Grilled Apricot Spinach Chicken Salad (Printable)
Charred apricots and grilled chicken over spinach with feta, almonds and a mint-basil vinaigrette.
# List of ingredients:
→ Salad
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
05 - 4 ripe apricots, halved and pitted
06 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
07 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
09 - ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
→ Mint Basil Dressing
10 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tbsp honey
13 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
14 - 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
15 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
16 - ¼ tsp salt
17 - ⅛ tsp black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush the chicken breasts and apricot halves with olive oil. Season the chicken evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Grill the chicken breasts for 6–7 minutes per side until fully cooked through and juices run clear. Grill the apricot halves cut side down for 2–3 minutes until lightly charred and softened. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, chopped basil, chopped mint, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine the baby spinach, thinly sliced red onion, and half of the toasted almonds. Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss gently to coat.
06 - Arrange the sliced grilled chicken and grilled apricot halves over the dressed greens. Scatter crumbled feta cheese and the remaining toasted almonds on top. Drizzle with additional dressing to taste and serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh mint or basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Grilling the apricots takes them from ordinary stone fruit to something almost candy like and irresistible.
- The mint basil dressing comes together in about sixty seconds but tastes like you spent far longer on it.
02 -
- Do not move the apricots around once you set them on the grill, patience is what gives you those gorgeous char marks.
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps all those juices inside the meat instead of running all over your cutting board.
03 -
- Check your almond and feta packaging carefully if you are serving anyone with allergies, cross contamination in processing facilities is more common than people realize.
- The dressing doubles easily and keeps in the fridge for three days, so make extra and drizzle it over grilled vegetables tomorrow.