This hearty grilled chicken salad recipe highlights the classic combination of sharp cheddar and sweet, crunchy apples. For a fabulous starter anytime you entertain, simply skip the chicken.

Apple & Grilled Chicken Salad with Cheddar Toasts

Serves 4

Serving Size: 3 cups salad, 3 oz. chicken & 1 cheese toast

Active Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

4 diagonal slices baguette (1 inch thick)

1/2 cup shredded aged cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil, plus extra for grilling

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 head escarole (about 1 pound), torn into bite-size pieces

3 cups sliced sweet, crunchy apples (about 2 medium), such as Hudson's Golden Gem or Honeycrisp

1/4 cup slivered red onion

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Oil the grill rack. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 F, about 15 minutes total.

Grill baguette slices over the coolest part of the grill until toasted on the bottom, 1 to 3 minutes. Turn the slices over, sprinkle with cheese and cook until the cheese melts, 1 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard and the remaining salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add escarole, apples and onion; toss to coat.

Slice the chicken. Divide the salad among four plates, top each with some chicken and serve with the cheese toasts.

Recipe nutrition: Per serving: 397 calories; 19 g fat (5 g sat, 4 g mono); 77 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 10 g total sugars; 31 g protein; 8 g fiber; 550 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (53 percent daily value), Folate (43 percent dv), Vitamin C (20 percent dv), Potassium (19 percent dv), Calcium (18 percent dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving(s)

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 high-fat meat, 2 fat

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)