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Summer Dinner Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Chicken Salad

Summer Dinner Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Chicken Salad

Make Summer Dinner Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Chicken Salad for a bright, easy dinner—tossed fresh greens, berries, chicken, and glossy poppy seed dressing.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Yield4

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Combine the salad solids

Warmly pile the fresh greens into a large matte celadon ceramic mixing bowl and add the bright fruit and proteins: sliced strawberries, plump blueberries, mandarin segments, chopped ripe avocado, toasted sliced almonds, and the chopped or shredded cooked chicken. Gently toss the components together with salad servers or a large spoon so the strawberries and mandarin settle among the spinach leaves and the chicken pieces distribute evenly. Focus on gentle motions to keep avocado pieces intact and the berries whole — the result should look layered and airy, the leaves glossy and flecked with fruit and nuts. Do not add the dressing yet; this stage is the fresh, uncoated composition and texture of the salad.

Step 2: Whisk the poppy seed dressing until glossy

In a small white ceramic bowl or a clear glass jar, whisk the Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and ground dry mustard (or Dijon) together until the dressing becomes smooth, pale, and slightly glossy. Stir or whisk in the poppy seeds last so they are suspended through the mixture; the dressing should be pourable but clingy, with visible tiny black poppy specks and a honey sheen. Keep the whisk resting in the bowl so you can see the dressing’s texture on the wires and rim — it should read creamy, emulsified, and ready to dress the salad.


Step 3: Dress and toss to coat

Pour your desired amount of the poppy seed dressing over the prepared greens and fruit, then toss gently so every leaf and piece of fruit gets a light, glossy coating. Describe the dressing clinging in thin ribbons across spinach leaves, pooling slightly in the crevices of mandarin segments and the ridges of strawberry slices. Toss just enough to coat without weighing the salad down — you want a luminous, slightly wet sheen rather than a drowned look. Taste and adjust a tiny pinch of salt or a touch more honey if needed for balance.

Step 4: Serve immediately, artfully arranged

Nudge the salad into an even, inviting mound in the same matte celadon bowl for serving; arrange a few halved strawberries and a scattering of almonds and poppy seeds on top for a composed finish. The final presentation should highlight the contrast of glossy fruit, tender shredded chicken, creamy avocado pockets, and crunchy almonds, all glazed lightly with the pale, speckled poppy seed dressing. Serve immediately while textures are fresh and the dressing still clings, showcasing the salad’s layered colors and tactile variety.

Notes