Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Balsamic Chicken Salad
Blackberries and balsamic give this chicken salad a pleasant sweet-tart flavor, with feta adding a salty bite. Creamy avocado sits among the spinach and sliced chicken, and pecans bring crunch. Catch a berry with a piece of chicken and enjoy how the dressing ties the two together.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Original yield
- Serves 2
- Ingredients
- 13 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: over 30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Salads
A few quick notes
1. Reserve unused dressing
Use half the balsamic mixture to marinate the chicken and save the untouched half for dressing the salad.
2. Discard used marinade
Shake excess marinade from the chicken before cooking, then discard the marinade that held the raw chicken.
3. Rest before slicing
Cover the cooked chicken with foil and rest it before cutting into bite-sized pieces or longer slices.
Get to know the ingredients
Blackberries
Halve large blackberries before adding them to the spinach and onion for the first dressing toss.
Avocado
Peel and pit the avocado, then use wedges or chunks over the dressed greens with the chicken.
Toasted pecans
Roughly chop toasted pecan halves for sprinkling over the assembled salad with feta and fresh basil.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 2. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Balsamic Chicken Salad
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Dress, arrange and eat
Toss spinach, berries and onion with reserved dressing, add the remaining toppings and enjoy the assembled salad immediately.
A little more help as you go
Even chicken thickness
Lightly pound the chicken breasts evenly as listed, remembering that thickness affects their actual cooking time.
Save chicken for later salads
Refrigerate leftover chicken for up to four days, then bring it to room temperature for topping additional salads.
A few questions you might have
Can I use the chicken marinade as dressing?
Reserve half the mixture before marinating for dressing; discard the portion that was used on the raw chicken.
What internal temperature should the chicken reach?
The cooking directions specify 165 degrees F, followed by a covered rest before the chicken is sliced.
Which ingredients are tossed with dressing first?
Toss the spinach, blackberries and onion first, then place avocado and chicken on top with the remaining toppings.
Is the assembled salad good for storing?
Enjoy the composed salad shortly after making it. Follow the separate storage guidance for leftover chicken.
Can I cut the chicken into strips?
Yes, the directions allow bite-sized pieces or longer slices after the cooked chicken has rested.
Any more cooking tips?
This salad, once composed, is best enjoyed shortly after it is made. Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature, then use to top additional salads throughout the week.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: wellplated.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
