We’re giving the oh-so-common Strawberry Spinach Salad a much-needed makeover, and it’s going to become your new favorite salad of all time! And the sweet PINK Strawberry Vinaigrette? If the color doesn’t make you swoon, the sweet, kicky taste will! Add grilled chicken and Instant Pot Quinoa and you’ve got a legit and satisfying dinner salad.
How many times have you gone to a dinner party and been met with a strawberry spinach salad with sliced onions, feta, almonds, and a poppyseed dressing?
More times than you can count, amiright?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s tasty, but I couldn’t help thinking this salad needed a serious makeover.
So I added crunch, creaminess, FLAVOR, and other food glitter, and we now have a Strawberry Spinach Salad that I’ll eat for dinner any night of the week.
In fact, this is THE SALAD that convinced my daughter that she likes spinach. That’s a huge deal.
Here’s what makes this NEW AND IMPROVED salad magical.
Piles of tender spinach leaves topped with tart strawberries AND blueberries, crisp cucumber, crunchy almonds, and creamy avocado and goat cheese (or blue cheese if you like that extra funk).
At this point, I stepped back and looked at my lovely salad and thought, “Now, let’s make it dinner-worthy.” I added grilled chicken and a spoonful of warm quinoa, and the perfect reinvented Strawberry Spinach Salad was born.
And we haven’t even gotten to the dressing yet!
Perfectly pink, with a delicious balance of sweet and tangy and an undeniable strawberry-forward flavor, this dressing instantly became one of my top five favorite salad dressings of all time. It is FABULOUS! I use Cranberry Pear Balsamic vinegar to really kick this one up a notch.
Put all these components together and you’ve got a bounce-in-your-seat-and-wave-your-fork with joy at the dinner table kind of salad that I’m 100% sure you will flip over!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
- EASY: While there are a few steps here, none of them require a lot of time or brain power. Let the Instant Pot cook your Quinoa while you blend the dressing, do some quick salad prep chopping, and give your husband your best flutter eyes as you hand him the chicken that needs to be grilled (or throw it in the air fryer if you don’t have a grill or there’s no one to pass this chore off to).
- BRIGHT, HEALTHY, FLAVORFUL: This is a magnificently constructed salad (if I do say so myself). The textures, flavors, and temperatures all complement each other so well and make for a fun bite EVERY DANG TIME.
- PREPABLE: Many of the steps can be done ahead of time and assembled last minute. I like to double everything and then store extras in the fridge so I can throw it together easily all week.
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD AND STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE
- Grill the chicken (or prep any meat of your choice – rotisserie is great, too)
- Blend the vinaigrette ingredients
- Prep the salad ingredients, then arrange on a plate
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- CHOOSE YOUR PROTEIN: Grilled chicken is my favorite here, but steak, fish, or rotisserie chicken make delicious substitutions.
- AIR FRYER CHICKEN: If I don’t feel like grilling, I throw the chicken into the air fryer at 400°F until it reaches 165°F. It takes about 10 minutes if it’s thin, and it’s ALMOST as good as grilled.
- CHOOSE YOUR CHEESE: I’m partial to blue cheese here – the funk goes so well with the sweet. But goat and feta cheese are also incredible. I use a log of goat cheese a week (LOVE THAT STUFF!)
- QUINOA THOUGHTS: If you’re not a fan, you can leave the quinoa out, but I beg you to try it! Plus it’s crazy easy to make in the Instant Pot. I make a batch and freeze it so I can throw it in salads quick and easy. Quinoa just makes salads more fun and gives them a lot of protein and nutrition too. You could swap for Farro or Wild Rice as well.
- TOASTED ALMONDS ARE BETTER: As much as I don’t really like toasting nuts (and often don’t bother), it really does add extra flavor and crunch. You can even buy them toasted if you like! Slivered, sliced, chopped . . . no matter the shape, they add great texture to this salad.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
- VINAIGRETTE: Store in the fridge in a sealed jar or other container for up to 5 days.
- SALAD COMPONENTS: Store each item separately in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad. Avocados should be cut right before serving (they turn brown in the fridge).
MAKE AHEAD TIPS
- VINAIGRETTE: The dressing can be blended a day in advance. In fact, it tastes even better the second day!
- SALAD COMPONENTS: The following tasks can be done a day or 2 in advance if you like: Chop cucumber, slice strawberries, grill chicken, toast almonds, and cook quinoa.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH
This salad is a well-balanced dinner all on its own, but bread and butter on the side are always delicious. Here are some favorites:
VARIATIONS
- FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Try swapping the strawberries for blackberries or raspberries. The color is so pretty, and it tastes delicious.
- FOR THE GREENS: I love spinach, but you can use any greens you like! Spring mix, kale, thinly sliced cabbage — it all works!
- SALAD COMPONENTS: Use what you have! Swap the almonds for pecans, goat cheese for blue cheese, snap peas instead of cucumber, couscous instead of quinoa . . . the sky is the limit.
This salad is on regular rotation at my home; I can’t wait for you to try it! This kind of food brings me so much joy and I hope it does for you too.
Salad for dinner every night! Who’s with me!?
Enjoy 🙂
TRY MORE OF MY FAVORITE SALAD RECIPES!
- Summer Peach Spinach Salad with Peach Vinaigrette
- Tropical Chicken Salad with Coconut Rice and Mango Vinaigrette
- The BEST Kale Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
- 4 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED
- Blender (I use the smaller attachment to make dressings)
- Air Fryer (for chicken when I don’t feel like grilling)
- Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken and Quinoa and a Strawberry Vinaigrette to make it extra special!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut or pounded thin
- Seasoning salt and black pepper
For the Strawberry Vinaigrette
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Cranberry Pear Balsamic vinegar (may substitute with dark or white vinegar plus 1-2 teaspoons honey)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 5 cups baby spinach or spring mix
- 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 – 2 avocados, diced
- ½ cup sliced almonds (toasted preferably)
- ½ cup cooked, warm quinoa (see notes)
- 4 oz crumbled blue cheese, goat cheese, or feta cheese
Instructions
- For the Chicken: Season the chicken with seasoning salt and black pepper on both sides. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cover with foil and set aside.
- For the Vinaigrette: Add vinaigrette ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until the mixture is very smooth. Pour into a mason jar or other salad dressing dispenser. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the Salad: Divide ingredients onto individual serving plates or make one big salad in a bowl or on a platter. Start with the greens on the bottom then scatter the toppings over the top. Use as much or as little of each ingredient as you like (which is why I offer a range above). Chop chicken into bite size pieces and scatter over the salad.
- Serve the salad immediately with the vinaigrette on the side.
Notes
- Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in an air fryer at 400°F for about 10 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
- I cook quinoa in the Instant Pot and freeze extra so I can easily add it to salads. To cook it in the Instant Pot, add 1 cup of rinsed quinoa and 1 ½ cups water or chicken broth to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, then let the pressure release naturally. Fluff and serve. See more cooking details here.
- For the almonds: Toasting the almonds makes them taste so good! Buy already toasted almonds or simply add a layer of almonds in a sauté pan over medium heat. Let toast until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn!
My Husband was newly diagnosed diabetic and put on insulin- to be safe, we had to cut out a LOT of our favorite foods for a minute… He’s been craving strawberries, and THIS recipe was our reward! I am so glad I get your emails directly to my inbox with such healthy, yummy fixin’s! So delicious, we’ll make it again & again because it fits his macros well and our taste buds approve! I love that you included other options like Bleu cheese ( his fave) and other toasted nuts variations for future meals. We’re going to try many different combos this summer. THANK YOU!! 🙂
Mary, This makes my whole world to hear this! I love the art of creating food that tastes amazing no matter the restrictions. I’m so happy you and your husband could enjoy this. The rest of the Summer salads should also serve you well!