Chicken Spinach Salad

5 from 10 votes

This Chicken Spinach Salad is loaded with juicy chicken, fresh berries, sweet oranges, toasted almonds, and feta, all tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. Fresh, flavorful, and so easy!

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken Spinach Salad

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $5.81

Equipment

Large pan or grill pan

Ingredients

8-1/2 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 large, plus olive oil and a seasoning blend such as Mrs. Dash chicken grilling blends seasoning; see note 1
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup clementine oranges 1 clementine, or mandarin oranges
2 to 3 tablespoons feta cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons sliced almonds see note 2
Salt and pepper

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons honey

US - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the fruit by washing and drying. (If any ingredients are still wet, the dressing won’t adhere very well.) Remove strawberry stems and thinly slice. Peel clementines. If desired, remove large stems on the spinach (I also tear the spinach leaves if they are large).
(See note 1.) Remove fat from chicken and slice the breast in half width-wise. Dab chicken with paper towels to dry. Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the chicken pieces and generously sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and chicken grilling blends. Drizzle 2–3 teaspoons olive oil over a large pan or grill pan.
Preheat the pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and reduce heat to medium and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 4–5 minutes per side, flipping once halfway. If chicken is browning too quickly, slightly reduce the heat. Once chicken is cooked through (juices run clear or it registers 165°F), remove from heat and cover with foil. Let slightly cool for 5–10 minutes, then thinly slice or chop.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add some salt to taste (I use 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Close and shake until well combined.
Add spinach to a large bowl. Toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Then add in strawberries, blueberries, and oranges. Add the slightly cooled chopped chicken. Add almonds and feta cheese. Drizzle remaining dressing on top and toss to combine. Enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: I fix chicken breasts in a grill pan for this Chicken Spinach Salad, but there are a few options, so pick what’s easiest for you:

Quickest option—rotisserie chicken: Get a fresh and hot rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and chop it up. Or for an even quicker prep, use pre-shredded chicken.
Leftover chicken: If you’re already making chicken during the week, make some extra and save it for this salad! I recommend making a double batch of this Grilled Chicken Marinade; it’s my favorite.
Fresh grilled chicken: If fixing chicken fresh, I recommend drizzling olive oil and adding a generous amount of salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning. Grill until cooked through, about 4–6 minutes per side (or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperatures register 165°F).
Fresh sautéed chicken: Halve thick chicken breasts and drizzle olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning. Cook in a hot skillet (or grill pan) for about 4–6 minutes per side (or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperatures register 165°F).

Note 2: Toast the almonds, if desired, by placing the almonds in a single layer in a dry, heavy skillet (no oil) and stir them around on medium-low heat for about 2–3 minutes until toasted and quite fragrant. Make sure you stir them and watch constantly so they don’t burn!

Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed same day. Store leftover salad, dressing, almonds, and cheese separately.

Nutrition