You will need cooked, chilled chicken for this tasty dish, preferably grilled once you have that, you can make the dish in 20 minutes.

The dish would be a smart way to use up leftover grilled chicken after a barbecue party. Bartlett pears go well with bold flavors such as those in the moderately fiery curry-chili vinaigrette.

Curried Pear, Pistachio and Grilled Chicken Salad is a fine way to use up leftover grilled chicken using cooked chicken, you can make the dish in 20 minutes. Bartlett pears go well with bold flavors such as those in the moderately fiery curry-chili vinaigrette.

Round out your meal with thick slices of dense bread, which would be wonderful for soaking up extra dressing. A chilled, fruity, crisp white wine would be a good complement.

Curried Pear, Pistachio and Grilled Chicken Salad

Cooking and preparation time 20 minutes

For Curry-Chili Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced

For Salad:

6 cups mixed, washed and torn salad greens or spinach

3 large ripe Bartlett pears, cored and sliced (see note)

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 small red onion, sliced

4 small (4-ounce) boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast fillets, chilled

To make vinaigrette: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble salad: Toss half of the dressing with the salad greens. Divide evenly among 4 salad plates or bowls. Top with pears, raisins, nuts, bell pepper and onion. Slice each chicken breast into strips and lay over salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 693 calories, 40 g protein, 39 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 48 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 87 mg cholesterol, 228 mg sodium.

Note: Be sure to use golden-yellow, juicy ripe Bartlett pears. Firm green pears will ripen if you leave them in a bowl at room temperature for 4 to 6 days. Once ripe, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week but handle them carefully because ripe pears bruise easily.

Recipe from California Pear Advisory Board.