Real Food Recipes - Roasted Chicken Salad with Green Grapes and Walnuts

Note: The roasted chicken you prepare today will provide for Friday's meal also. The directions for this recipe will specify how much you need.

One 5 lb. roasting chicken (or 2 if you have a large family, in which case you would double the first seven ingredients)
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. raw, unfiltered honey
1/4 c. chopped fresh rosemary
6 T. extra-virgin, expeller-pressed olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. coarse ground black pepper
1 t. real sea salt or Redmond Real Salt
2 c. organic green grapes, halved
1/4 c. Gorgonzola cheese
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced thin
1/2 c. chopped, crispy walnuts (get recipe here)
1 c. Champagne Grape Vinaigrette (get recipe here)
6 bibb lettuce leaves in the shape of a cup)

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine orange juice, honey, and rosemary in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually add olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Add vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Fold back the wings of the chicken and place in a baking dish. Rub with olive oil mixture. Bake until browned and cooked through about 1 hour and 20 minutes or so. Remove to let cool. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones (save for chicken stock) in strips. Measure out 4 cups of chicken and set aside. Refrigerate remainder for Friday's meal.

Meanwhile, combine grapes, cheese, fennel, walnuts and Champagne Grape Vinaigrette in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Add 4 c. chicken and toss, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve in lettuce cup on individual plates with crusty sprouted bread (Alvarado Street is really good). Makes 6 servings.