Sweet, tart and salty, this Berry Balsamic Chopped Salad Recipe with Grilled Chicken is perfect for a light dinner or lunch, or great as a side dish.
It’s funny how having children can change you. I’m not talking about how the food on your plate is never your own again, or how you carry toys and suckers in your purse instead of make up. I’m talking about physical changes – not of the body shape type.
Before I had kids, my hair was pretty straight. It would get a little out of control if I didn’t dry it and go over it quickly with a straightener, but for the most part, it was straight. But with every child, my hair has grown in with more and more wave to it. So much, in fact, that I find it practically impossible to have it truly straight anymore, unless I want to spend an hour trying to straighten it.
And some of my tastes in food – specifically cravings – have changed as well. When I was pregnant with my first, I didn’t have any crazy food cravings (no pickles and ice cream for me) but I did fall in love with scrambled eggs on a tortilla with pickled jalapeños. I can’t tell you how many times I ate that when I was pregnant with her. And funny enough, the craving came back when I was pregnant with my second and my third.
My other craving was salads. But not just any salad. A green salad, with crunchy lettuce, topped with lots of ranch salad dressing. Now, on a normal day, I do like ranch salad dressing, but I craved it so much when I was pregnant, and it’s the only thing that would curb that craving.
Well, unlike most pregnancy cravings that come and go and disappear when the baby comes, my salad craving has stuck. So for over 6 years now, I get regular cravings for salads. Luckily, though, I’ve moved past my craving for ranch dressing, and I’m open to all kinds of salads and dressings.
But several times a week, I just have to have a salad. This mostly happens at dinnertime, when I’ll throw together whatever I can find in the vegetable drawer and serve it alongside whatever we are having for dinner. My family doesn’t share my need for salads multiple times a week, so often, I’ll end up with a huge plate of salad because no one else wants to eat it. And I’m totally ok with that.
Those random throw-together salads are fine, but it’s even more fun (and more delicious!) when I change things up and make a salad that is more than just a bunch of leftover veggies. I adore chopped salads, so I thought it was time for an all-new chopped salad recipe here.
Let me introduce you to the ingredient that inspired today’s chopped salad recipe – Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing. I. Am. In. Love. I am a bit of a salad dressing snob, so I was really excited to get to try a few of Tessemae’s line of dressings. I love that they are all-natural, and I love that the company is dedicated to healthy living. They are a family run company (truly – watch their video on their website – everyone works for the company. Mom, dad, brothers – even a wife is involved!) It’s easy to get behind a company that is dedicated to creating a healthy product, and it’s even easier when you see just how much heart and work goes into the company.
And the dressings? Well, I guess it would all be for naught if the product wasn’t any good. But this dressing is awesome. It is a little more expensive than your run of the mill grocery store dressing, but you are getting an all natural product with amazing flavor, and a little bit of this dressing actually went a long way.
When I saw the balsamic dressing, all I could think of was pairing it with berries. And this Berry Balsamic Chopped Salad Recipe was born. A little bit of sweet from the blueberries and cherries, a little bit of salty from the feta, plus the sweet tang from the balsamic dressing. I also decided to add in some chicken to make this a heartier meal – perfect for lunch time. I marinated the chicken in the Tessemae’s Balasamic Dressing before grilling it to give this salad a double dose of balsamic.
I loved this salad so much that I made it 2 days in a row. And of course – my kids couldn’t keep their forks off of my plate. Oh, the joys of being a mother!
For more information about Tessemae’s, check out their website, or follow them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!
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Berry Balsamic Chopped Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 9-10-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup plus 2-3 tablespoons Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing
- 5 cups spring mix lettuce blend
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds toasted
- 2 oz feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise, creating 2 thin pieces. Place in a zip-top bag and add 1/4 cup of the Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Heat a grill or a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, 6-8 minutes per side. Cool slightly, then cut into small bite-sized pieces.
- Roughly chop the lettuce and place in a large bowl. Add the blueberries, dried cherries, almonds, feta cheese and chicken. Toss to combine. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of the Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing, if desired.
I am in a working relationship with Tessemae’s All Natural, and this post has been sponsored. I’m so glad to be able to work with companies and organizations that I truly believe in. Thank you for supporting them, too.
Joanne says
I definitely crave a good salad from time to time (okay….weekly). Those dressings sound AWESOME!! It’s so hard to find ones that taste good AND are free of weirdo ingredients. Have to keep an eye out for these!
Alida says
The same thing happened with my formerly straight hair post-baby, and it’s so much more work now. Oh well, it’s all worth it. 🙂 This is my favorite dressing, and I love the berry-balsamic combo you have here!
Chels R. says
This looks like a perfect salad.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
This is my kind of salad! Love the flavors!
Jeanine says
These look absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen that dressing before, but it looks like it would be the perfect addition to my fridge!
Rachel Cooks says
I’ve never seen this dressing before but it looks amazing! Definitely going to look for it now. 🙂
Ashley@blondegirlcravings says
This salad looks delicious! I love salads with lots of fun textures and fruit. Pregnancy is funny, I still can’t stand the smell of fried chicken, and when I was pregnant came to LOVE Franks Red Hot sauce. Still can’t get enough of it!
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
I don’t have kids, but I’ve heard these same things! It’s crazy! Makes me a little nervous to see who the “new” me would be 😉 This salad looks fresh and amazing.
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
Nothing wrong at all with craving salad! I know when I go on vacations, most of the time, I don’t eat enough vegetables. I come home CRAVING a huge salad. These Tessemae’s dressings look so fresh and flavorful. I’ll have to keep my eye out for them!
Cookin Canuck says
I get cravings for salads all the time and usually end up making myself a big one every lunchtime. I haven’t tried these dressings, but will definitely keep an eye out for them!
Jenny Flake says
How fabulous does this look?! Anxious to find those dressings!!
leslie says
OHHH I have never seen these dressings. I am officially on the hunt
Cookbook Queen says
Oh my gosh, I LOVE a good salad, especially when you pair dried fruit, sweet, tangy dressing, and crunchy lettuce. So perfect!!
Tori@Gringalicious.com says
I love how fresh and amazing this looks! Yes, Please!