We’re incorporating some of our favorite spring flavors into this delicious and hearty warm salad. Some strawberries, some fresh greens, some goat cheese, some avocado, some fresh grilled chicken, all of it washed in balsamic drizzle – what’s not to love?
It takes work to generate excitement about salads when you live in a house of carnivorous man-creatures. Steak? They’re excited. Smoked pork? They’re excited. Pulled chicken sandwiches? They’re excited. Salad? Ehhhhhhh….
Unless you discover the true purpose of salad, which is to act as a healthy green delivery system for all of your favorite flavors. Seriously, anything that you enjoy as a taco, a wrap, a sandwich, or even a meal combo, can be brought to life in a bowl over greens as a really, really delicious salad (except PB&J, that’s total sandwich exclusivity right there).
You might ask why I think about this as much as I do. I think about it a lot, because while I’m obligated to provide food to the carnivorous man-creatures in the house, I’m also obligated to provide nutrition, and trying really, really, really hard to put nutrition on the table in a form that won’t make me gain 900 pounds. I spend a ridiculous amount of time at the computer or on my phone in meetings, and I’m not working out a tenth of the time I’d like to. Someone on LinkedIn suggested two rounds at the gym a day to prep for the Army Combat Fitness Test and I laughed and cried simultaneously – because who has the time? I have two full time jobs and a husband and a toddler and a house I’m trying to sell and a move to make happen. Hah. Two workouts a day is not happening.
But even if they were, honestly, admit it. Health is built in the kitchen before it is ever built in the gym.
And the photo below shows how I like to build mine.
Lean grilled protein. Lots of greens. Antioxidents. Healthy fats. Plenty of low/no-salt seasoning. And a nice homemade dressing that I can whip up in a hurry knowing that it’s made of fresh and clean ingredients.
Sound good to you? Try the recipe out right here and let me know what you think about it. Seriously, don’t be shy about your suggestions for improvement. I listen to and read all comments, whether they be praise or criticism.
Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Romaine hearts chopped
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
- 16 oz strawberries chopped
- 1/2 avocado thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pecans sliced, preferably candied
- 8 tbsp balsamic dressing
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
- On a Foreman or other tabletop grill, cook the seasoned chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165F, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat, and slice thinly.
- Chop the romaine, crumble the goat cheese, chop the strawberries, slice the avocado, and prepare the pecans if needed. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl with 2 tbsp balsamic dressing.
- Divide the salad into 6 bowls and top each with sliced chicken. Drizzle each with about 2 tbsp worth of balsamic dressing.
- Serve and enjoy!
We love everything about this salad, from the fresh warm chicken to the tangy goat cheese to the brilliantly sweet strawberries to the lively balsamic drizzle. It’s definitely a go-to on our recipe rotation, and I’d love to hear how you enjoy it!
What’s your favorite salad combo? Where do we stack up?
Mmmm, goat cheese.