; toss together. Divide the spinach onto two serving plates. Top with the sliced pear, chopped walnuts and cherries, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with more fo the balsamic dressing. Slice the chicken into strips and place next to the salad. (Serve with a small bowl of the dressing instead of drizzling if you are worried about the spinach wilting.)