Strawberry Chicken Salad (Print View)
Tender chicken and sweet strawberries over fresh greens with tangy poppy seed dressing.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad
05 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, or spring mix)
06 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
07 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup candied or toasted pecans
→ Poppy Seed Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
15 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined and slightly emulsified. Set aside.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and pecans. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
05 - Arrange the sliced chicken on top of the salad mixture.
06 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sweetness of the strawberries against the tangy balsamic dressing creates a flavor combination that surprises you with every single bite.
- It comes together in about thirty minutes, which means you can pull it off even on a weeknight when motivation is running low.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad until the very last moment, because the greens will wilt into a soggy mess within ten minutes and nothing can save them after that.
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps all the juices inside the meat instead of spilling onto your cutting board, which I learned after years of impatiently cutting into it right away.
03 -
- Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes transforms them from good to extraordinary, and the smell alone is worth the extra step.
- If your strawberries are not very sweet, add an extra half teaspoon of honey to the dressing to bring everything into balance.