Balsamic Chicken salad with Fresh Berries and Feta

5 from 3 votes

Balsamic Chicken salad with Fresh Berries and Feta

Fire up the grill for this savory grilled chicken salad with the natural sweetness of fresh berries, salty feta, and crunch from candied almonds. Fresh basil gives this summery salad extra fresh flavor.

Use a small portion of the balsamic basil vinaigrette as a marinade for the chicken. Keep in mind that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to a day before cooking.

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Salad

Keyword: easy chicken recipe, easy dinner, easy salad, easy salad recipe, gluten free, summer

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $10.00

Equipment

Outdoor Grill or Grill Pan
Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Balsamic Basil Vinaigrette:

2 tsp finely chopped Fresh Basil
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Honey
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Grilled Balsamic Chicken Salad:

1 1/2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, halved if thick
Salt and Pepper
8 oz Mixed Salad Greens (use your favorite mixed salad greens and / or spinach, butterhead, or romaine)
8 oz Cucumbers, chopped
2 cups Strawberries, quartered (use other fresh berries if you'd like)
8 leaves Basil, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
6 oz Feta, crumbled
1 cup Sliced Almonds (the salad is great with Sweet and Salty Candied Almonds - see below)

Instructions

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake well (or whisk together in a bowl) to combine.
If chicken breasts are quite thick, slice them in half lengthwise to thin. (I find that this helps them to cook more evenly and gives you more surface area for the vinaigrette to flavor the chicken.)
Combine chicken with 3 Tablespoons of vinaigrette (reserve the rest of the vinaigrette for the salad), turning the chicken to coat. Refrigerate chicken and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to a day.
While chicken marinates, whenever you're ready to serve, heat up the grill, leaving one part with direct heat and another part over indirect heat. (If you prefer, you can also just cook the chicken indoors using a grill pan or skillet.)
Drain marinade off chicken and season chicken generously with salt and pepper.
Grill chicken over direct heat until grill marks appear. Transfer to indirect heat and continue cooking 4 to 6 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes (this will help keep it tender and moist). Thinly slice.
In a large bowl, combine greens, cucumbers, strawberries, basil, and feta. Gently toss.
Top salad with chicken and almonds. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with extra basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes

Sweet and Salty Candied Almonds - Check out this recipe for sweet and salty candied almonds to use as a topping. They really make the salad feel extra special.

Nutrition