Description
Fresh Strawberry Chicken Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish combining tender cooked chicken with juicy strawberries, crisp mixed greens, creamy feta cheese, crunchy almonds, and a bright homemade balsamic dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or summer dinner, this salad balances sweet and savory flavors with a colorful presentation that’s easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, sliced or shredded
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice or shred the cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces to make it easy to mix and eat.
- Prepare the Strawberries: Wash the fresh strawberries thoroughly and slice them into halves or quarters depending on size.
- Assemble the Salad Base: In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed salad greens, sliced cucumber, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Add Protein and Fruit: Top the greens with the sliced chicken and strawberries evenly distributed across the bowl.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, sliced almonds, and fresh basil leaves over the salad for added flavor and texture.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well emulsified and smooth.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the prepared dressing evenly over the salad ingredients.
- Toss and Serve: Gently toss all the salad components to evenly coat them with dressing, then serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Use leftover roasted, grilled, or rotisserie chicken for a quick meal.
- Fresh strawberries are preferred; frozen ones may add excess moisture.
- Substitute feta cheese with goat cheese, blue cheese, or mozzarella.
- Try adding other fruits like blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches for variation.
- Swap almonds with walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds for different crunch.
- Store salad ingredients separately and combine just before serving to keep crispness.
- Omit chicken and add chickpeas or quinoa to make it vegetarian.
- Add avocado slices for extra creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
