I love all things summertime. From the smell of freshly cut grass in the morning to the sight of the first firefly at night, every day of summer is a reason to celebrate. My mid-winter dreams were made of sun-drenched tomatoes, perfectly ripe avocados, and sweet Florida corn. Even if you don’t have a garden with an ample bounty, your neighbor may. As Southerners, we are taught to share our seasonal produce and herbs like freshly baked goods at Christmastime. If neither of these is an option, you know your local farmer’s market is starting to brim with all its summer vegetable glory. The beauty of seasonal salads is anything goes. Fruit, vegetables, herbs it all works. Today I made a grilled chicken, spinach, and shaved Brussels sprouts salad with fresh strawberries and goat cheese topped with the most incredible avocado dressing. Make sure to make plenty of the dressing as it pairs beautifully as a sauce for chicken, fish, vegetables, or everything Mexican. This fresh and easy salad is the perfect companion to any summer meal. I invite you all to join me in celebrating the season which, as you know, goes by way too fast. Call your neighbors, fire up the grill, and let’s get this produce party started!
Grilled Chicken, Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts Tenders, or Thighs
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil depending on preference
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Tamari Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
For the Salad
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ½ pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
- ½ cup purple onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
For the Avocado Dressing
- 1 Avocado
- 1 clove Garlic peeled
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice or white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken and marinade in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 30 min or ideally up to 4-5 hours.
- While chicken is marinating, start avocado dressing.
- Place all the ingredients In a food processor or blender.
- Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. Thin the salad dressing out with about 1/3 cup water or until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Grill chicken for about 9-10 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts at the halfway point. I normally like to grill my chicken for about 10 minutes, flipping them at the halfway point in order to have beautiful sear marks on each side of the chicken.
- Add all ingredients for salad into a large bowl and toss until well blended. Top with grilled chicken. Add the desired amount of dressing onto the salad mix and toss until well covered.
- Serve immediately.
