Summer Strawberry Chicken Avocado Salad

If you ask me, fruit in salads is something everyone should try at least once.

This fresh and filling salad brings together juicy strawberries, creamy avocado, and grilled chicken for a meal that actually keeps you satisfied. The sweet berries work surprisingly well with the savory chicken and the smooth bocconcini.

Toasted walnuts add a nice crunch, while fresh basil and spinach keep things light. A splash of blush wine vinaigrette ties it all together without making the salad feel heavy.

It’s an easy weeknight dinner that feels special enough for company, perfect for those nights when you want something healthy but interesting.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this salad, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are your best bet since they’re easy to slice and stay tender when marinated properly. That said, chicken thighs work great too if you prefer something a bit juicier and more forgiving if you accidentally overcook them. You can grill, pan-sear, or even use a rotisserie chicken from the store to save time – just shred or slice it up and toss it in. If you’re meal prepping, cook your chicken ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to three days, then just add it cold or warm to your salad when you’re ready to eat.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Chicken: You can easily swap the chicken for grilled shrimp, salmon, or even tofu if you’re going vegetarian. Just adjust your cooking time accordingly – shrimp cooks much faster than chicken.
• Walnuts: Not a fan of walnuts? Try pecans, almonds, or candied nuts for a sweeter crunch. You could also use sunflower seeds if you’re dealing with nut allergies.
• Bocconcini: If you can’t find bocconcini (those little mozzarella balls), regular fresh mozzarella cut into cubes works great. Feta or goat cheese would also be tasty alternatives, though they’ll give you a tangier flavor.
• Strawberries: When strawberries aren’t in season, try using fresh peaches, mandarin oranges, or even dried cranberries. The fruit adds sweetness to balance the savory elements, so pick something you enjoy.
• Spinach: Mixed greens, arugula, or spring mix all work well here. Arugula will give you a peppery kick, while mixed greens keep things mild.
• Avocado: While avocado adds creaminess to this salad, you could skip it if needed or add extra cheese instead for that rich element.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this salad is adding the dressing too early, which causes the spinach to wilt and the strawberries to release their juices, turning everything soggy – always dress the salad right before serving.

Overcooking the chicken is another common issue, so pull it from the oven when your thermometer reads 160°F instead of waiting for 165°F, since the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.

Don’t skip toasting the walnuts, as this step brings out their flavor and adds a nice crunch, but watch them closely because they can burn quickly in just a minute or two.

Finally, cut your avocado at the last possible moment and toss it with a little lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown before you’re ready to eat.

What to Serve With Strawberry, Chicken, and Avocado Salad?

This salad is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some warm, crusty bread or garlic toast on the side for a complete meal. A light soup like a chilled cucumber or gazpacho works great if you’re feeding a crowd and want to make it feel more like a full lunch or dinner spread. Since the salad already has plenty of protein and healthy fats from the chicken and avocado, you could also just add a simple side of roasted sweet potato wedges or some buttery dinner rolls to round things out.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the components ahead of time. Keep the cooked chicken, washed spinach, sliced strawberries, and other toppings in separate containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the dressing separately too, and only toss everything together right before serving to keep it crisp.

Make Ahead: I like to marinate and cook the chicken the night before, then let it chill in the fridge. You can also toast the walnuts and wash your greens ahead of time. Just wait to slice the avocado until you’re ready to eat, since it browns quickly even with lemon juice.

Leftovers: If you’ve already tossed the salad with dressing, it’ll get soggy pretty fast. Try to only dress what you’ll eat right away. Any leftover dressed salad should be eaten within a few hours for the best texture and taste.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1450-1670
• Protein: 65-80 g
• Fat: 95-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 85-100 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 0.75 lb chicken
• 0.5 cup marinade

For the salad:

• 0.6 cup walnuts (toasted for 5 minutes for a better crunch)
• 1.2 lbs strawberries
• 1 cup bocconcini (I prefer Galbani for its smooth texture)
• 1 avocado (sliced into 1/2-inch thick wedges)
• 25 basil leaves
• 9 oz spinach

For the assembly:

• 0.5 cup dressing (I always use Briannas Blush Wine Vinaigrette for this)

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

• 0.75 lb chicken
• 0.5 cup marinade

Slice the chicken breast into thin, even pieces—about 1/4 inch thick—so they cook quickly and evenly.

Place the sliced chicken in a bowl, pour the marinade over it, and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat while you prepare the other components.

Step 2: Toast the Walnuts

• 0.6 cup walnuts

While the chicken marinates, coarsely chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces.

Preheat your oven to 350°F, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet, and toast for about 5-6 minutes until they’re fragrant and slightly darker.

I like to toast walnuts separately from the chicken so I can control their crunch perfectly—they’ll finish just as the chicken is ready to go in.

Transfer to a plate to cool.

Step 3: Prepare the Salad Components

• 1.2 lbs strawberries
• 1 avocado
• 25 basil leaves
• 1 cup bocconcini

While the walnuts toast, prepare all your fresh ingredients so assembly is quick and easy.

Halve the strawberries lengthwise to show off their beautiful color.

Slice the avocado into 1/2-inch thick wedges.

Stack the basil leaves and thinly slice them into ribbons—fresh basil loses its bright flavor when cut too far in advance, so do this right before assembly.

Leave the bocconcini whole; their delicate texture is best preserved that way.

Step 4: Cook the Marinated Chicken

• marinated chicken from Step 1

Increase oven temperature to 450°F.

Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl (reserve any excess marinade if desired) and arrange the pieces on a sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Let the cooked chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing—this keeps the meat tender and juicy.

Once rested, slice into bite-sized pieces if needed.

Step 5: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• 9 oz spinach
• strawberries from Step 3
• bocconcini from Step 3
• avocado from Step 3
• basil from Step 3
• chicken from Step 4
• toasted walnuts from Step 2
• 0.5 cup dressing

Place the spinach in a large bowl or on a platter as your base.

Arrange the strawberries, bocconcini, avocado wedges, sliced basil, cooled chicken from Step 4, and toasted walnuts from Step 2 on top in a visually appealing way.

Pour the dressing over everything and gently toss to combine just before serving.

I always add the dressing right before eating—this keeps the spinach crisp and prevents the avocado from browning.

Summer Strawberry Chicken Avocado Salad

Delicious Summer Strawberry Chicken Avocado Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1560 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 0.75 lb chicken
• 0.5 cup marinade

For the salad::

• 0.6 cup walnuts (toasted for 5 minutes for a better crunch)
• 1.2 lbs strawberries
• 1 cup bocconcini (I prefer Galbani for its smooth texture)
• 1 avocado (sliced into 1/2-inch thick wedges)
• 25 basil leaves
• 9 oz spinach

For the assembly::

• 0.5 cup dressing (I always use Briannas Blush Wine Vinaigrette for this)

Instructions

 

• Slice the chicken breast into thin, even pieces—about 1/4 inch thick—so they cook quickly and evenly. Place the sliced chicken in a bowl, pour the marinade over it, and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat while you prepare the other components.
• While the chicken marinates, coarsely chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces. Preheat your oven to 350°F, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet, and toast for about 5-6 minutes until they're fragrant and slightly darker. I like to toast walnuts separately from the chicken so I can control their crunch perfectly—they'll finish just as the chicken is ready to go in. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• While the walnuts toast, prepare all your fresh ingredients so assembly is quick and easy. Halve the strawberries lengthwise to show off their beautiful color. Slice the avocado into 1/2-inch thick wedges. Stack the basil leaves and thinly slice them into ribbons—fresh basil loses its bright flavor when cut too far in advance, so do this right before assembly. Leave the bocconcini whole; their delicate texture is best preserved that way.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl (reserve any excess marinade if desired) and arrange the pieces on a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let the cooked chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing—this keeps the meat tender and juicy. Once rested, slice into bite-sized pieces if needed.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl or on a platter as your base. Arrange the strawberries, bocconcini, avocado wedges, sliced basil, cooled chicken from Step 4, and toasted walnuts from Step 2 on top in a visually appealing way. Pour the dressing over everything and gently toss to combine just before serving. I always add the dressing right before eating—this keeps the spinach crisp and prevents the avocado from browning.