Description
This Berry Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing combines tender, seasoned grilled chicken with a fresh mix of romaine lettuce and vibrant berries, topped with crunchy pecans and a sweet homemade poppy seed dressing. It’s a colorful, refreshing dish perfect for a light lunch or dinner, balancing savory and sweet flavors effortlessly.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 10 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons steak-flavored grill seasoning, or any all-purpose seasoning spice mix
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season the chopped chicken pieces with steak-flavored grill seasoning or your preferred all-purpose seasoning. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are thoroughly cooked and browned, about 7-8 minutes.
- Prepare the Poppy Seed Dressing: While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, milk, white vinegar, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and pecan halves. Add the warm cooked chicken on top.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Pour the poppy seed dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Divide the salad among four plates or bowls and serve immediately for a fresh and colorful meal.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk with almond or soy milk and use a dairy-free mayonnaise alternative.
- You can swap pecans with walnuts or almonds for different textures and flavors.
- If preferred, grill chicken instead of skillet cooking for a smoky flavor.
- Adjust sugar in dressing based on your sweetness preference.
- Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
