Description
A vibrant and refreshing Spinach Blueberry Salad featuring fresh baby spinach, juicy blueberries, cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and tender chicken breast, all tossed in a tangy poppyseed dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a healthy dinner option that balances sweetness, crunch, and protein.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 8 ounces baby spinach
- ½ pint blueberries, rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds (preferably salted)
- 1 shallot, finely diced (about ⅓ cup)
Protein
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (rotisserie chicken recommended)
Dressing
- Poppyseed dressing, to taste
Instructions
- Add spinach: Place fresh baby spinach in a large mixing bowl as the base of your salad.
- Add fruits and vegetables: Add rinsed blueberries, halved cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and finely diced shallot over the spinach in the bowl.
- Add protein: Arrange the cooked and sliced chicken breasts on top of the mixed salad ingredients. You can place ingredients in sections to make tossing easier later.
- Dress the salad: Pour your preferred amount of poppyseed dressing over the salad—start with less and add more as desired.
- Toss and serve: Gently toss all ingredients together to evenly coat with dressing and combine flavors. Serve immediately for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick and flavorful protein option.
- Adjust the amount of poppyseed dressing to your taste preference to avoid overwhelming the fresh ingredients.
- Salad can be prepped ahead but toss with dressing just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- Sunflower seeds add a nice crunch, but you can substitute with toasted nuts if preferred.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (if using pre-cooked chicken)
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: spinach salad, blueberry salad, chicken salad, healthy salad, poppyseed dressing, fresh salad, gluten free salad, summer salad
