Blackened Chicken Cobb with Mustard Vinaigrette

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I'm in love with all things Gloucester.  After only a few years, that town has quickly become my second home, my second family, and definitely has a huge place in my heart.  When it comes to food there, however, nothing can or will hold a candle to Latitude 43 and the Minglewood Tavern.

All part of the same building/dining experience, Lat 43 and Minglewood are home to some of the best local cuisine a visitor or local can experience.  The views are second to none, located right on the marina, and their menus will knock your socks off.  You've never had sushi 'til you've had it here, the pub food is to die for, especially the margherita pizza with chunky tomatoes and the best pesto, but my all-time favorite thing to eat there is their blackened chicken cobb.

Due to my food allergies, and aversion to bleu cheese, I have to order it differently, but even scaled down to my palate, it's killer.  I don't know how many times I felt like licking the bowl clean or eating a bowl of the dressing with a spoon.  Okay, I do know.  It was EVERY time I ate it.  It's just that good.

I miss my brother, Tyler.  I miss Fizzy, his dog.  I miss my Gloucester "family".  I miss the smell of those low tide pies.  But I have SO missed that salad.  Naturally, the cook in me decided to ATTEMPT to recreate it.  The recipe must have turned out better than expected if I've eaten it 3 times in the last, oh, 38 hours.  Obviously, I give this recipe 2 thumbs up, so, if you try it, I hope you like it at least a fraction of how much I do.

Blackened Chicken Cobb with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients for blackened chicken:
2 chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes until it is smoking hot.
Mix together the paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin, thyme, white pepper, and onion powder. Oil the chicken breasts with cooking spray on both sides, then coat the chicken breasts evenly with the spice mixture.
Place the chicken in the hot pan, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook 1 minute on other side. Place the breasts on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients for salad:
Mixed salad greens
Red grapes
Grape or cherry tomatoes, halves
Avocadoes, cut into wedges
Hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges
Bleu cheese
Bacon, cooked....duh (and save a little of the bacon fat for later)

Combine all ingredients in one bowl.  Add as little or as much of each ingredients, but I highly recommend not leaving out the grapes.

Ingredients for dressing:
Dijon mustard
Red wine or white vinegar
Salad oil
Salt
Pepper
Reserved bacon fat

In a mason jar, combine 2 T mustard and 1/4 cup vinegar.  Screw on lid and shake until both ingredients are combined.  Add 3/4 cup salad oil and 1 T reserved bacon fat, and shake, again, until combined.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can serve the chicken as a whole breast on the side of the salad, or cut it into long strips (my preference), and serve warm on top of the salad.

As usual, since I was just in the testing phase of the recipe and didn't anticipate "getting it" on the first try, I didn't take any pictures.  Fact is, I wouldn't have been patient enough to wait until pictures were done to eat it.  So, maybe, eventually, I'll get a picture of what it looks like.  For now, I'll go to bed and dream about eating it for lunch tomorrow.  Mmmm, bacon fat in the dressing.  That's the kicker.

Make, eat, love!