This Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken is one of those dishes that hits every tastebud in your mouth! Juicy fresh strawberries, creamy avocado, salty feta cheese crumbles, sweet candied pecans, and a tangy homemade balsamic dressing are all balanced out with some protein-packed grilled chicken. It will no doubt be the talk of the town at your next summer BBQ or get-together.
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Recently, I brought this salad (sans chicken) to our Easter Sunday lunch because I knew my mom and sister, who LOVE their sweets, would gobble up the idea of sweet, juicy strawberries alongside their greens.
To really hook them, I swapped regular roasted pecans for sweeter candied pecans (the ones from our local HEB and Central Market are the best if you live in Texas!).
The result was a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy salad, with strawberries and candied pecans balancing the salty bite of crumbled feta cheese, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette bringing a slight acidic tang. The textures were spot-on too, with the crunchy nuts, crisp red onions, and soft avocado.
Since then Justin and I have made this part of our self-proclaimed “Summer Salad Sunday Dinner” series by adding some grilled balsamic chicken for extra protein (but you can easily leave it off if you want!).
Things You Must-Do
Because I’ve made this salad many times, and in a variety of ways, there are a few key tips I want to share:
- Soak the red onions in ice water to cut down on their bitter bite. (Just 10 minutes helps a TON!)
- Use candied pecans for an even sweeter flavor or use roasted and salted if you’ve got a sugar-averse group on your hands.
- Fresh strawberries are a must! And even better if they are currently in season.
- Do not — whatever you do — do NOT settle for a store-bought salad dressing. Make the balsamic vinaigrette from scratch and with a good quality balsamic vinegar — it makes all the difference in the world!
- Don’t forget the basil! Adding a handful of fresh herbs is one of my secrets to making salads taste so good!
Ingredients
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Spinach. Use baby spinach and try to remove as many of the long, tougher stems as possible.
- Strawberries. Fresh and in season if you can. Avoid previously frozen strawberries as they will be too soggy upon thawing.
- Feta Cheese. A must in this salad. Goat cheese can be substituted, but it won’t have the same salty bite.
- Red Onion. Very thinly sliced is key so you don’t end up with huge chunks of pungent onion.
- Basil. This may seem easy to skip over or leave out, but don’t! It’s so good and will add the best, fresh flavor to the salad.
- Avocados. You want these to be ripe but not so ripe that they’re smushy. Try to buy them a day or two in advance so you have time to get them to their peak ripeness. Once they reach it, pop them in the fridge to slow down their ripening process until you’re ready to use them.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette. A simple mix of good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar combined with honey makes the most simple but absolutely delicious dressing!
- Grilled Chicken. To avoid using too many extra ingredients, we’ll be marinating this in very similar ingredients to what you’ve already used but with the addition of a few more common pantry staples (garlic powder, brown sugar, paprika, thyme, etc.).
How to Make Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken
Below you’ll find the simple steps to make this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken recipe. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions.
1. Prepare the ingredients.
Start off by pounding the chicken to about ½-inch thick by using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Then, cut the breasts into 5-ounce pieces. Poke each piece several times with a fork (this allows the marinade to really penetrate), then place the chicken in a Ziploc bag.
Stir together ¼ cup oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Then, pour the sauce over the chicken. Be sure it completely coats the pieces, then let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Place the sliced red onions in a bowl of ice water and soak for at least 10 minutes. Dry thoroughly before using.
Finally, make up the balsamic vinaigrette by mixing together ½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup honey, and ¼ tsp. salt in a mason jar. Shake well, then set aside.
2. Grill the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the fridge at least 10 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to high, and ensure the grates are clean. Then, spritz the grill with oil so nothing sticks.
Set the chicken on the grill smooth side down. Be sure to shake off any excess marinade. Close the lid and let the chicken cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Then, flip the chicken breasts. If they start sticking, let the chicken cook another minute or two before trying to flip again.
Give the chicken cook another 5 to 8 minutes on the grill. When done, the internal temperature should be at least 160℉. Remove the chicken from the grill to a plate, then tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes—it will continue cooking a bit.
3. Build the salad.
When you’re ready to dig in, add the spinach leaves along with the strawberries, feta cheese, prepared red onions, candied pecans, basil, and avocado slices. Drizzle the dressing and toss until everything is coated.
Carefully place the grilled chicken on top and enjoy!
Variations to Try
You can easily change this salad up to feel like something new each time you enjoy it!
- Swap out the fruit. Try blueberries, figs, or even apples.
- Try a different nut. Walnuts or almonds go great.
- Change the cheese. Try goat cheese, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, or even mozzarella cheese.
Prep-Ahead Instructions
You can prepare most of this salad up to 24 hours in advance:
- Make the Dressing. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance.
- Feta Cheese and Basil. You can add them to the spinach in a bowl and store in the refrigerator.
- Candied Pecans. You can chop them but do NOT refrigerate them, as they will get soggy.
- Red Onions and Avocado. Wait until the day of to soak the red onions and slice the avocado.
- Grill the Chicken. You can grill the chicken ahead of time but warm it up before adding it to the salad to avoid a dried-out texture.
Storage Tips
If you aren’t going to finish the entire salad, only add dressing to what you’ll be enjoying immediately. Store everything separately. The chicken should last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
FAQs
If you don’t have spinach or don’t want to use it, try collard greens, kale, or arugula for the best flavor and texture.
The best way to keep avocado from turning brown is to toss them in a bit of lemon or lime juice. But they’ll be fine if left out for less than 2 hours. I don’t advise slicing these ahead of time!
You can use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute, but the flavor will be slightly different.
Yes, goat cheese or blue cheese can be used as substitutes, but keep in mind that the flavor profile will change.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Summer is the perfect time for all the salads! Try these recipes next.
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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken
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Ingredients
Grilled Balsamic Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar high quality
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Strawberry Spinach Salad:
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 10 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 1 pint strawberries hulled and sliced
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup candied pecans coarsely chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 2 small avocados peeled, pitted, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the Grilled Balsamic Chicken: Place the chicken in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and pound to about ½-inch thick using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Remove from the bag and transfer to a cutting board. Cut chicken into six 4-ounce pieces. Pierce each breast 7-8 times with a fork and then return the breasts to the Ziploc bag. If the bag is broken, use a new one.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Pour the mixture over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage the chicken to ensure all of the marinade gets into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat the grill to high, clean and oil the grates.
- Transfer the chicken from the plastic bag to the grill, taking care to shake off any excess marinade. Place the chicken on the grill, smooth side down, and reserve any remaining marinade. Close the grill lid and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. Brush generously with marinade, flip, and cook for another 5-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. If the chicken sticks when trying to flip, let it cook for 1-2 more minutes and then try again.
- Remove from the heat, place on a plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes. The chicken will continue to cook under the foil. Before serving, make sure it has reached 165°F, then slice into ½-inch thick pieces.
- For the Balsamic Vinaigrette: Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and salt to a mason jar. Cover with a lid and shake until well combined. Set this aside until ready to use.½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup honey, ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Strawberry Spinach Salad: Place the red onions in a bowl of ice water and soak for at least 10 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly using paper towels.¼ cup red onion
- Add the spinach, strawberries, feta cheese, red onion, candied pecans, basil, and avocado slices to a large bowl. Drizzle with preferred amount of Balsamic Vinaigrette, reserving the rest for later use, and toss until well coated. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sliced chicken10 ounces baby spinach leaves, 1 pint strawberries, 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup candied pecans, ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 2 small avocados, Salt and black pepper
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Notes
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is calculated based on ½ of the marinade ending up cooked on the chicken.
- Prep-ahead: Make the dressing up to 2 days in advance. You can add the spinach, feta, and basil to a bowl and store in the refrigerator. You can also grill the chicken ahead of time, but warm it up before adding it to prevent drying out.
- Storage: If you aren’t going to finish the entire salad, only add dressing to what you’ll be enjoying immediately. Store everything separately. The chicken should last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One of my favorites – ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Becky! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!