Chicken Kumquat Salad

Spring has sprung and I couldn't be happier. Fresh summer produce will soon start replacing the heavy comfort foods of winter. Lord knows, my waistline is anxiously anticipating a lighter diet. On deck in the fridge today was a chicken breast, some green peppers, a sweet onion, and a container of kumquats leftover from a shoot. I call that - lunch for one. I started by cutting up the chicken and tossing it in a skillet with some olive oil, green pepper, and onion. While that was cooking, I sliced the kumquats into circles and boiled them just until tender. After draining off the water, I sprinkled the fruit with a spoonful of sugar and set them aside. Once the chicken was fully cooked, I stirred in a clove of freshly chopped garlic and finished with the sweet kumquats. Placed on a bed a mixed greens, this was the perfect salad. The combination of warm chicken with the cool crisp greens was wonderful and kept the overall taste very light and fresh. No dressing was needed since the kumquats infiltrated the salad and gave everything a sweet citrusy glaze. Cheers to a bright and sunny spring! (let's hope it doesn't snow again!!)