Summer Chicken and Strawberry Salad
If you haven’t had a Summer Chicken and Strawberry Salad yet this summer then you are truly missing out on one of summer’s finest dinner treats.
When the temperatures start to get really hot, a chilled refreshing chicken and strawberry salad is a must on the dinner menu.
Rule of thumb would be to cook about 1/4 lb. of chicken per person. You can either grill your chicken with some seasoning or cook boneless chicken breasts ahead of time to use in recipes.
Even better, using rotisserie chicken would make this an awesome no cook recipe for those hot summer days with no cooking or grilling!
Use a mixture of lettuce. Start with a base of Romaine lettuce and add some additional leaf lettuce for variety and additional nutrients. You can also easily grow your own fresh salad bowl and use some of the lettuce that is growing in your bowl!
Chop up a small amount of baby spinach and add it to your salad as well. Strawberries and fresh spinach make the perfect combination for a summer salad and both are loaded with vitamin C,
You can also grow your own strawberries right on your porch and enjoy them all summer long. There are so many fresh and healthy ideas for growing your own dinner.
The one thing that is a must for your chicken and strawberry salad is a handful of organic red sweet grapes. Just cut the grapes in half and add them to the salad. There will be a burst of different flavors in every bite of salad.
You can use either feta or blue cheese in your salad; both provide a unique taste that will flavor the salad in a delicious way. If you want that extra punch of flavor then go for the blue cheese.
Nuts! Nuts add a little crunch and flavor – not to mention they are a powerhouse of nutrients and should be included in your daily diet. For this salad chop up some pecans and add them to the salad.
You can use almost any dressing and this salad is tasty. Here is a great recipe for a fresh strawberry vinaigrette.
Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing
1 cup washed, hulled strawberries
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Place strawberries in a blender or food processor and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit for a couple minutes and then purée. Add the rest of the ingredients and purée until smooth.
Summer Chicken and Strawberry Salad
Refreshing Salad that is Perfect for a Hot Summer Day
- 1 lb. cooked boneless chicken breast, sliced
- 1 bunch of Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
- about 4 cups of lettuce per person
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 cups washed, hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup of organic red grapes, cleaned and sliced in half
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- Clean the lettuce and spin dry or dry with a paper towel.
- Toss the lettuce with salad dressing leaving some leftover to drizzle.
- Add the rest of the ingredients or divide onto 4 plates and distribute ingredients evenly,
If you soak the red onion in ice water for about 10 minutes it will take away any bitterness.
