Sweet Tangy Blackberry Chicken Salad (Printable Version)
Grilled chicken and blackberries over mixed greens with avocado, toasted nuts and a bright blackberry-balsamic vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Salad
06 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
07 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
08 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
11 - 1 avocado, sliced
→ Blackberry Vinaigrette
12 - 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
13 - 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
14 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
17 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Grill or sear for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
03 - In a small blender or food processor, combine fresh blackberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and extra-virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth and well emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Arrange mixed salad greens in a large serving bowl. Top with sliced chicken, fresh blackberries, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled cheese if using, toasted nuts, and sliced avocado.
05 - Drizzle the blackberry vinaigrette over the assembled salad. Toss gently to coat evenly and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The blackberry vinaigrette is sweet, tangy, and vibrantly purple, and you will want to pour it on everything once you taste it.
- It comes together in about thirty five minutes with zero fancy techniques or hard to find ingredients.
02 -
- Do not skip resting the chicken after cooking because slicing too early releases all the moisture and leaves you with dry, rubbery pieces.
- Blending the vinaigrette instead of whisking by hand creates a thicker, creamier texture that clings to every leaf instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
- Mash a few extra blackberries into the dressing by hand if you like it chunkier and more rustic in texture.
- Toasting the nuts is the one step people skip most often but it is the one that makes guests ask what your secret is.