A sweet & tangy salad perfect for summer!
Recently I brought this salad to our Easter Sunday lunch because I knew my mom and sister would be all about the sweet, juicy strawberries with their greens.
To really hook them, I swapped regular pecans for candied ones (the HEB or Central Market brand are the BEST if you’re in Texas!).
The strawberries and candied pecans played perfectly with the salty feta and tangy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. And then the mix of textures—crunchy nuts, crisp red onions, and creamy avocado—was spot on.
Since then, Justin and I have added it to our unofficial “Summer Salad Sunday Dinner” lineup with some grilled balsamic chicken on top and it’s always a HUGE hit!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Spinach. Use baby spinach and try to remove as many of the long, tougher stems as possible.
- Strawberries. Fresh and in season if you can. Avoid previously frozen strawberries as they will be too soggy upon thawing.
- Feta Cheese. A must in this salad. Goat cheese can be substituted, but it won’t have the same salty bite.
- Red Onion. Very thinly sliced is key so you don’t end up with huge chunks of pungent onion.
- Basil. This may seem easy to skip over or leave out, but don’t! It’s so good and will add the best, fresh flavor to the salad.
- Avocados. You want these to be ripe but not so ripe that they’re smushy. Try to buy them a day or two in advance so you have time to get them to their peak ripeness. Once they reach it, pop them in the fridge to slow down their ripening process until you’re ready to use them.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette. A simple mix of good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar combined with honey makes the most simple but absolutely delicious dressing!
- Grilled Chicken. We’ll be marinating this in very similar ingredients to what you’ve already used but with the addition of a few more spices!
Fun ways to switch it up!
- Swap out the fruit. Try blueberries, figs, or even apples.
- Try a different nut. Walnuts or almonds would also go great.
- Change the cheese. Try goat cheese, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, or even mozzarella cheese.
Step-by-Step Instructions
See the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Tenderize and marinate the chicken.
Pound chicken to about ½-inch thick and cut into 5-ounce pieces. Poke with a fork, then add to a Ziploc bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade and pour it over the chicken. Let chill for at least 30 minutes.
Pro Tip: Poking the chicken with the tines of a fork helps all of that delicious marinade to soak into the chicken more quickly!
Prep the add-ins and make the dressing.
Soak sliced red onions in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
For the dressing, add the oil, vinegar, honey, and salt to a mason jar and shake until it’s smooth and emulsified.
Grill the chicken.
Remove chicken from the fridge 10 minutes before cooking.
Grill chicken over high heat smooth-side down for 4-5 minutes. Flip and grill another 5-8 minutes, until internal temp hits 160°F.
Don’t have a grill? You can also easily bake the chicken in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes!
Assemble the salad and dig in!
In a large bowl, toss spinach with strawberries, feta, red onions, candied pecans, fresh basil, and avocado. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Top with grilled chicken and serve!
Pro Tip: If not serving immediately, reserve the avocado and dressing to mix in just before serving.
Prep-Ahead Instructions
You can prepare most of this salad up to 24 hours in advance:
- Make the Dressing. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance.
- Feta Cheese and Basil. You can add them to the spinach in a bowl and store in the refrigerator.
- Candied Pecans. You can chop them but do NOT refrigerate them, as they will get soggy.
- Red Onions and Avocado. Wait until the day of to soak the red onions and slice the avocado.
- Grill the Chicken. You can grill the chicken ahead of time but warm it up before adding it to the salad to avoid a dried-out texture.
FAQs
If you don’t have spinach or don’t want to use it, try collard greens, kale, or arugula for the best flavor and texture.
The best way to keep avocado from turning brown is to toss them in a bit of lemon or lime juice. But they’ll be fine if left out for less than 2 hours. I don’t advise slicing these ahead of time!
You can use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute, but the flavor will be slightly different.
Yes, goat cheese or blue cheese can be used as substitutes, but keep in mind that the flavor profile will change.
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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken
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Ingredients
Grilled Balsamic Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar high quality
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Strawberry Spinach Salad:
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 10 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 1 pint strawberries hulled and sliced
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup candied pecans coarsely chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 2 small avocados peeled, pitted, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the Balsamic Chicken: Place the chicken in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and pound to about ½-inch thick using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Remove from the bag and transfer to a cutting board. Cut chicken into six 4-ounce pieces. Pierce each breast 7-8 times with a fork and then return the breasts to the Ziploc bag. If the bag is broken, use a new one.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Pour the mixture over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage the chicken to ensure all of the marinade gets into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- When ready to grill (see note if baking!), remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat the grill to high, clean and oil the grates.
- Transfer the chicken from the plastic bag to the grill, taking care to shake off any excess marinade. Place the chicken on the grill, smooth side down, and reserve any remaining marinade. Close the grill lid and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. Brush generously with marinade, flip, and cook for another 5-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. If the chicken sticks when trying to flip, let it cook for 1-2 more minutes and then try again.
- Remove from the heat, place on a plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes. The chicken will continue to cook under the foil. Before serving, make sure it has reached 165°F, then slice into ½-inch thick pieces.
- For the Balsamic Vinaigrette: Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and salt to a mason jar. Cover with a lid and shake until well combined. Set this aside until ready to use.½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup honey, ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Strawberry Spinach Salad: Place the red onions in a bowl of ice water and soak for at least 10 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly using paper towels.¼ cup red onion
- Add the spinach, strawberries, feta cheese, red onion, candied pecans, basil, and avocado slices to a large bowl. Drizzle with preferred amount of Balsamic Vinaigrette, reserving the rest for later use, and toss until well coated. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sliced chicken10 ounces baby spinach leaves, 1 pint strawberries, 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup candied pecans, ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 2 small avocados, Salt and black pepper
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Video
Notes
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is calculated based on ½ of the marinade ending up cooked on the chicken.
- Don’t have a grill? You can also easily bake the chicken in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes!
- Prep-ahead: Make the dressing up to 2 days in advance. You can add the spinach, feta, and basil to a bowl and store in the refrigerator. You can also grill the chicken ahead of time, but warm it up before adding it to prevent drying out.
- Storage: If you aren’t going to finish the entire salad, only add dressing to what you’ll be enjoying immediately. Store everything separately. The chicken should last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Summer is the perfect time for all the salads! Try these recipes next.
This is what I would call restaurant worthy! Over the top, chicken moist, very flavorful, amazing!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jackie! This is such an impressive salad. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
One of my favorites – ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Becky! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!