Description
While some don’t love the idea of using fruit in savory dishes, pairing sweet with savory is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fruit during the spring & summer months. That’s exactly the inspiration behind this particular Strawberry Chicken Salad recipe.
It kicks the classic sweet-savory pairing of berries and balsamic vinegar up a few notches by layering on satisfying textures & complementary flavors: herbed chicken breast, tangy goat cheese, nutty farro, crunchy almonds, & delicate spring greens. Fresh & satisfying all at once, this is seriously THE salad for berry season!
As is the case with any hearty salad, there’s a little bit of prep required to get to the point where you can just toss it all together. Be sure to check the Recipe Notes, below, for a few meal prep tips & the blog post, above, for some simple swaps & substitutions that help cut down on prep time even more. ♡ Happy berry season!
Ingredients
Scale
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- ½ cup farro, rinsed well
- herbed chicken, below
- maple balsamic vinaigrette, below
- 5 ounces spring mix or tender greens of choice
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled & quartered (approx. 2 ½ cups chopped)
- 4 ounces blueberries (approx. 1 cup)
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the herbed chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin or butterflied (sliced in half lengthwise)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped hardy fresh herbs, such as oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme (see Recipe Notes)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the maple balsamic vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic
- scant 1 tablespoon finely chopped hardy fresh herbs, such as oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme (see Recipe Notes)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the farro and boil 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until your desired al dente texture is reached. Drain & immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside to drain well or transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Cook the chicken: Meanwhile, as the farro cooks, prepare the chicken. Heat the oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with the fresh herbs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Once the oil in the pan is hot & shimmering, place chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is beautifully golden brown & is cooked through. Remove from the heat & allow to cool slightly before slicing into bite-sized pieces. (Alternatively, if you have an outdoor grill, feel free to toss the chicken on the grill.)
- Prep the maple balsamic vinaigrette: Combine all listed ingredients in a small bowl or jar, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Whisk or shake to combine. Taste and season with additional kosher salt or ground black pepper as desired. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Strawberry chicken salad assembly: Place the salad greens in a large bowl, topping with the cooked farro, sliced chicken, strawberries, blueberries, crumbled goat cheese, & chopped almonds. Drizzle the maple balsamic vinaigrette over top, then toss to combine well. Taste & season with additional salt & ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient Notes:
- Farro is an ancient whole grain – a distant relative to modern-day wheat – with nutty flavor & the best hearty texture. If you cannot find farro, wheat berries are the closest substitute, though I’d happily swap it for quinoa or pearl couscous in this particular recipe. Using a ready-to-serve grain blend is also a great shortcut here!
- Fresh herbs: Rather than buying fresh herbs individually, many grocery stores that sell fresh herbs also carry a “poultry blend” consisting of fresh rosemary, sage & thyme – perfect for this strawberry salad recipe! Similar dried herbs & herb blends, such as dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme or herbs de provence or Italian seasoning, work great in a pinch. If using dried herbs, use 3 teaspoons instead of 3 tablespoons as listed in the Ingredients List above.
- Make-Ahead & Storage: Prepared strawberry chicken salad components will keep, stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. If desired, reheat the chicken in the microwave until warmed through, then assemble salads as desired.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: A little bit of meal prep will goes a long way in making hearty salads a little easier to throw together during the week. Feel free to prep all of the salad components & store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator, or pick & choose a couple to help streamline prep during the week. Personally, I like to…
- Cook the farro according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions above. Drain well & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active prep)
- Prepare the maple balsamic vinaigrette according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (5 minutes active prep)