This healthy Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad is made with a simple homemade dressing that's mixed together in no time. The feta and strawberries pair so perfectly with it.
Y'all saw Monday that I posted a recipe for a Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, and IF you saw that post, and read it, you're thinking Joanna I thought you weren't a fan of salads.
Well, I'm not! I just happen to only like a couple, and this one of the few that I do like. 🙂
I love fruit in a salad, haha, I mean fruit salad is my favorite salad, but I do like fruit in a salad with chicken!
This salad is made with a bed of spinach, feta cheese, grilled chicken, and plump tasty strawberries! I told y'all I was making better food choices this year. So far so good.
Talk to me again in March, and I'll tell y'all how those food choices are going.
I have been working hard for, um...two weeks, hahaha, doing PiYo. I plan on adding some free weights in the next week or so, and I'd love to toss in some Zumba, because it's dancing, and it's kinda fun.
Kelsie has been doing PiYo with me since she does dance, and loves to be active. She feels that her new dance teacher isn't as hard on them with workouts as the one she had for the prior three years.
Although PiYo isn't hardcore, it's still a lot of body weight and flexibility. Both of which I need all the help I can get with. I've really let myself go in the last couple of years, and it's time to find the happy me again. I'm not saying that I'm not happy.
I mean I get that whole we have to be happy in our skin no matter thing, it's not that...I just feel more at ease with myself when I'm not lugging around an extra toomanypoundsnotgonnasayrightnow.
Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad ingredients:
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- spinach
- strawberries
- avocado, sliced
- feta cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette ingredients:
- balsamic vinegar
- dijon mustard
- olive oil
- garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad add ins/substitutions:
walnuts - blueberries (instead of strawberries) - sunflower seeds - Parmesan cheese (instead of feta)
As long as we can all choose to make better choices with what we fuel our bodies with and what we do physically we will feel better.
Salad recipes that you'll love:
Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad
This healthy Balsamic Chicken & Spinach Salad is made with a simple homemade dressing that's mixed together in no time. The feta and strawberries pair so perfectly with it.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups spinach
- 16 strawberries, halved
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, and place in the fridge. Heat a grill pan over medium to high heat, season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook, until chicken is cooked through.
- Assemble the salads by dividing the spinach among four bowls, 2 cups each. Slice the chicken diagonally, and place one on top of the spinach in each bowl. Divide the strawberries, avocado, cheese, and dressing among the salads.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 569Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 696mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 14gSugar: 8gProtein: 52g
Did you make this recipe? Tag @joanna_everydaymadefresh on Instagram
Alli Smith
I also love fruit in my salads - strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, - OK, so I guess I love berries in my salad. Can't wait to try this one! Yum!
candy
I make the dressing first thing in the morning so everything has time to come together. Such an easy dish to make. I always cook extra chicken so we can make this salad really fast.
Amber Myers
This looks like a fabulous salad. I would enjoy having it for lunch and dinner. It has two of my favorite things too: avocado and strawberries!
Joan Cajic
I love balsamic chicken and with your addition of strawberries, I'm totally in love. Looks so good.
Jeanette
You have me drooling at the salad. I have been looking for new salad ideas because you get sick of the same thing over and over again. This looks great.
Megan Tan
Fruit salad is my daughter's favorite. Will definitely give it a try this coming weekend.
Shubham
Nicely written. Mouth watering ??
Heather
Prior to becoming a vegetarian, this was one of my go-to dishes for my family. They loved balsamic chicken and I loved how easy it was to make and how yummy it turned out!
georgia boanoro
I never thought of combining avocado & chicken with strawberries, this is such a great idea! I'll definitely try your recipe and I'll let you know!
Angela Tolsma
I too absolutely love fruit in salad! I think it's amazing and adds to the flavor. Also strawberries and balsamic is such an interesting and amazing combination!
Heather @ Kraus House Mom
The combination of chicken, strawberries and balsamic is one of my favorites. I could really go for this salad right now.
Tammy
Its strawberry season here in Florida and this looks like the perfect thing to make with them. Yum!! Pinning
Jay Colby
I've never had balsamic chicken before, but it looks amazing I really want to try it. The salad alongside it makes even better.
Aditi Kulkarni
This looks great! I've never tried strawberries and chicken together in a salad..interesting twist.
Tee Vaughn/curlywhippedtee
I am such a fan of salads. It’s literally my favorite food. I love the crunchiness and flavors all mixed together.
Krystal Butherus
I have made a couple of different recipes involving balsamic vinegar and chicken. I'm adding this to my list for something different!
Ashley
This salad looks tasty. I usually use balsamic dressing, so cooking the chicken with it sounds great. I will have to try this out soon!
Dana
I love balsamic chicken salads! Never thought to add spinach in mine. I'll have to try it.
Rose
Thank you! This looks good enough to get me eating healthier! I'm excited to try the dressing too!
Melissa Chapman
Adding the sweet fruit adds to the gret complexity of the vinagar and adds to the great taste. I will share this recipe and try to use all your ideas for great salads of my own.
corinne & kirsty
This recipe looks quite cool! I love balsamic vinegar. It is just so good. I am not sure I like the sweet and salty combo with the strawberries though.
JDaniel4's Mom
My husband and I trying to eat healthier meals. This looks like a lunch meal we would really enjoy!
Sapphire Kharyzma
Spinach is one of my favorite foods! This meals sounds healthy as well as delicious
Amber Stanfield
This looks sooo yummy and picture perfect! I always like to get Panera Bread's Strawberry and Chicken salad, but now I feel like I can recreate it at home (and even better, due to the avocados!)
valmg @ Mom Knows It All
This has an interesting mix of flavors. my husband loves feta and spinach, it's a flavor combination he's liked for years.
Sarah Bailey
Oh my goodness how absolutely delicious does that salad look! I could totally go for having this as a meal ASAP as it sounds like it would be so tasty.
Kimberly
This looks and sounds amazing! Will be adding this to my list of things to try!!
Patricia-Ann Que
feta cheese and balsamic is an all time fave combo! i like how you added strawberry, that color is just good for presentation and even better for the flavor!
AnnMarie John
I like the combination of balsamic vinegar and strawberries! It's really one of the things that I enjoy when making a salad. Adding avocado and some chicken definitely works too!
Bethel Esmillarin
This post really made me hungry. You made everything nice, the arrangement of the salad, the cuts. I dont doubt the taste is much nicer.
Ricci
I am all about a good chicken salad and you hit the nail on the head with this Balsamic Chicken and Spinach Salad! YUM!
Heidi
Ooh, that salad looks so yummy! I think I just found tomorrow's lunch. I love a good salad.
Shandy Kaye
I seems so delicious. this healthy salad is perfect for lunch or light dinner. i want to try it.
shubham mahajan
You are making me hungry now. Going to get some salad. 😉
Sandy N Vyjay
I love the combination of Strawberries and avocado. It gives such a distinctive flavour to salads.While spinach again adds its own unique flavour.
Terri Steffes
With all these salads, you have me eager to plant my salad bowl! I am going to live in the moment, though and really enjoy what I am doing NOW. This salad looks wonderful.
Jessica Joachim
This looks absolutely delicious! I have been eating a lot of salads lately, and I keep looking for new ways to make them more interesting so I will have to try this out.
Heather McMechan
Looking to lose this holiday muffin top and this salad will be added to my weekly lunch special. I like that their is some protein to keep me full throughout the day.
Nailil
This salad looks so good. I'm always happy to find great salad ideas, so I will be saving this one. 🙂
Laurence
looks good. I will try this if I get tired of rice or fast food, haha. Thanks for sharing the quick recipe for this.
Farrah Less G.
Salad is my favorite, this salad recipe looks good. I am trying to loss weight and be healthy this 2018 perfect timing.
Chubskulit Rose
We had chicken salad for dinner to night, I wish I had spinach though. That looks super delicious, I love that you added balsamic.
Kita Bryant
This looks absolutely delicious. I would love to try this for lunch or dinner this next week!
adriana
This looks SO GOOD! I love salads and love switching it up. Definitely will be trying this out - I love balsamic dressings!
My Teen Guide
I like this salad even without the chicken. The avocado, strawberries and feta cheese together are good enough for me. I'd probably substitute the chicken for some nuts for a protein source.
Lydia
This reminds me of summer so much! I love everyting about this salad, from the balsamic dressing to chicken Yum!
Liz
Oh yum! I also love fruit on a salad, and avocado always makes everything better!
Nicole
I’m always looking for new fresh ways to eat healthy! These flavors pair so well together! Can’t wait to try this!
Fatima Torres
It looks delicious! I've never thought to add strawberries to a balsamic salad.
Miljana
I am out of my recipes for chicken, so I'll definitely try yours! 🙂 Thanks.
Anosa Malanga
Ohhh, I love the combinations of the fruits. Definitely a great way to start a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods.
Amila Wickramarachchi
This sounds like a delicious salad.I like salads and when it is colourful,it is appealing to eat.Will try this one.
Kimberly Lewis
this looks so good! we have been trying to eat healthier and this looks perfect for us.
Britt
Oh wow! These look absolutely to die for! I love finding new tasty dishes to whip up for the fam!
Maria Katsulos
I totally love putting fruit in my salad -- I'm not always into salads, but I ALWAYS love fruit! Whether it's strawberries, mandarin oranges, grapes, etc.....it's such a great way to add extra colors & nutrients into a salad.
rob
strawberrys and chicken wow got to try this