Grilled Chicken Blueberry Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Additional Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Grilled Chicken Blueberry Salad
Description
The salad begins with boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes or overnight, then grilled over high heat until fully cooked and rested before slicing. The berries in the vinaigrette add a natural sweetness balanced by acidity from balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, complemented by honey and garlic for depth. The dressing is blended smooth and can be prepared a day in advance.
The herb candied almonds are made by coating Marcona almonds with sugar and thyme or rosemary, adding a sweet, crunchy element. The assembled salad features a bed of spring greens topped with the grilled chicken slices, sliced cucumbers, creamy avocado, crumbly goat cheese, pickled onions, and the candied almonds. The blueberry vinaigrette is drizzled over to finish.
This salad offers a mix of textures and flavors: warm grilled chicken, crisp greens, creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, sweet and tart dressing, and crunchy nuts. It can serve as a light main course salad ideal for warmer weather or a balanced, flavorful lunch.
Ingredients
salad
- 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- 12 ounces spring greens or your favorite lettuce mix
- 4 baby cucumbers thinly sliced, seedless
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- onion for topping, pickled
blueberry vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic minced, clove
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ lemon juiced
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
herb candied almonds
- 2/3 cup marcona almond
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon thyme or rosemary
Instructions
salad
- Prep the chicken first! You can make this a day or two before - even just marinating it or marinating it and grilling it. Place the chicken into a baking dish or resealable bag. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and a big pinch of salt and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight. While it marinates, I make the almonds and the dressing below. When ready to grill, preheat your grill to the highest setting. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken (let the marinade run off into the dish) and grill for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Once the chicken is done, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then slice it.
- Assemble the salad with the spring greens. Top with the chicken, blueberries, avocado, pickled onions, cucumbers and almonds. Drizzle with the dressing and serve!
blueberry vinaigrette
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and blended. You can make this a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge, sealed in a container or jar.
herb candied almonds
- Place the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and herbs and cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts and is caramely, coating all of the almonds - about 6 to 8 minutes. Don’t take your eyes off of this as they can burn quickly! Transfer the almonds to a piece of parchment paper to let them cool. Break them into pieces if they are clumped.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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