Description
A hearty fall-inspired salad made with tender chicken, crisp apples, candied pecans, creamy goat cheese, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect for a light main dish or holiday side.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups mixed greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced or shredded (grilled or roasted)
- 1 crisp apple (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith), thinly sliced
- ½ cup pecans, toasted or candied
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (optional)
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a large bowl or platter, arrange mixed greens, chicken, apple slices, pecans, goat cheese, red onion, and cranberries (if using).
- Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make it heartier with quinoa or farro mixed in.
- Swap goat cheese for blue cheese for a stronger flavor.
- Pecans can be substituted with walnuts or almonds.
- For meal prep: keep vinaigrette separate until ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad / Main Course
- Method: Assembled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: Approx. 350
- Sugar: Approx. 10g
- Sodium: Approx. 300mg
- Fat: Approx. 20g
- Saturated Fat: Approx. 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: Approx. 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 15g
- Fiber: Approx. 5g
- Protein: Approx. 25g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 70mg
