Sweet Tangy Blackberry Chicken Salad (Printable)
Grilled chicken, fresh blackberries, avocado, nuts and sweet-tangy blackberry vinaigrette over mixed greens.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Salad
06 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
07 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
08 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
11 - 1 avocado, sliced
→ Blackberry Vinaigrette
12 - 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
13 - 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
14 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat a grill or skillet to medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Grill or sear for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
03 - In a small blender or food processor, combine fresh blackberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Arrange mixed salad greens in a large serving bowl. Top with sliced chicken, fresh blackberries, red onion, crumbled cheese if using, toasted nuts, and sliced avocado.
05 - Drizzle the blackberry vinaigrette over the salad. Toss gently to combine and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The blackberry vinaigrette doubles as a marinade, so you get two uses from one brilliant sauce.
- It looks like something you would order at a nice restaurant but comes together in about half an hour.
- Every texture is there: crunch from nuts, creaminess from avocado, juiciness from the chicken, and pop from the berries.
02 -
- Do not skip the chicken rest period or you will lose every drop of moisture to the cutting board.
- The vinaigrette thickens as it sits in the fridge, so whisk in a splash of water to loosen it if making ahead.
03 -
- Slightly underripe blackberries actually make a better vinaigrette because their tartness holds up against the oil and honey.
- If your avocado is not quite ripe, massage the halved pit area with a drop of olive oil and let it sit uncovered for an hour, which softens it just enough.