Chicken & Strawberry Salad

Salad and Strawberry season are upon us – so you know I had to pump out a delicious summer strawberry salad. This marinated chicken is just the right protein to top this fully loaded salad with feta and cucumber. The simple lemon vinaigrette pulls it all together. You are going to want to be sure and get this recipe for Chicken & Strawberry Salad pinned to your must make board!

When it comes to marinating meats, I always like to use a good gallon-sized zipper bag. When I say good, I mean the double zipper, not gonna leak variety. I also make sure that the zipper end is never laying flat while it’s marinating. For good overall marinating, flip the bag over once or twice during the marinating time. One more note on the marinating time, while 30 minutes can do some good, it’s really better to get at least 4 hours in. I usually start it while I’m getting my lunch. You could also get it going before leaving for work in the morning, or even start it the night before.

I like to use mason jars to mix my dressings, because they seal up tight and you can shake the heck out of them to make sure that it’s really mixed up. The little bit of Dijon mustard does little to add to the flavor of the dressing, it really only acts as an emulsifier to keep the vinaigrette from separating when it sits for a while. If you don’t have or don’t like red wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar instead, just don’t use regular white vinegar.

This is a true entrée salad and will fill you all the way up. I find that using a combination of the spring mix and spinach, you get a hearty base. For the bigger eaters, I add in the chicken from the extra two breasts, so that they are sure to get enough.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Chicken & Strawberry Salad

Brighten up the summer nights with this flavorful chicken and strawberry salad with homemade vinaigrette

Course Entree Salad, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword feta, feta cheese, marinade, marinated chicken, red onion, spinach, spring mix, strawberries, sunflower seeds, vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 4 hours hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 pints Fresh Strawberries hulled and sliced
• 3 cups Spring Mix
• 3 cups Fresh Baby Spinach
• ½ Medium Red Onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup Feta Cheese crumbled
• 1 English Cucumber sliced
• 1 cup Croutons
• ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds shelled

For the Chicken

• 68 Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts
• ½ cup Oil
• ½ cup Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

For the Vinaigrette

• ⅔ cup Oil
• ⅓ cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

Instructions

• In a gallon sized zipper bag, add all ingredients for chicken and seal (press out excess air). Shake and squeeze to all is combined. Let marinade in refrigerator or at least 4 hours (up to 24hrs).
• In a mason jar, combine vinaigrette ingredients. Secure lid and shake to combine. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
• In large saute pan over medium high heat, add ½ cup of chicken marinade. Once it has come up to temperature. Add chicken breasts. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side. Remove to cutting board and let cook at least 15 minutes until slicing into ½ inch strips.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine spring mix and spinach. Pour ⅔ of dressing over mixture and toss to coat.
• In a shallow bowl, build your salad. Start with a portion of greens mixture. Then add cucumbers, onions, croutons and strawberries. Next place sliced chicken breast to one side. Sprinkle with feta and sunflower seeds. Last drizzle with a little more dressing. Repeat with remaining salads