Balsamic Strawberry Chicken Salad

This Balsamic Strawberry Chicken Salad is exactly how summer meals should be; quick, easy and packed full of fresh flavours!

This recipe is about as straightforward as they come, but it is a good reminder that simpler is often better, especially in the summer months. I often find myself looking for new ways to marinate meat for the grill, but the truth is it doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. By simply making a little extra dressing for your salad, you can use it to add a punch of flavour to meat without much effort at all. Store-bought dressings will most certainly work (be sure to opt for versions made with olive oil as opposed to vegetable oil) but, in my opinion, making dressings from scratch will always be the cheapest and most flavourful option. The key to any good salad is the dressing, so once you’ve got a few simple salad dressing recipes in your tool kit you will be able to create endless combinations for days to come.

The best part about this strawberry chicken salad is that it stores really well in the fridge so it is also a great meal prep idea! Simply grill the chicken, prepare the salad, store in individual containers, and then drizzle with the dressing when it’s time to eat.

Balsamic Strawberry Chicken Salad

This strawberry chicken salad with balsamic dressing is packed with all of the fresh flavours of summer and works equally well as a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Category: Salads
Cuisine: Gluten-Free

Scale

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
6 cups arugula
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning

Instructions

In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
In a separate large bowl, add chicken breasts, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, cover with just less than half of the dressing mixture, and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes. If time does not permit to marinate the chicken, simply ensure the chicken is well coated in the dressing before adding it to the grill.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Once warm, add chicken and grill for 12-15 minutes, flipping once, until cooked through. Once the chicken is cooked, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, and then thinly slice.
While the chicken is cooking, add arugula, strawberries, sliced onion, chopped almonds and goat cheese to a bowl, drizzle with remaining dressing and toss to combine.
Top the salad with sliced chicken, and season with extra salt, pepper and goat cheese to taste.