Toss together this Simple Summer Strawberry Salad and you’ll have a seasonal dinner ready in under 15 minutes.
It’s almost summer, it’s getting warm out, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like heating up my kitchen or laboring over dinner – I want something quick and easy that’s fresh and light. Strawberries are just starting to come into peak season here in the Midwest. Toss together this Simple Summer Strawberry Salad and you’ll have a seasonal dinner ready in under 15 minutes. It serves 2 to 3 as a dinner salad, or 4 to 6 as a side salad. And it’s easily customizable for whatever you found at your farmers market this weekend, swap out the sweet baby lettuces for baby spinach or mixed greens and the strawberries for any ripe berry or stone fruit (blueberries and plums are yummy here!). I’ll sometimes make this salad without the chicken and serve alongside a grilled steak for another easy summer dinner that’s also perfect for outdoor entertaining.
Simple Summer Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
5 oz sweet baby lettuces
6 oz shredded rotisserie chicken (about 1 cup)
8 oz strawberries, slice (about 8 medium sized strawberries)
2 oz pecans, toasted and chopped (or place in a zip-top bag and gently crush with a sauce pan or heavy mug)
2 oz fresh goat cheese/chevre, crumbled
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon raw honey
1/8 teaspoon pinch of coarse kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
How to make a Simple Summer Strawberry Salad
Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper together until fully emulsified; alternatively, shake well in a jar.
Place sweet baby lettuces in a large bowl and toss with ¾ of the dressing until evenly coated. Add shredded chicken and toss until mixed will with the lettuces. Add the sliced strawberries and pecans and toss to distribute throughout, reserving a few pieces of pecans. Add crumbled goat cheese and gently toss, reserving a small portion of the crumbled goat cheese. Divide salad amongst two plates, sprinkle with reserved pecans and goat cheese, and serve, preferably with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc or your favorite sparkling water. Serve with additional dressing if desired.
Comments