Do not let the word “salad” lull you into thinking this is a quick dish. Or low-fat. It will require as much of you as any other type of main dish but it is well worth the effort.
There’s so much to like here: crisp-roasted chicken thighs, fresh cherries, croutons cooked in schmaltz (see what I mean about the not-healthy part?), and a very good vinaigrette. Leaving out the chicken will save you time and make this both vegetarian/vegan and much healthier. (With that option I would toss the bread with olive oil and toast the croutons in the oven.) But if you want Death-by-Salad, make it as written.
Note: my store was out of butter lettuce so I just used mixed greens from my garden. I think any kind of green would work well here, including heartier ones like Romaine.
Butter Lettuce, Chicken and Cherry Salad is in the June 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.
Cooks illustrated.