Strawberry Chicken Salad (Printable)
Tender chicken, sweet strawberries, and tangy poppy seed dressing over fresh greens for a light summer meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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
# Directions:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. 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 fully emulsified and smooth.
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 over the top of the salad.
06 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The poppy seed dressing pulls everything together with a tangy sweetness that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant.
- It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means you can pull it off even on a weeknight without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step for the chicken because slicing too early means all those flavorful juices end up on your cutting board instead of in the salad.
- Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the honey or vinegar depending on how sweet your strawberries are that day.
03 -
- Slice the chicken on a slight diagonal to get wider, more elegant pieces that drape nicely over the greens.
- If your strawberries are not particularly sweet, a tiny pinch of salt on them before they go into the bowl wakes up their flavor instantly.