Salads, they aren’t always for the health conscious, some salads actually contain more calories than a cheese burger….all hail the Caesar, but you aren’t nice to my hips. My salads however will never run up a high caloric tab, as much as I love salads I wouldn’t waste an opportunity to eat a cheeseburger it’s against my religion. I know some people aren’t huge fans of fruit in their salads however, I encourage you to try this I’m confident your taste buds will be changed. This is a great salad to have at home for dinner or make for a large gathering. As BBQ season is among us this is the perfect addition to summer. Strawberries are in season and the colors remind me of the red and white checkered table cloths we commonly associate with BBQ’s or picnics. So if anything it’s the perfect accessory as well, how fitting.
I want to give credit to possibly the most simple marinade ever that I decided to pair with this. I used chicken in this recipe but other proteins would go flawlessly with this salad as well (salmon, shrimp, steak) this marinade would make any of those proteins shine. The acidity of the lemon juice tenderizing the protein in the chicken, the strong punch of garlic rounded out by the sweet smoothness of honey, you really can’t beat it. Now let’s eat!
Chicken Marinade:
4 Chicken Breasts (about 1 lbs.)
1 Lemon
3 Garlic Cloves (minced or pressed)
1 tbs. Honey
3 tbs. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt and Pepper
Salad:
3 cups Arugula
3 cups Spring Mix
1/2 Avocado (cubed)
3 tbs. Basil (rough chop)
1/4 cup Red Onion (thinly sliced)
2 tbs. Slivered Almonds
1/2 cup Strawberries (hulled and sliced)
2 tbs. Feta Cheese (crumbled)
Dressing:
1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
Optional- 1/2 tsp. Honey Poppyseed dressing
Method:
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in bowl until combined, add chicken breasts and toss in marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
- Once chicken is marinated, preheat grill, once it’s hot and ready grill chicken on both sides (about 5 minutes per side) until cooked through.
- Once chicken is ready set aside and assemble salad.
- In a large bowl combine arugula and spring mix and toss with poppyseed, red wine vinegar, and olive oil to coat the leaves.
- Plate lettuce and top with sliced strawberries, almonds, red onion, feta, slice chicken and place on top. Garnish with chopped basil and an extra sprinkle of salt and pepper, and ENJOY!