Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad (Printable version)

Tender shredded chicken, sweet strawberries, and crisp vegetables tossed with a creamy poppy seed dressing.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

04 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
05 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
06 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, romaine)
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
09 - 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons honey
13 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
15 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to make it:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until fully cooked. Remove chicken, allow to cool slightly, then shred using two forks.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine salad greens, shredded chicken, strawberries, cucumber, and red onion.
04 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese if using and toasted almonds. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 20 minutes for a chilled salad.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The creamy poppy seed dressing strikes that perfect balance between sweet and tangy making every bite feel like a tiny celebration
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something from a fancy cafe that charges twice as much
02 -
  • Pat those strawberries completely dry before adding them to the salad or the dressing will slide right off
  • The dressing tastes better after sitting for 10 minutes so make it first and let the flavors meld while you prep everything else
03 -
  • Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat watching closely because they go from perfect to burned in seconds
  • Use a mandoline if you have one for paper-thin cucumber slices that practically melt in your mouth
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