Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender shredded chicken, sweet strawberries, crisp cucumbers, and creamy poppy seed dressing in a refreshing, light salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until fully cooked. Remove chicken and let cool slightly, then 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 the poppy seed dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese if desired and toasted almonds. Serve immediately or chill for 20 minutes for a colder salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It hits that perfect spot between light lunch and satisfying main course
  • The dressing keeps surprisingly well in the fridge for meal prep
  • Everyone assumes it took way more effort than it actually did
02 -
  • Letting the chicken cool slightly makes it infinitely easier to shred without burning your fingers
  • The dressing thickens up in the fridge, so add a splash of water if it has been chilling
  • Wait to toss the salad with dressing until right before serving or it will get soggy
03 -
  • Let the dressing sit in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors meld together
  • Room temperature strawberries release more juice and mix better with the other ingredients
Go Back