This Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad with chicken is a delicious side dish or main meal to bring for any dinner party. Fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, and chicken on a bed of spinach and drizzled with homemade balsamic dressing is the perfect meal.
Most of the time I share all the fun baking that happens in our kitchen, but healthy dinners actually happen more often than sugar treats.
Salads and lean and greens are what we make and eat for dinner because one cannot live on sweets alone. I know it seems like we eat Homemade Chocolate Chip Brownies and Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake all the time, but we really do try to make and share those when we have different activities and dinners to go too.
The other day after church we went out to eat with some friends. Since I am also trying to make better food choices when we go out to eat, I decided to only look at the salads on the menu. Normally, I'm all about the cheese and pasta, so this was a big deal for me.
The strawberry spinach salad on the menu caught my eye right away. It had fruit, nuts, cheese, and chicken on a bed of spinach with balsamic drizzled on top. Hello, gorgeous goodness! I ate every single bite of this salad and was totally satisfied.
All week long I just could not forget about how good this salad was. I know!!! Me...craving salad. It's a crazy turn of events! I think all the exercise and running I have been doing might be affecting my brain.
I headed to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients to create a strawberry spinach salad recipe for dinner because I had to have it again.
For this particular spinach salad I added strawberries, oranges, cranberries, almonds, and mozzarella cheese to the spinach and grilled chicken. I used to be against fruit in my salad, but in my old age I have wised up.
Fresh fruit goes so well with greens and chicken. The great thing about this salad is that you can totally customize it by using the fruits and nuts that you like.
Variations on this Strawberry Spinach Salad:
- Bacon
- Feta Cheese
- Goat Cheese
- Red Onions
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Avocados
- Walnuts
- Pecans
Most of the time I reach for ranch dressing, but lately I have been enjoying different vinaigrettes. This Homemade Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is my dressing of choice right now.
It's amazing on this Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad with Chicken and on this Spinach Chicken Caprese Salad!
Making a Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad with chicken:
- Marinate the chicken in your favorite sauce to give it more flavor. We like to use Italian dressing for a quick and easy marinade.
- Grill the chicken. You can either serve the chicken whole or cut it into bite-sized pieces. Don't have time to grill? Buy a rotisserie chicken. You can even use canned chicken if you have that on hand.
- Slice the strawberries and drain the mandarin oranges.
- Fill serving bowls with the fruits, nuts, and cheese.
- Let everyone customize their plate of spinach and chicken with their favorite toppings.
Other salad recipes you may enjoy:
- Balsamic Caprese Veggie Salad
- Pineapple Sriracha Chicken Salad
- Veggie Pasta Salad
- Cranberry Poppyseed Apple Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
- Cilantro Lime Cucumber Salad
Recipe
Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad
This Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad with chicken is a delicious side dish or main meal to bring for any dinner party. Fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, and chicken on a bed of spinach and drizzled with homemade balsamic dressing is the perfect meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups diced grilled chicken
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 1 cup mandarin oranges
- ¼ cup dried craisins
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
- Homemade Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Divide the spinach onto 4 plates.
- Fill bowls with the chicken, strawberries, oranges, raisins, almonds, and cheese.
- Let everyone top their spinach with their favorite toppings.
- Drizzle with salad dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 318mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 16gProtein: 38g
*The post for Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad with chicken was first published on May 6, 2015. The photos have been updated, and it was republished on May 25, 2019.
Carole from Carole's Chatter
Hi Jocelyn, I do hope you'll come over to Food on Friday: Salads to bring this to the party! Cheers from Carole's Chatter
Trish - Mom On Timeout
Love all those bright, pretty colors in this salad Jocelyn! Yum!
Jocelyn
Thank you, Trish!!!
Heather at Basilmomma
I could eat this every day!
Jocelyn
I'm right there with you!!!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
Salads with strawberries are my favorite! I wish I had this for dinner. It is so fresh, light and perfect for spring!
Jocelyn
Strawberries do make a salad so good! And now I'm wanting it for dinner again!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
This looks awesome! I love the fresh fruit 🙂
Jocelyn
I'm so glad I jumped on the fruit in salad train because it is amazing!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
This salad is gorgeous! I love the beautiful colours and flavours! 😀
Jocelyn
Thank you!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
I love the colors in this fruity, flavorful salad!
Jocelyn
It really is so pretty and fruity. Thanks, girl!!!
Jen
We eat a ton of salad so I'm always looking for new ways to jazz it up. Love all the goodness in this one!
Jocelyn
We have been going through salads a lot here too, so finding new ways to eat them is a must!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
This is my kind of salad! Love all the fresh flavors!
Jocelyn
Thanks, Jessica!
Mir
No lie, I've got all these ingredients right now in the fridge. And I had that whole what to cook for dinner issue until right now. Thanks, Jocelyn!
Jocelyn
Woot woot! I hope you had salad for dinner, Mir!!! 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
I love salads! Like, almost every day I have one for lunch or dinner. This one is beautiful. I'm a big fan of fruit and nuts with my greens 🙂
Jocelyn
Fruit and nuts in salad is now my new thing...I'm totally loving it!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I love the pretty pops of color in this dish, Jocelyn! Strawberries and oranges make the best combo. Totally craving this for lunch today. Pinned!
Jocelyn
Thank you, Gayle. I'm totally craving it again too!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
A love a good salad in the Summer. Especially when it's loaded with fruit! This totally looks like something I would order in a restaurant, except I can make it at home! Pinned!
Jocelyn
Awe thanks girl!!! Gotta love good looking food that you can make at home!!! Thank for sharing!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
I adore spinach salads! Heck, I made one yesterday for lunch. They always fill me up and are so easily manipulated. YUM!
Jocelyn
I am loving these kind of salads too...I could eat one every day. For a week at least. LOL!