Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

During the summer I eat a lot of salads. Lots and lots of salads. I love taking advantage of the freshly picked produce at the farmer’s market. And I love that I can take a break from the stove during the sweltering hot days. There’s just something about the summer time that makes everyone want to eat just a little bit lighter. But after a while it’s easy to get in a rut with the same old salad flavors. That’s when you need a salad like this. This has renewed my love of salads, and I’m already looking forward to eating it again later this week. The vinaigrette is a perfect blend of savory and sweet, and gives this salad a personality all its own. This is a dish that will make you fall in love with summer all over again.

Simplicity rules with this meal. Grill a few chicken breasts with a little seasoning, cut your vegetables, and throw the vinaigrette ingredients into the blender and give it a whirl. Assemble the salads and enjoy. Still not easy enough? You can easily grill the chicken the day before, and make the vinaigrette as well. This salad tastes wonderful with either warm or cold chicken.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

serves 4

for salad:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

8 cups baby salad mix

2 cups sliced tomatoes or grape tomatoes

8 strawberries, washed and sliced

2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

for strawberry vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

6 ounces strawberries

Heat grill. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat, turning once, until done. Remove from grill and set aside.

Place 2 cups salad mix on each serving plate. Slice chicken into strips and place atop salad greens. Place 1/2 cup tomatoes on each plate along with 2 sliced strawberries. Add 1/2 cup feta cheese to each salad.

To make vinaigrette:

Add olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and strawberries to blender. Blend on high until well combined, about 1 minute. Taste mixture and add more balsamic vinegar if desired.

Serve salads with vinaigrette on the side.

Vinaigrette recipe adapted from: Family Fresh Cooking