Tossed Salad with Coffee Brined Chicken

Tossed Salad with Coffee Brined Chicken Slices

This is a great salad that everyone will love and the chicken adds a heartiness that will satisfy even the biggest appetite. The salt and spices used in this recipe really keep it moist and flavorful. It tastes great hot as a main dish for dinner or cold, as we use it, for a salad.

This recipe makes 4 generous servings for a main entrée or 8 servings as a side salad.

Coffee Brined Chicken Ingredients: 
4 large boneless, chicken breasts (remove the skins) 
1 cup of water for the brine 
2 cups of water for further cooking 
3/4 cup Original Blend coffee, made strong 
1/4 cup kosher salt 
1/4 cup brown sugar 
1 lemon cut into slices and seeded 
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, 
1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Salad Ingredients: 
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained 
8 cups mesclun salad mix 
1/2 cup or more to taste of sliced almonds 
Chicken slices from 4 large Coffee Brined Chicken breasts (See recipe below)

Coffee Brined Chicken Directions: 
Bring one cup of water to a boil and pour into a bowl. 
Add salt and sugar and stir until dissolved. 
Add brewed coffee, lemon slices, peppercorns, mustard and coriander seeds. 
Pour the brine mixture slowly into a shallow baking dish and carefully add the chicken breasts. 
Add as much of the remaining two cups of water as necessary to insure that the breasts are completely submerged in the brine mixture. 
Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
After about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, pre-heat your grill and cook the chicken breasts - checking the internal temperature to ensure they are fully cooked (165 degrees, or until juices run clear).

Salad Directions: 
Cook the chicken the night before and refrigerate. 
On the day you wish to serve the dish, cut up the chicken into bite sized portions and toss into the greens along with the mandarin oranges and almond slices. 
Add your favorite salad dressing, preferably a light vinaigrette or a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and serve.