Peach Summer Salad With Chicken

This tasty peach summer salad is a blend of sweet and fresh flavors for a perfect weeknight dinner.

Summertime Flavors

There are certain flavors that will always remind me of warm summer days. One of these favorite summertime flavors of mine is peach. Fresh peaches, baked peaches, roasted peaches, even frozen peaches have their place in my heart! This peach and chicken salad is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It is a quick and healthy salad for an easy weeknight dinner or fresh and tasty lunch.

I’m a big fan of pairing fruit with different kinds of meat. This specific salad uses chicken as it’s main source of protein, but you could easily sub in roasted turkey breast as a tasty alternative.

Fresh ingredients will work best in this dish. Fresh peaches, basil ribbons, and grated feta bring a nice burst of flavor, while almonds or pecans add an extra crunch. The dressing is a super simple mixture of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and olive oil.

Peach Summer Salad Preparation

To prepare your salad, start by preheating your stove top or grill to medium heat. Add in your coconut oil to the warm pan and place chicken in the oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and parsley. Cook on each side around 4-5 minutes until fully cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan (or grill) and turn up the heat to medium-high. Add your sliced peaches. Roast on both sides until slightly charred, but still firm.

You will also want to cook your quinoa if you haven’t done so already. Sometimes I will make a large amount of quinoa and keep in the fridge to have handy for lunches and dinners. I prefer to cook quinoa in chicken broth to add a bit more flavor, but cooking it in water is fine as well. While your chicken and quinoa are cooking, chop up your basil ribbons, nuts, dried cranberries, and grate your fresh feta cheese. In a small bowl mix together your dressing ingredients

Assemble your salad by layering your ingredients in a bowl or plate. Kale (or mixed greens) as the base, then top with quinoa, chicken, peaches, basil, feta, nuts and dressing. Enjoy your peach summer salad!

Peach Summer Salad Recipe

4 Servings

Ingredients

• (4) 3 oz. Chicken breasts
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (optional)
• 6 cups kale or mixed greens
• 2 medium peaches (sliced)
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil ribbons
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries (finely diced)
• 1/2 cup almonds or pecans (crushed or sliced)
• 1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated feta cheese (optional)
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil (or avocado oil)
• 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• red onion and avocado slices (optional)

Dressing

• 1 Tbsp Maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Cook your quinoa if you haven’t done so already. I like to cook mine in chicken broth for added flavor.
2. Preheat your stove top or grill to medium heat. Add in your coconut oil to the warm pan and place chicken in the oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and parsley. Cook on each side around 5-6 minutes until fully cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan (or grill) and turn up the heat to medium-high.
3. Add your sliced peaches to the pan. Roast on both sides until slightly charred, but still firm.
4. Chop up your basil ribbons, nuts, dried cranberries, and grate your fresh feta cheese.
5. In a small bowl mix together your dressing ingredients.
6. Assemble your peach summer salad by layering your kale, quinoa, chicken, peaches, toppings, and dressing. Enjoy!