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Overhead view bowl filled with strawberry spinach salad topped with avocado and strawberry vinaigrette.

Strawberry Spinach Salad (with Optional Chicken)

This stunning Strawberry Spinach Salad is a delicious side dish or main-dish salad, especially when you add cooked chicken. It’s flavorful, beautiful, and well-rounded with veggies, fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Includes a homemade strawberry vinaigrette. 

Prep: 20 minsTotal: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Vinaigrette:

  • 45 medium strawberries, halved
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ large lemon)
  • 12 teaspoons pure honey (omit for Whole30)
  • Dash of fine salt and black pepper

For the Salad:

  • 6 cups baby spinach or salad greens of choice
  • 6 medium strawberries, sliced
  • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 4 green onions, whites and light green parts sliced thin
  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (omit for Whole30 or dairy-free)
  • ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted* (omit for nut-free)
  • 12 ounces cooked chicken (grilled or rotisserie chicken are great too)
  • 1 medium avocado, sliced

Instructions

  1. In a blender or small food processor, combine the vinaigrette ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste and add additional honey if you prefer more sweetness. Set aside.
  2. In a large salad bowl, combine the salad ingredients. This can also be done in one large salad bowl or by dividing the salad ingredients among 4 individual bowls/plates.
  3. Gently toss the salad with the vinaigrette just before serving. You may not need to add all of the vinaigrette – add as much or as little as you’d like, or serve it on the side.

Notes

If you don’t want to make your own vinaigrette, you can use any favorite purchased dressing, such as a balsamic vinaigrette or other fruity vinaigrette. 

*To toast the almonds: Place a small sauté plan over medium-low heat. Add the almonds to the pan and toss or stir every so often. Toast the almonds for 3-4 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown and fragrant. Watch closely as they can burn easily.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of salad with chicken, cheese, nuts, and avocado
  • Calories: 475
  • Fat: 30 g
  • (Sat Fat: 9 g)
  • Sodium: 590 mg
  • Carbohydrate: 19 g
  • (Fiber: 7 g
  • Sugar: 7 g)
  • Protein: 31 g
  • Cholesterol: 76 mg

Dietary

© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Stacie Hassing