Grilled Chicken Berry Salad Recipe
This grilled chicken salad with berries is light, fresh, and is great as the weather is warming up and you’re in the mood for a healthy, hearty salad. Each bite is jam-packed with flavor! There’s a fresh, crisp crunch from a mix of fresh butter lettuce, arugula lettuce, and cucumbers. While soft avocado slices add a creamy indulgent texture as well as healthy fats and there are hard-boiled eggs for extra protein. And you can’t have a berry salad without berries. I used a combination of blueberries and blackberries, which add just the right amount of tartness. However, feel free to use your favorite berries from strawberries to raspberries.
Finally, for a pop of sharpness there is both crumbled blue cheese and red onions. I made a quick whisk-together vinaigrette that’s creamy from Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard with just the right amount of acidity from red wine vinegar and lemon juice. This lightly dressed double berry chicken salad reminds me of a big summer garden salad, but it is so packed full of flavor and immune boosting powerhouse ingredients that I want to eat it all year long.
Ingredients in Berry Chicken Salad
For this healthy berry summer salad with homemade vinaigrette, you’ll need the following easy-to-find fridge and pantry ingredients including: Salad
Olive oil Chicken breasts Salt Pepper Arugula Butter lettuce Avocado Red onion Blueberries Blackberries Cucumber Hard boiled eggs Blue cheese crumbles Basil Lemon zest
Vinaigrette
Greek yogurt Olive oil Dijon mustard Red wine vinegar Honey Lemon juice Garlic Salt Pepper
How to Make Berry Salad with Chicken
To make this easy grilled chicken double berry salad, follow these simple and straightforward steps: Step 1: Oil your outdoor grill grates or add oil to an indoor grill pan, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add it to the grill pan.
Step 2: Flip it after about 6 minutes and cook for about 6 additional minutes on the second side. Let it rest on a cutting board while you assemble the salad.
Step 3: Add the lettuces….
Then the blueberries, cucumber, red onions…
Finish by adding the blackberries, avocado, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, basil, and lemon zest.
Step 4: Whisk or shake together all the vinaigrette components. Tip: I actually prefer to shake the ingredients but for the sake of the photos and demonstration, I whisked.
Step 5: Slice the chicken, add it to the salad, drizzle on the vinaigrette and serve!
Can I Use A Different Dressing with Grilled Chicken Berry Salad?
Absolutely yes you can use a different salad dressing or vinaigrette with your grilled chicken salad with berries. We really like this homemade vinaigrette with red wine vinegar and lemon juice for the bite they add, a little punch of garlic, the subtle sweetness of the honey, and the Greek yogurt and Dijon for the creamy factor. Plus, as I mentioned, it’s so easy – as in shake it all together in a Mason jar! Doesn’t get any easier than that! But of course, use your favorite homemade or store bought dressing to make this chicken berry salad your own. My suggestions would be a light honey mustard, a raspberry vinaigrette, or a blue cheese dressing if you want something heavier.
Do I Need an Outdoor Grill for Grilled Chicken Berry Salad?
No, you do not need an outdoor grill to make this recipe for berry salad. Instead, use an enameled cast iron grill pan and make the chicken right on your stovetop. Alternatively, you can simply cook the chicken in the pan you normally use. Or try my favorite recipe for Perfect 20-Minute Oven-Baked Chicken. Slice it up and use it after baking.
Can I Use Other Fruits and Vegetables?
Without a doubt, always use your favorite salad add-ins and mix-ins, omit or change what you don’t like, and customize your berry chicken salad to your liking! Here are some berry chicken salad ideas suggestions and alternatives:
Use strawberries and raspberries or a combo of them in place of either the blueberries or blackberries. Try small diced apples too Use Romaine lettuce or your favorite bagged lettuce mix like a spring mix or Italian mix Add cooked edamame or peas, fresh pea pods or sugar snap peas Use a shredded cheese blend with more “basic” cheeses instead of blue cheese or use shredded Parmesan Add zucchini or yellow summer squash – grill them for best results Keep it vegetarian and omit the chicken but make sure to have some sort of protein source like cheese, eggs, nuts, or tofu.
Swap cilantro for basil Use shredded rotisserie chicken to save time Sprinkle on slivered almonds or crunchy salad toppers found in the produce section of your grocery store Dried fruit like dried cranberries or craisins or dried apricots add awesome chewiness and texture Clean out your crisper drawer and toss in random carrots, celery, radishes, or whatever you have!
Serving and Storage Suggestions for Chicken Berry Salad
Salads are always best consumed right after you make them and this one is no exception. However, you can assemble this salad, portion it out and place it in airtight containers, store the vinaigrette separately, and take them with you as a work or school lunch.
Tips for the Best Berry Salad with Chicken
Salads are one of those things that it seems hard to screw them up, yet frequently when I order them in restaurants I am underwhelmed. But overpaying for what seems to be a mountain of lettuce and not much else! Here are my salad tips so you end up with an amazing, crave-worthy salad every time:
More Easy Chicken Salad Recipes:
Loaded Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing – Fast, easy, fresh and healthy! All your favorite taco flavors in one big kickin’ salad that everyone will love! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad — Juicy chicken coated in balsamic along with plump tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil!! Easy, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! The caprese salad you’ll make AGAIN and again!!
Chopped Chicken Salad — An EASY chopped salad with so much FLAVOR and CRUNCH topped with PERFECT juicy oven-baked chicken that’s ready in 15 minutes!! Homemade honey apple cider vinaigrette adds the finishing touch!!
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthy! Bursting with fresh flavors from juicy tomatoes, cucumber, basil, parmesan, and tender chicken tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette!
Apple, White Cheddar, and Grilled Chicken Salad — All the flavors just POP in this fast, easy, and healthy salad!! The Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette doubles as marinade + salad dressing to save time!!
Pecan Strawberry Chicken Salad — The grilled chicken is so JUICY and moist thanks to a homemade pecan butter marinade!! Sweet strawberries and crunchy pecans add extra texture and FLAVOR!!
Sunflower Chicken Salad – LOADED with juicy chicken, veggies galore, sunflower seeds, and a sunflower seed butter dressing!! EASY, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! A HEARTY and satisfying salad!!
Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Sauce — Chicken gyros transformed into a HEALTHY salad with an EASY homemade tzatziki sauce that’s loaded with tangy dill FLAVOR!! Ready in 20 minutes!!
15-Minute Teriyaki Chicken and Mango Salad — Fast, EASY, healthy, and sweet mango is the perfect complement to the savory teriyaki chicken!! Save this recipe for when you need a FRESH and TASTY spin on chicken salad!!
