Description
This easy Blueberry Balsamic Chicken Salad offers the perfect blend of sweet and savory, ideal for a summer meal! Tender chicken thighs are marinated in a blueberry balsamic mixture that doubles as a refreshing vinaigrette. Paired with fresh greens, juicy blueberries, and crunchy almonds, it’s a quick, nutrient-rich lunch or dinner with just 5 minutes of prep! Low carb, low FODMAP, and gluten-free with easy dairy-free, Paleo, and Whole30 options.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
- Sea salt, to taste, for sprinkling
For the Blueberry Balsamic Chicken Marinade / Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, mostly thawed if frozen
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil (or EVOO + 3 cloves of minced garlic if not needing low FODMAP)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Maple syrup, liquid stevia, or sweetener of choice, to taste (optional, omit for Whole30)
For the Salad:
- 8 cups spring mix, red leaf lettuce, or your favorite greens, chopped (if needed)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup scallions, green tops only, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional, omit for dairy-free/Paleo/Whole30)
Instructions
- Cover up: Cover your clothes with an apron and take care as this recipe can get messy!
- Season chicken with salt: A minimum of 2 1/2 hours prior to cooking, season chicken thighs with sea salt and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes (optional, but for the best results). Otherwise, about 2 hours prior to cooking, season chicken with sea salt and allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the blueberry balsamic chicken marinade / vinaigrette.
- Make marinade / vinaigrette: Meanwhile, prepare the blueberry balsamic marinade / vinaigrette by blending blueberries, balsamic vinegar, garlic oil, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor on high speed until the blueberry skins have mostly disappeared, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender / food processor a few times during blending.
- Taste: Taste, adjust seasoning, and add sweetener if needed. Pour one half of the blueberry mixture (roughly 2/3 cup) into an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. This half of the mixture will be used as dressing for the salad.
- Marinate chicken: Place the seasoned chicken thighs in a zip top bag. Pour the remaining half of the marinade over them and carefully seal the bag. Slosh the marinade around the chicken with your hands to ensure the chicken is well-coated. Place bag on a large plate and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Prepare for grilling: Remove chicken and reserved vinaigrette from fridge 20 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat your outdoor grill or grill pan over medium high heat to 400°F. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade to a large plate, shaking off the excess marinade into the bag. Discard excess marinade.
- Grill chicken: Grill the chicken thighs for 6 minutes on the first side, 4-6 minutes on the second size, or until the internal temperature of the thickest thigh reaches 165°F per an instant read thermometer. The thighs will look ominously black (that’s normal unless you actually burned them - refer to photo in the instructions section above). Remove thighs from the grill to a platter and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Prep salad ingredients: While the chicken is grilling and resting, prepare the salad ingredients: spring mix or lettuce, blueberries, sliced almonds, scallions, and feta cheese (if using). Place the ingredients into individual serving bowls. Gently whisk or stir blueberry balsamic vinaigrette so it’s well combined.
- Chop chicken: Chop the grilled chicken thighs into ½-inch strips on a cutting board and place on a platter.
- Build salads: Build the salads by placing spring mix or lettuce on 4 large plates followed by sliced chicken, ¼ cup of blueberries and 2 tablespoons each of sliced almonds, scallions, and feta (if using). Top salad with blueberry balsamic vinaigrette (up to 2 heaping tablespoons per serving) just before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover salad ingredients and vinaigrette separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Salad ingredients will last up to 3 days, and the vinaigrette up to 1 week. Stir the vinaigrette before using.
Notes
- The blueberry balsamic marinade / vinaigrette recipe yields a total of 1 1/3 cups, with approximately 2/3 cup available for each. The serving size for the vinaigrette is 2 heaping tablespoons per serving.
- If the vinaigrette solidifies: This occasionally happens, likely due to the juiciness of the blueberries. If your vinaigrette solidifies, remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature, stirring occasionally. If it remains too solid, microwave it covered for about 10-15 seconds and stir again.
- Blueberries: usually 1 dry pint of blueberries is enough for this recipe.
- Sweetener: I usually use 1/8 teaspoon of liquid stevia or ¼ teaspoon of maple syrup, but the level of sweetness will vary depending on the sweetness of your berries and your personal taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinating time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salads and Bowls
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
