Grilled Chicken Strawberry Spinach (Printable Version)

Juicy grilled chicken paired with sweet strawberries, fresh spinach, and creamy poppy seed dressing for a fresh dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grilled Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

06 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach
07 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
08 - 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/3 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high temperature.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season evenly with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Place chicken on grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - While chicken grills, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and well combined.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, and toasted nuts.
06 - Arrange sliced grilled chicken evenly over the salad mixture.
07 - Drizzle poppy seed dressing over salad just before serving and gently toss to combine all ingredients.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm grilled chicken against cool, tender spinach creates this surprising comfort that feels both light and satisfying.
  • That poppy seed dressing tastes indulgent but comes together in under two minutes, making you look like you tried way harder than you actually did.
  • It's flexible enough to make on Tuesday and still impressive enough to serve when people are coming over.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad until right before eating—the spinach will wilt and the strawberries will release their juice if it sits, and while it still tastes good, the texture changes.
  • Slice the chicken against the grain for maximum tenderness; this means if the breasts run one direction, you're cutting perpendicular to that.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet for exactly five minutes—this is the easiest way to make this salad taste restaurant-quality without any extra cost.
  • Slice strawberries at the last possible moment so they stay firm and don't waterlog the spinach with their juices.
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