Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad (Printable)
Protein-packed Mediterranean salad with tender chicken, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh vegetables in a balsamic dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 medium breasts)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
04 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or romaine)
→ Dairy
07 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Nuts
08 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil (reserved from jar)
11 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds if using. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing uses the oil straight from the sun dried tomato jar, so every drop of flavor gets used and nothing goes to waste.
- It comes together in under twenty minutes with zero cooking if you start with already cooked chicken.
- The combination of salty feta, sweet tomatoes, and crunchy nuts hits every single flavor note you could want in one bowl.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than two hours before serving or the greens will wilt into a sad, soggy mess.
- Reserving a tablespoon of the sun dried tomato oil to drizzle on at the end is a small move that makes a huge difference in flavor.
03 -
- Warm your toasted nuts slightly before adding them and their aroma will fill the entire kitchen, making everyone nearby suddenly hungry.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished salad right before serving wakes up every flavor in the bowl.