Chicken, Pear, and Gorgonzola Salad

While I've always been happy to dig into a big salad for dinner, I've had a real obsession with main-course salads recently and have been coming up with at least one new salad recipe every week. For whatever reason, nothing makes me happier right now than chowing down on a big, hearty salad with a crusty, buttered roll on the side and to my delight, my husband has been really enjoying my recent spate new of salad recipes as well. Although I was initially sad about the impending close of summer, I'm now really excited to embrace the crisp, cool weather and flavors and ingredients of fall, finding myself craving heartier salads, as opposed to the veggie-packed plates that so often find their way onto my dinner table in the summer. This hearty fall salad combines pungent blue cheese with sweet, crisp pears and toasty, crunchy walnuts, the rich nuts and cheese balanced perfectly by the freshness and crunchiness of the greens and pears. Although blue cheese is a flavor all its own, if you're not a fan (and I realize many people are not), goat cheese, feta, or even a sharp cheddar could be substituted, and apples could stand in for the pears (and would pair particularly well with sharp cheddar). Instead of being disheartened by the end of summer, welcome the beginning of fall and celebrate the bounty of the new season with delicious recipes like this one.

Chicken, Pear, and Gorgonzola Salad
serves 2

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 ounces mixed salad greens
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
2 ounces crumbled gorgonzola
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Salad dressing, for serving (I like raspberry vinaigrette)

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook chicken breast until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F, remove from heat, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice evenly into thin slices.

2. Meanwhile, wash and dry greens and chop, if necessary. Distribute greens evenly between two large plates, topping each with half of the red onion, blueberries, cheese, and pecans. Add the sliced chicken to the top, drizzle with dressing, and enjoy!