Jerk Chicken Salad

Submitted by: Stephanie Maxfield

1 tablespoon garlic oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk rub
1 pound chicken tenders
1 medium pineapple
1 red bell pepper
3 green onions
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
2 limes
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayo
2 tablespoons pineapple preserves

Whisk together oil and jerk rub. Place tenders in mix and coat well, set aside. Peel pineapple and cut in half lengthwise. Reserve half for another use. Cut remaining in half lengthwise and remove core. Slice crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Heat grill pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add chicken, cook 3-5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from pan. Add pineapple to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side, turning once, remove from pan. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, set chicken and pineapple aside. Thinly slice bell pepper and green onions. Chop lettuce, set vegetables aside. Drain and rinse beans, set aside. For dressing, zest one lime. Juice both limes into bowl. Add lime zest, mayo and pineapple preserves to bowl, mix well. Layer chopped lettuce, beans, bell pepper, chicken, pineapple, bacon and green onions over each lettuce leaf. Drizzle dressing over salad.

Yields: 6 servings

For a kid friendly version replace the lettuce with 1 pound cooked Rotini pasta. After draining, toss with 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, add remaining ingredients, drizzle with dressing and toss gently.