Sweet Tangy Blackberry Chicken Salad (Printer-friendly)
Seared chicken, fresh blackberries, avocado and toasted nuts on mixed greens with a sweet-tangy blackberry vinaigrette.
# 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 It:
01 - Set a grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature.
02 - Coat the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Place on the hot grill or skillet and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - Combine the blackberries, balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
04 - Arrange the mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Layer the sliced chicken, fresh blackberries, red onion, crumbled cheese if using, toasted nuts, and sliced avocado over the greens.
05 - Drizzle the blackberry vinaigrette generously over the assembled salad. Toss gently to combine all ingredients and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The blackberry vinaigrette pulls double duty, adding both sweetness and a tangy bite that makes every forkful interesting.
- It comes together in about half an hour, which means you can pull it off on a weeknight without thinking too hard.
- It looks like something you would order at a café but requires zero fancy technique.
02 -
- Letting the chicken rest for at least five minutes before slicing keeps the juices inside where they belong instead of running all over your board.
- If your blackberries are very tart, add an extra half tablespoon of honey to the vinaigrette and taste again before committing.
- Double check your seasoning labels if you are cooking for someone who is celiac, because hidden gluten shows up in unexpected places.
03 -
- Smashing a few extra blackberries directly into the greens before dressing adds little pockets of juice that make every bite slightly different.
- Use a blender for the vinaigrette instead of whisking by hand because the berries break down more evenly and the texture ends up velvety.