Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad (Print)

Protein-packed Mediterranean salad with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, crisp vegetables, and creamy feta in a tangy balsamic dressing.

# What You 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 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 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil (reserved from jar)
11 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

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, layer the mixed greens, shredded chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, diced cucumber, and red onion.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Scatter crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds over the top if desired.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving for a chilled option.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing uses oil straight from the sun dried tomato jar so every single bite carries that intense, savory depth without any extra effort.
  • It comes together in minutes with leftover or rotisserie chicken which makes it the smartest weeknight shortcut you will find.
02 -
  • Do not dress the salad more than thirty minutes before serving or the greens will wilt into a sad, watery mess that no amount of feta can fix.
  • Using the oil from the sun dried tomato jar instead of plain olive oil in the dressing doubles the tomato flavor with zero additional ingredients.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for exactly three minutes, shaking the pan constantly, because pine nuts go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • If you are meal prepping, keep the dressing in a separate jar and the greens in a container with a paper towel to absorb moisture, then combine only when you are ready to eat.

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