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Strawberry Balsamic Salad

This strawberry balsamic salad is perfect for summer. It's made with a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, chicken, avocado, and more!
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Prep Time:20 mins
Cook Time:20 mins
Total Time:50 mins
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Keyword: appetizer, balsamic, dinner, easy, lunch, refreshing, salad, strawberry, summer
Servings: 4 people
Author: Gabi Fletcher

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 fresh chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

For the vinaigrette: Makes 4-6 servings.

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp strawberry jam can sub with maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 4 cups packed mixed greens
  • ½ small red onion (sliced)
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • ½ cup feta cheese
  • ½ cup chopped pistachios *¾ total of any nut is ideal! But I highly recommend using pistachios for part of them! It adds the best crunch and flavor.
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds *¾ total of any nut is ideal!
  • 2 ripe avocados (sliced) You can use just 1 avocado depending on its size and your preference!

Instructions

  • For the chicken:
  • Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a baking dish with tin foil.
  • Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Feel free to adjust or change the seasoning according to your preference.
  • Bake the chicken for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 165° F. Let the chicken cool as you begin the salad assembly.

For the vinaigrette: (I like to make this while the chicken is cooking.)

  • In a medium mason jar, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, strawberry jam, minced garlic, and the salt and pepper. Shake vigorously until homogenous and let marinate while you begin the salad assembly.

For the salad: (Feel free to keep the ingredients separate if you are not serving to 4 people right away.)

  • In a large bowl, add the mixed greens and sprinkle with the sliced red onions.
  • Next, cut the chicken in long strips and lay neatly on the salad.
  • Then, place the sliced avocados, fresh strawberries, feta cheese as desired on top of the bed of greens. Sprinkle the pistachios and almonds over the entire salad and then pour the dressing (as much as desired) over the entire salad bowl.
  • Mix to combine and serve immediately! Keep leftovers in refrigerator. See my notes below for meal prep.

Notes

*Meal prepping salads is my favorite thing. I would recommend doubling the amount of chicken and then buying double the amount of produce. I normally buy a large container of mixed greens, a bag of avocados, 1 lb of strawberries, and I have lots of nuts and feta on hand always. Slice up as much red onion as you desire for the week and store in a bag in the fridge. I also would double the balsamic vinaigrette dressing and keep it in the refrigerator throughout the week. Assemble the salad every day whenever you choose to keep it fresh. You can also store a pre-dressed salad, but I would eat it within 24 hours so it doesn't get too soggy.