Chicken Spinach Salad with Apple, Walnuts, and Bacon

I got this recipe from the starter meal plans from Tarryn and boy was it perfect! Matt not only loved it for dinner but also asked if we had enough leftovers for him to have it as a lunch the next day. Coming from a guy that isn't a huge fan of salads for dinner - it seems like a pretty good review.

The Dijon dressing is perfect with the tart apple, the smokiness from the bacon, and the deep toasted flavor in the walnuts. I ended up using a smoky spice blend to season our chicken before cooking it (but still tossed it with some of the dressing ahead of time) and it was a perfect choice. If you'd rather just salt and pepper your chicken, feel free but this is what we'll use again in the future. It would also be a great way to just use whatever leftover chicken you have on hand.

Chicken Spinach Salad with Apple, Walnuts, and Bacon
serves 2

1/2 cup walnuts                                                       Smoky Spice Blend
1 chicken breast (about 10 ounces)                             1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar                                    1 teaspoon paprika
1 & 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard                                  1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt                                                            1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon black pepper                                          1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil                                                           1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 granny smith apple, cut into matchsticks
4 cups spinach

1. Toast walnuts at 400 for 3 minutes. Stir and toast another 3 minutes. Chop and set aside.
2. Slice chicken lengthwise to make thin fillets. Season chicken with the Smoky Spice Blend and cook over medium high heat until cooked through. Let cool and slice thinly.
3. Blend red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil until well emulsified. Drizzle about 1/3 of dressing over the chicken in a large bowl and let sit 5 minutes.
4. Add walnuts, bacon crumbles, red onion, apple sticks, and spinach to the bowl with chicken. Toss well with extra dressing and serve.