Strawberry Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Fresh strawberries, pineapple, and tender chicken are served over romaine and topped with pistachios, goat cheese, and a simple homemade poppy seed dressing. This salad bursts with the juicy, sweet flavors of summer! It’s an easy 30-minute meal that you’re sure to love!
Servings: 4
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Ingredients
Poppy Seed Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey or agave
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot diced
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Strawberry Chicken Salad
- 2 large chicken breasts
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning mix (or any chicken seasoning mix you prefer)
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce (about 8 cups) chopped
- 1 pint strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and sliced or cut into chunks
- 2 large ripe avocados peeled, seeded, and sliced or cut into chunks
- ½ cup roasted, unsalted pistachios coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese or feta cheese crumbled
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- poppy seed dressing
Instructions
Poppy Seed Dressing
- Prepare the dressing: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until combined. The poppy seed dressing may separate as it sits. Just give it a quick shake to recombine.
Strawberry Chicken Salad
- Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken breast on a cutting board, flat side down. Put the palm of your non-cutting hand on the top of the breast, and using a very sharp knife, slowly cut horizontally through the breast. Cut from one side to the other, leaving the side of the breast opposite of where you started intact. Open it up flat and cut down the middle creating 2 separate chicken breasts. Brush the chicken with olive oil front and back. Sprinkle each side of the chicken with seasoning.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray or brush with oil. Add chicken to the pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain of the chicken into slices.
- Arrange the salad: Arrange the romaine lettuce, strawberries, pineapple, and avocado on a large platter or on individual serving plates. Top with sliced chicken, pistachios, and goat cheese. Give the salad a sprinkle of salt and pepper if you would like. Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over top, reserving any extra dressing for another use. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
Prepping in advance: The poppy seed dressing can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a mason jar in the fridge. The chicken can also be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the salad. I wouldn’t recommend preparing any other parts of this salad in advance though. Once dressed, the salad should be eaten and enjoyed promptly. If you aren't planning to eat the entire salad at one sitting, toss and add dressing to only what you’ll be eating at this time.
Storage: Store the dressing and salad components separately. Since the poppy seed dressing has mayo (or Greek yogurt) in it any leftover dressing should be stored in the refrigerator. The olive oil in the dressing will solidify from the cold temperature of being refrigerated so when you are ready to use the dressing again just take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you need it to bring it back up to temperature; then shake it up to remix before dressing the salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 638 kcal (32%) | Carbohydrates: 51.9 g (17%) | Protein: 44.2 g (88%) | Fat: 31.6 g (49%) | Saturated Fat: 7.8 g (49%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.9 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15.3 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 112.3 mg (37%) | Sodium: 213.6 mg (9%) | Potassium: 1730.9 mg (49%) | Sugar: 29.9 g (33%) | Vitamin A: 790.8 IU (16%) | Vitamin C: 173.3 mg (210%) | Calcium: 167.2 mg (17%) | Iron: 4.6 mg (26%)
Nutritional information should be considered an estimate only; please consult a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or physician for specific health-related questions.
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