Greek Salad Topped With Crispy Polenta And Grilled Chicken

I can't quite remember if it was my sister or I who came up with this recipe, but we started to make this salad when we lived together in Dallas. We loved to make big salads for dinner because they are filling and they don't leave you feeling deprived! Polenta is basically cornmeal and it can be prepared many different ways.  In this recipe, the polenta is drizzled with olive oil and baked until it is crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. I think you will find this salad to be one of your favorites!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag of leafy romaine lettuce
• 1/2 bag of baby spinach leaves
• 18 oz. of San Gennaro Polenta, basil & garlic flavor (this can be found in the pasta section of the grocery store, it is packaged and held at room temperature)
• 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thawed and cubed into bite size pieces
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
• 1 1/2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup of jared roasted red peppers, diced
• 3 oz. of crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4 cup of shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese 
• 1/4 -1/3 cup of Light balsalmic vinaigrette or vinaigrette of your choice  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the polenta into small cubes or triangles and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the polenta and mix together with your hands. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping them half way through (make sure they are browned and crispy). 

2. While the polenta is baking, saute the chicken in a skillet on medium to medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The chicken should be lightly brown on the outside and no longer pink in the middle. Set aside when it is finished cooking.

3. In a large bowl add the lettuce, spinach, red onion, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Add the dressing to the salad (make sure you don't over dress) and mix well until the ingredients are well incorporated.

4. Portion the salad onto plates and top with cooked chicken and crisy polenta. Enjoy!!

Tips: You can serve this salad as an entre with the chicken or you can serve it as a side salad without the chicken.