Grilled Chicken Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable Version)

Grilled chicken, sweet strawberries, and fresh spinach tossed with creamy poppy seed dressing for a light summer meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grilled Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

06 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach
07 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
08 - 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/3 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through with clear juices. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, and toasted nuts.
06 - Arrange sliced grilled chicken on top of the salad mixture.
07 - Drizzle with poppy seed dressing just before serving and gently toss to combine.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, so weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like an actual meal you'd want to eat.
  • Sweet strawberries and creamy poppy seed dressing make something so fresh feel almost decadent without any pretense.
  • Grilled chicken stays juicy when you don't overthink it, and the whole thing tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step with the chicken because it's the difference between juicy meat and something that falls apart on your fork.
  • Make the dressing first because it actually tastes better if it's had a few minutes to sit before you use it, letting the flavors marry together naturally.
03 -
  • A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of grilled chicken and means you'll never serve something undercooked or dry again.
  • Taste the dressing before you use it because you might need a pinch more salt or honey depending on your mayo brand and personal preference.
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