Grilled Chicken Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant salad with grilled chicken, sweet strawberries, fresh spinach, and creamy poppy seed dressing

# 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season evenly with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 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.
07 - Drizzle with poppy seed dressing just before serving and gently toss to combine.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The warm grilled chicken against cool, peppery spinach creates this beautiful temperature contrast that feels luxurious without any fuss.
  • Poppy seed dressing is tangy and creamy at once, with just enough honey sweetness to balance the bite of vinegar.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than 5 minutes before eating, or the spinach will wilt and everything becomes soggy—timing is everything here.
  • Resting the grilled chicken for those 5 minutes makes an enormous difference in tenderness; skip it and the meat will be dry.
03 -
  • Pound your chicken breasts to even thickness with a meat mallet before grilling—this guarantees they cook through at the same time without drying out the edges.
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for just a few minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant—this single step elevates the entire dish.
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