Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad (Printer View)

Tender shredded chicken, sweet strawberries, and crisp vegetables tossed with a creamy poppy seed dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

04 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
05 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
06 - 4 cups mixed salad greens
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
09 - 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons honey
13 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
15 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until fully cooked. Remove chicken, cool slightly, and shred using two forks.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine salad greens, shredded chicken, strawberries, cucumber, and red onion.
04 - Drizzle poppy seed dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese if using and toasted almonds. Serve immediately or chill for 20 minutes for a colder salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It balances creamy, crunchy, and tangy in every forkful without feeling heavy.
  • You can prep the components ahead and toss everything together right before serving.
  • The poppy seed dressing clings to every leaf and makes boring greens feel special.
  • It works just as well for a weekday lunch as it does for a backyard gathering.
02 -
  • Do not overcook the chicken or it will dry out and turn stringy, a gentle simmer is your friend here.
  • Dress the salad just before serving so the greens stay crisp and do not wilt under the weight of the dressing.
  • If your strawberries are not sweet enough, add an extra teaspoon of honey to the dressing to balance the tartness.
03 -
  • Slice the red onion as thin as you can manage, it softens the bite and makes it easier to eat with every forkful.
  • Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad, you may want more honey if your strawberries are tart or more vinegar if they are very sweet.
  • Let the poached chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding so the juices redistribute and the meat stays moist.
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