Crisp & Tangy Balsamic Salad with Apples & Chicken

At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March 2020, my mother-in-law moved in with us for a few months. Every day she’d make herself a little salad of greens, carrots and apples, with her own balsamic dressing. It looked SO good that eventually I started trying my hand at making my own salad combinations and dressings, and this Balsamic Apple Chicken Salad was born.

Use this as a first course or a side without chicken, or as it’s own meal with grilled or sautéed chicken or other protein source. I like to meal prep 3 or 4 of these on a Sunday for my lunches for the week! If you do that, however, make sure to not cut the apple ahead of time or it will brown. I also don’t add the pita chips until the day of because they will get soggy.

Perfect for all year round, but especially nice in the warm spring and summer months. You can substitute strawberries for the apples, or any of your other favorite fruits that are in season!

The Perfect Bite of this meal would be some crispy romaine, a small piece of apple and chicken with a scoop of feta & pita, perfectly coated in that tangy balsamic.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook time: (chicken) 10-15 minutes

Serving Size: 2 meal sized salads

Ingredients:

Salad:

· Olive oil or coconut oil to coat pan

· 12 oz of raw chicken, cubed into bite sized pieces

· Salt & pepper to taste

· 2 Romain Lettuce heads, washed & chopped

· 2 large carrots, peeled & shredded

· 1 Granny Smith Apple, cubed

· ½ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese (reduced fat)

· ½ cup Pita Chips (multigrain), crushed

Dressing:

· ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

· ¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

· 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

· ½ tbsp minced garlic

· Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

I like to prep my veggies & dressing while the chicken cooks to cut down on time!

1. Heat oil of choice in pan. Once hot, add chicken and seasonings & cook through.

2. While chicken is cooking, prepare fruit and veggies. Divide the chopped romaine into 2 bowls, top with grated/shredded carrots, then apple chunks.

3. Add feta cheese crumbles and crushed pita chips.

4. When chicken is cooked, add to salad.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

1. In a bowl or measuring cup (or best yet, a jar with a lid), add all ingredients and stir or shake.

2. Drizzle over prepared salad and enjoy!

You can meal prep by making ahead and storing in an airtight container or bowl covered with tin foil/plastic wrap for 3-4 days.

Salad with chicken (no dressing), 1 serving:

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

506 Calories

*Total Fat 15g

Saturated Fat 4.3g

Cholesterol 134mg

Sodium 734mg

Total Carbohydrate 42g

Dietary Fiber 11g

Sugar 15g

Protein 52g

Vitamin D 0mcg

Calcium 266.19mg

Iron 4.94mg

Potassium 1628mg