Even salad-haters will enjoy this blackened chicken and strawberry salad with the best strawberry vinaigrette. It's a great combination of savory and sweet!
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What makes this dish special
Strawberries are available year-round in California but the peak season is just approaching. As it gets closer and closer to April, the strawberries sold are becoming larger, redder, and juicier, and they even smell sweeter. To welcome one of my favorite fruits into the season, I'm recreating a great blackened chicken and strawberry salad I had at the Alcove.
The Alcove is a local restaurant in Los Angeles that serves typical California cuisine with salads, sandwiches, and freshly baked goods. I've only been there once but after trying their salad, I can confidently say that I will be returning. Here is my take on their creation. It's quickly rivaling all of my favorite blackened chicken dishes including this creamy sun-dried tomato pasta with blackened chicken!
Ingredients
- Strawberries: Add natural sweetness and a fruity flavor to the salad and vinaigrette, balancing out the savory elements.
- Balsamic vinegar: Helps balance the sweetness of the strawberries, adding a tangy and slightly acidic flavor to the vinaigrette.
- Chicken breasts: Chicken breasts serve as the primary protein source in the salad, making it more substantial and filling. You can substitute chicken breasts with chicken thighs.
- Spices: The spices (paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, salt, black pepper, and onion powder) create a bold, savory flavor profile for the chicken, which contrasts with the sweetness of the strawberries.
- Feta: Adds a creamy element and also provides a salty flavor.
- Dried cranberries: Add a sweet and chewy texture to the salad, providing a pleasant contrast to the crunchy pecans and the soft spinach.
- Pecans: Toasted pecans provide a satisfying crunch and a nutty flavor.
Substitutions and variations
- Protein: You can substitute the chicken with shrimp or salmon for a seafood version or tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more vegetables such as roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, avocado, shallots, or kale.
- Toppings: You can bulk up the salad with more toppings such as quinoa, hemp seeds, or extra nuts like almonds.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make vinaigrette
Start by making the vinaigrette. You can prepare this dressing several days in advance since it does require you to cook the strawberries first. I have never used frozen strawberries, but if you have had success using them, I would love to hear all about it!
If you want to mix it up, you can make a blackened chicken and peach version of this salad, preparing the salad dressing with peaches instead of berries. I can already taste the goodness!
Step 2: Cook chicken
For the chicken, do not be afraid of the spices. Season both sides of the chicken and sear it in a hot pan. The spices will form a crust on the chicken, thus the name, blackened chicken. Continue cooking in the oven until the juices run pink. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes then slice.
Toss all the ingredients together and serve. I can have this salad every day and never get bored of it. The combination of sweet cranberries and strawberries, creamy feta, earthy pecans, and savory chicken is heavenly. Fortunately, strawberries are available here in California so I can make this year-round!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The chicken can be cooked earlier and reheated right before serving. The salad dressing can also be prepared up to 5 days in advance.
- Store: Keep leftovers in airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If possible, store the dressing on the side.
Frequently asked questions
You can adjust the spiciness of the blackened chicken by increasing or decreasing the amount of cayenne pepper in the seasoning mix.
To ensure the chicken is cooked properly, cook it in the oven until the juices run clear. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should reach 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
Yes, you can experiment with other fruits like peaches or blueberries to create different flavor variations. Substitute the strawberries with your chosen fruit and adjust the dressing accordingly.
More summer salad recipes
Looking for more summer salad recipes? Try these:
Recipe
Blackened Chicken and Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
Strawberry vinaigrette
- 8 ounces strawberries halved
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
Remaining ingredients
- 8 cups spinach
- 8 ounces crumbled feta
- 1 pound strawberries sliced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until strawberries have softened about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer strawberries to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture. Cool.
- Whisk together the pureed strawberries with balsamic vinegar. Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Combine seasoning for chicken including paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Liberally sprinkle seasoning mixture onto both sides of the chicken.
- Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear on both sides, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Finish cooking chicken in the oven until juices run clear, about 10-14 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Toss together spinach with feta, sliced strawberries, cranberries, toasted pecans, and salad dressing. Portion on four plates and top with sliced chicken. Serve.
Betsy @ Desserts Required
Can I make a reservation for dinner at YOUR house? Love this salad!!
cma0425
Absolutely 🙂
Beth (OMG! Yummy)
Saying hi from CCN! Lovely post - the photos, the salad, the details. Great job. I am in love with year round berries in California. Feel so spoiled. I love making a vinaigrette with them with balsamic. For some fun variation sometime, buy a bottle of pomegranate molasses at a Middle Eastern market and sub it in for the balsamic. it's thicker but the flavor is a great alternative.
cma0425
Thanks for stopping by! Wow pomegranate molasses sounds great for a dressing - definitely have to try that soon
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
Gosh, this is such a beautiful salad!! I love all the colors and flavors! My husband would love me even more if I made this for him - he loves salads like this! Thanks for the recipe!
cma0425
Definitely a man-approved salad 🙂 Enjoy!
Aimee
I just made this and it was so delicious! Definitely worth a little work =)
cma0425
So glad you enjoyed it!
Elin Sandberg
This was so amazing, even my boyfriend who never wants to eat salad loved it!!
cma0425
Always a plus when you can make one meal for you and your man!
Molly w
can you make the dressing ahead of time, like a day? Then refrigerate?
cma0425
Yes absolutely! The dressing will stay good for up several days if kept in the fridge
Carol
Can you substitute a different cheese-maybe goat cheese?
cma0425
Yes absolutely, goat cheese would be a great substitution
Kat
All these different flavors don't seem like they work together but they do. I cut up the chicken and pit it in the salad, it was so amazing. Thanks for sharing.
cma0425
So glad you enjoyed it!
Emilee
I have made this recipe so many times. It's just so good!! Thanks so much for sharing. It's my new favorite meal 🙂
cma0425
Thanks for the feedback! I'm so glad you're enjoying this salad 🙂
Charleigh
I made this dish with frozen strawberries and it was AMAZING, my family loved it! I added a splash or two more balsamic vinegar to give the vinaigrette a little more kick. Thanks for the recipe!
Charleigh
I also didn't have spinach, fetta cheese, or cranberries. So I replaced the spinach with lettuce, the fetta cheese with chopped Plant Based Baby Belle Cheese, and the cranberries with macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds. This dish was still delish!
Cherry on My Sundae
I'm so glad! Thank you for giving my recipe a try!
Charleigh
I made this dish with frozen strawberries and was still DELISH, my family LOVED IT! I also didn't have fetta cheese, cranberries, lemon juice, and spinach. I used, chopped plant based Baby Belle cheese, macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds, lime juice, and lettuce. Someone in my family also has an allergy to sugar so I used coconut sugar! Thanks for the recipe!
Charleigh
I also used a splash or 2 more of balsamic vinegar in the vinaigrette to give it some more kick
Charleigh
Your welcome thank you so much!