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Strawberry Spinach Salad
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This strawberry spinach salad is simple, fresh, and easy to make! Made with the juiciest, tender chicken and the dreamiest homemade dressing!
why you’ll love this strawberry spinach salad
- The best part about summer. With juicy, grilled chicken thighs, fresh strawberries, and crunchy pecans, this makes for a hearty meal any time of day. It’s a quintessential spring and summer salad (especially when berries are in season) – vibrant, colorful, and so fresh.
- The dressing is gold. The poppy seed dressing is sweet, tangy, and so creamy, complementing the salad so perfectly. And it can be made up to 5 days in advance.
- Highly adaptable. This is the go-to salad for picnics, potlucks, backyard BBQs, and even dinner parties. And you can easily tweak it with ingredients on hand!
variations and substitutions
- Chicken thighs: replace with chicken breasts or leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
- Baby spinach: replace with arugula, spring mix, butter lettuce, or kale
- Strawberries: replace with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, or pears
- Pecans: replace with candied pecans, almonds, walnuts, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Goat cheese: replace with feta or queso fresco
How to make strawberry spinach salad
- Make the dressing. Toss all the dressing ingredients together, storing in the fridge up to 5 days in advance. Always shake well before adding to the salad.
- Prep the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat and scrape the grill grates clean to prevent sticking and to guarantee those perfect sear marks on the chicken.
- Prep the chicken. Brush the chicken thighs with oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- Grill. Add the chicken to the preheated grill, letting them cook undisturbed for a few minutes for those favorited grill marks. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Let the chicken rest at least 5 minutes. Pro tip: skip this step if using leftover shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Assemble the salad. Combine everything together, adding only half the dressing to start, and adding more, to taste, if needed.
- Serve. Serve immediately, preferably within 2 hours.
More favorited salad recipes
- Simple Side Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Chicken Harvest Salad
Tools For This Recipe
Strawberry Spinach Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content, which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Can I make the dressing ahead of time?
Yes! The dressing can be made 3-5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.
What if I don’t have a grill?
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
How can I avoid dry grilled chicken?
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to slicing and serving.
How do I prevent a soggy salad?
Wash and dry the greens thoroughly first, then add the dressing just before serving.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
This strawberry spinach salad is simple, fresh, and easy to make! Made with the juiciest, tender chicken and the dreamiest homemade dressing!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 5 cups baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
- 2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup toasted pecan halves
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
For the poppy seed dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, place spinach in a large bowl; top with chicken, strawberries, avocado, cucumbers, onion, pecans and goat cheese. Pour the poppy seed dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
For the poppy seed dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds and Djion; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor.
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the dressing 3-5 days in advance, and dicing the strawberries and vegetables 1-2 days prior (except the avocado), storing in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to slicing and serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Toss everything just before serving. Prevent soggy greens! Toss in the dressing just before serving, within 5-10 minutes, to maintain a crisp texture, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.
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