This strawberry spinach salad is topped with delicious grilled chicken, toasted walnuts, blue cheese crumbles, and drizzled with a honey herb vinaigrette!
Not only is this strawberry spinach salad healthy, it’s loaded with great flavors and textures. ย From the bed of fresh baby spinach leave, juicy grilled chicken, crunchy toasted walnuts, creamy blue cheese crumbles, crisp apple slices, crunchy shallots and silky homemade honey herb vinaigrette… each bite will be pure heaven!
This post was originally sponsored by California Walnuts.
This is one salad you will definitely love!
Plus, it’s a great way to capitalize on the “end of strawberry/beginning of apple” season. ย I love to eat seasonally whenever I can.
I love how healthy this strawberry spinach salad is… yet because of the grilled chicken, walnuts and blue cheese, it’s actually pretty hearty too!ย The walnuts add protein and amazing crunch.
I chose some of my favorite salad ingredients for this strawberry spinach salad, but feel free to switch up some of the other ingredients to one’s you prefer. ย I just REALLY love the way all the flavors and textures come together. ย Each bite is so full of flavor… it’s a joy to eat!
Putting this salad together is super simple!
Here’s the breakdown:
- Season your chicken breasts (or thighs) and grill about 4-5 minutes per side (or until done)
- While your chicken is cooking, make the vinaigretteย and set aside
- Remove chicken from the grill and let it rest (don’t skip this step! ย It’s what makes sure you have juicy chicken)
- While chicken is resting, wash spinach leaves and layer on chopped shallots, sliced strawberries, blue cheese crumbles, apple slices.
- Toast your walnuts in a small dry skillet, then add to salad.
- Top with chicken and drizzle with vinaigrette!
Give this strawberry spinach salad with grilled chicken and walnuts a try… your mouth will thank you!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- FOR THE SALAD:
- Baby spinach washed
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1 apple sliced (choose any variety you'd like, I used Gala)
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1-2 in chicken breasts seasoned to your liking - what I used will be the notes section below
- FOR THE HONEY HERB VINAIGRETTE:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1-1/2 tsp fresh thyme or about 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
- 1 tsp fresh parley minced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill or indoor grill pan (even a regular ol' skillet will work too), over MED heat.
- Season chicken breasts as desired, then place on grill and cook about 4-5 minutes per side (or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through and golden).
- Set chicken aside to rest.
- While chicken is cooking, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- While chicken is resting, add walnuts to a small DRY skillet and toast over LOW heat for several minutes, or until nuts are fragrant and slightly toasted.
- Add spinach to a serving bowl, then top with shallots, apples, strawberries, walnuts, and blue cheese.
- Slice (or dice) chicken, and place on top of the salad.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette as desired, and enjoy!
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Chef Tips
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Jake Tyler says
Chicken and salad. I love it. Its look so good, and healthy as well. Gonna have it for my dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Meg @ With Salt and Wit says
What a yummy looking salad! I want this for lunch today!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That is one gorgeous salad Amanda! I love strawberries in my salads!
Joanie @ ZagLeft says
What a fabulous salad. I love adding strawberries and walnuts to my salads and that honey herb vinaigrette I’m dying to try!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Such a gorgeous salad, Amanda – wish I had this for lunch!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks so much Melanie! ๐
Sabrina says
This looks like an amazing combination of textures and flavors! Keep up the great work!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks girl!! ๐
Kathi@laughingspatula says
I could eat this every day! So fresh!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks Kathi!! ๐
Caroline says
Looks like such a tasty salad! Such lovely flavor combinations.
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks so much Caroline! ๐
Annie says
What a delicious salad! This is amazing!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks Annie!! ๐
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
This salad is perfection. It is my fave kind of salad. I wish I could have it for lunch!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks Jocelyn!! It’s my favorite kind too ๐