Grilled Chicken Salad with Maple-Roasted Pecans and Strawberries
This grilled chicken salad with pecans and strawberries is the perfect bridge between summer and fall flavors. Bright end-of-summer strawberries mix with warm maple-roasted pecans in this appealing, sweet and savory combination.
Hey hey friends! How’s the week going? We’re just taking it easy over here. It’s my first week back teaching barre!
Back At It
It feels SO GOOD to be back teaching, even though right now I can only do about 10% of class. (No push-ups, planks, or weights for this girl yet.) I spend a lot of the time coaching, and feel like as an instructor, it’s going to be a great way to make sure my cues are very effective: short and to the point.
I also had my first workout back at the gym: just a slow 30-minute walk to get my legs moving, and it felt great. Baby steps.
I’ve gone a couple of days this week, and it’s certainly been humbling to start my fitness game from scratch. I keep reminding myself that it will be worth it in the long haul to take it super slowly and err on the side of caution. Slow and steady wins the race… even when you really wish you could sprint, pop into an arm balance, and plank your heart out. Patience.
Salad with Pecans and Strawberries
So for today, I have a kind of new recipe! I mean “kind of” new because it’s a little on the basic side. It’s the kind of salad you see at chain restaurants, or in our case, the restaurant with animatronic dinosaurs everywhere. But there’s a reason: this combo is SO GOOD. It’s packed with fresh produce, and an extremely satisfying mix of flavors and textures. The strawberries and goat cheese pair perfectly with a little garlicky homemade balsamic dressing.
Here’s the how-to if you’d like to give it a try!
PrintGrilled Chicken Salad with Maple-Roasted Pecans and Strawberries
Ingredients
Toppings
- Grilled or baked chicken (plain with salt and pepper)
- Chopped strawberries
- Dried cranberries
- Creamy goat cheese
For the base
- Mixed greens
For the pecans
- 2 cups pecans (I was excited to see South Georgia pecans at the store- they’re amazing!)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Salt, pepper (and cayenne- optional) to taste
For the dressing
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2–3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the pecans! Preheat oven to 350. Whisk the oil, brown sugar and maple syrup together. Toss the pecans into the mix and coat well. Spread onto a greased baking sheet in an even layer, and season well with salt, pepper and cayenne (if you’re using cayenne). Bake for about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Store any leftover pecans in a covered container.
- In a bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Assemble the salads: greens, chicken, strawberries, pecans, cranberries, goat cheese. Drizzle with the dressing just before serving.
The classic never dies.
What’s your all-time favorite salad combo?
Any restaurant meals or salads you like to recreate at home??
xoxo
Gina
15 Comments
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Yes! My favorite Fall salad is back! I used to hate pecans growing up and my mom always loved them. Now, they’re my favorite nut!
I just want to make those pecans and eat them plain!
This type of salads is one of my favorites as well, so delicious!
so so good!
At least you were off for good reasons, I don’t know why but I feel like that’s better than an injury! Muscle memory will come back before you know it!
i sure hope so <3
I can always use another salad recipe. It’s still 108 here in Phoenix! I feel like it will never cool off.
108!! AHHHHH
Basic is good! The salad sounds amazing 🙂
How long will you have had to take off exercise for the surgery? I’m jealous…I’d love to do the same but I’m kinda scared!
he said just walking and light jogging, or super easy stuff for now. (i can do some of a barre class but have to modify a lot.) by 12 weeks, i can do more intense workouts (like spin), and another 6 weeks until i can do super heavy weightlifting and dedicated core work. i’m still not sure where yoga fits into all of that- i need to ask him
it’s an intense surgery, and recovery has been a beast, but i’m so, so happy i did it
Oh dear now I’m more scared! So glad you’re recovering well. Take care!
the whole thing isn’t terrible! just the first 3 days 😉 and it was manageable, just more intense than i was expecting
xoxo
This is my favorite salad, I make it all the time! I usually use this dressing though: http://www.briannas.com/products/blush-wine-vinaigrette/
Hi! Do you have any tips on making good chicken? I can never get good grilled chicken at home and I eat it so much! Flower child has the BEST chicken so any tips on how to prep it at home are appreciated!
I LOVE their chicken, too! do you have a meat thermometer? i feel like that’s a gamechanger
This is my favorite easy baked chicken recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-chicken-breasts-recipe-1923711 I think it’s important to season the heck out of it, use some type of herbs, citrus, and garlic, and use a meat thermometer so it’s not overcooked
let it rest at room temp for about 10 min before slicing