Description
This vibrant Blackberry Balsamic Chicken Salad combines juicy, pan-seared chicken breasts with fresh blackberries, creamy avocado, and crunchy walnuts over a bed of crisp spring mix lettuce. The salad is elevated by a sweet and tangy homemade blackberry balsamic dressing, making it a perfect fresh and healthy meal for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups spring mix lettuce
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Dressing
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the boneless, skinless chicken breasts until fully cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove from the skillet and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing to retain juiciness.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large bowl, combine the spring mix lettuce, 1 cup fresh blackberries, sliced avocado, sliced red onion, and chopped walnuts, tossing gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, mash ½ cup of fresh blackberries to release their juice and texture. Whisk in Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, soy sauce, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified and well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: Slice the rested chicken breasts thinly and arrange them over the prepared salad. Drizzle the blackberry balsamic dressing evenly over the top just before serving to maintain freshness and flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds for a different crunch.
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken breasts briefly in some balsamic vinegar and olive oil before cooking.
- If blackberries are out of season, frozen can be used for the dressing but fresh is best for the salad.
- Serve immediately after dressing to prevent the lettuce and avocado from wilting.
- This salad can be prepared in under 30 minutes, making it great for weeknight meals.
