Pecan Strawberry Chicken Salad — The grilled chicken is so JUICY and moist thanks to a homemade pecan butter marinade!! Sweet strawberries and crunchy pecans add extra texture and FLAVOR!!
Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad
This easy and healthy, yet satisfying strawberry pecan salad is perfect for easy-breezy summer dinners or casual entertaining. It’s got flavor and texture galore between the juicy chicken, crisp lettuce, sweet strawberries, crunchy lightly toasted Fisher Pecan Halves, savory cheese, and a creamy pecan butter vinaigrette.
The chicken is wonderfully juicy and tender thanks to a marinade using homemade pecan butter, among other ingredients. As a nice time saver, the marinade and the vinaigrette begin as one in the same. Yes to double-duty ingredients.
In the photo below, the pecan butter is darker and on the right, and from it you make both the marinade and vinaigrette, which is lighter and on the left.
Even though there are a few components to the strawberry chicken salad as you’ll notice in the recipe section, in simple terms it’s as easy as making pecan butter, marinating chicken, assembling a salad, and shaking together a vinaigrette. Easy peasy.
What’s in Strawberry Chicken Salad?
To make this grilled chicken salad with strawberries and pecans, you’ll need:
- Fisher Pecan Halves
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Chicken breasts
- Lettuce
- Strawberries
- Shredded white cheddar cheese
- Dried cranberries
How to Make Strawberry Pecan Salad
First, make homemade pecan butter by breaking out your food processor and adding Fisher Pecan Halves. I have a detailed step-by-step photo post of what happens when you make homemade peanut butter and the same is largely true for pecan butter with regard to the transformation of whole nuts into smooth, creamy, heavenly nut butter.
Fisher Nuts are preservative free and non-GMO Project Verified. Fisher has nine varieties of recipe nuts certified as Heart Healthy by the American Heart Association. The resealable bag helps keep the nuts fresh for longer. Look for their new packaging on store shelves.
After making the pecan butter, add some to a ziptop plastic bag along with the chicken and other marinade ingredients. After marinating, grill your chicken, assemble the salad, and then drizzle with tart-yet-sweet pecan butter vinaigrette.
You’re going to love everything about this summer strawberry salad.
Can I Prep the Pecan Vinaigrette in Advance?
Absolutely! If you plan on making this strawberry chicken salad throughout the week, feel free to whip up a batch of pecan vinaigrette on Sunday to enjoy later. The vinaigrette will last many weeks in the fridge.
Can I Add Extra Veggies?
Of course! You’re welcome to load up this strawberry pecan salad as you see fit. Mix and match veggies, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, and so on.
Tips for Making Strawberry Chicken Salad
Store-bought nut butters just cannot compare to the pure and natural homemade flavor. You’ll likely have extra pecan butter after making this strawberry salad, which is great by the spoonful, on toast, crackers, or make chicken again. I added some cinnamon and sugar to some of the extra and made cinnamon-sugar pecan butter and it was delicious.
If your pecan vinaigrette dressing seems too thick, thin it out with a little vinegar and olive oil. Next time you make the vinaigrette, try adding less pecan butter. All blenders and food processors are different, so it’s possible that yours made a thicker pecan butter than mine did.
I love grilling the chicken fresh for this strawberry chicken salad, but you can grill a few chicken breasts in advance to throw into salads like this one throughout the week. Do whatever is easiest for you!
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Strawberry Pecan Grilled Chicken Salad with Pecan Butter Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Pecan Butter
- 16 ounces Fisher Pecan Halves
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- kosher salt, to taste (I use 1 generous teaspoon)
Chicken Marinade
- ½ cup pecan butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- about 1. 25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, I used 1 large breast that I halved lengthwise
Salad
- about 6 cups lettuce, I used romaine; fresh spinach, baby kale, or your favorite greens may be substituted
- ¾ cup halved and hulled fresh strawberries
- ¾ cup Fisher Pecan Halves, lightly toasted or candied if desired
- ¾ cup shredded aged white cheddar cheese, optional (aged manchego, feta, blue cheese, or your favorite cheese may be substituted)
- ½ cup dried cranberries, optional (raisins, dried blueberries, or another dried fruit may be substituted)
Pecan Butter Vinaigrette
- ½ cup pecan butter
- 2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
Make the Pecan Butter:
- To the canister of a large food processor (at least a 10 to 12-cup size) fitted with the S-blade, add the pecans, cover the canister, and turn to high power (Notes – I don’t recommend using a high-speed blender such as a VitaMix or Blendtec because I’ve burnt out motors. I have much better results in a food processor. If your food processor is smaller, you may need to do this in two batches).
- Allow the pecans to break down and they’ll go through various stages before turning into smooth pecan butter. As necessary stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- After allowing the pecans to process for about 5 minutes, my mixture was dry and that’s when I added 3 tablespoons olive oil. You may not need to add any, you may need to add more; add as necessary. Process another 3 minutes or until pecan butter is smooth.
- Add salt to taste and process briefly to incorporate.
Make the Chicken Marinade:
- Add all ingredients (you will have extra pecan butter, which you should set aside) to a large ziptop bag, seal bag, squish contents around to distribute evenly, and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour (overnight is best).
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and oil the grates very well.
- Add the chicken, discard leftover marinade, and grill chicken for about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 to 4 minutes on the second side, or until done and cooked through and chicken reaches an internal temp of 165F.
- After chicken has cooked, remove it from grill and set on a plate to rest.
Assemble the Salad:
- To a large platter or serving bowl, add all the ingredients, slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces or strips and add it to the salad; set salad aside while you make the vinaigrette.
Make the Pecan Butter Vinaigrette:
- To glass jar with a lid, add all ingredients, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously to combine. Taste, check for flavor balance, and add more salt, pepper, honey, etc. if necessary to taste.
- Evenly drizzle vinaigrette over the salad, to taste, and serve immediately. Salad is best fresh.
Notes
- Extra pecan butter and pecan butter vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for many weeks; however I store pecan butter and all homemade nut butters at room temp for many weeks but do as you’re comfortable with because there are no preservatives.
- Tip: Add cinnamon and granulated sugar, to taste, to the extra pecan butter for cinnamon-sugar pecan butter; it’s delicious.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Summer Salad Recipes:
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Spinach Blueberry Superfoods Salad – So many textures and flavors in this hearty salad filled with superfoods! Spinach, blueberries, dried cranberries, almonds, and more! Easy, satisfying, healthy, and tastes amazing!
Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad – Juicy chicken coated in balsamic along with plump tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil! Easy, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! The caprese salad you’ll make again and again!
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher nuts. The opinions and text are all mine.
I made this salad tonight with the help of my boyfriend. He marinated the chicken overnight, and cooked today. I assembled salad and made dressing. It was delicious!
Thank you for another great recipe, which turned into our dinner at the beach.
I made this salad tonight with the help of my boyfriend. He marinated the chicken overnight, and cooked today. I assembled salad and made dressing. It was delicious!
Thank you for another great recipe, which turned into our dinner at the beach.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this turned out great and you could dine at the beach!
Though tasty, this vinaigrette can in no way be drizzled over a salad. Are the listed ingredients correct? I’ve made it three times and – don’t get me wrong – we love the taste! But the dressing, even with lots of added vinegar, is far too thick, especially if stored in the cooler for the ride to our tailgate parties. Is something missing? I’d love to be able to drizzle the dressing.
If it’s too thick for you, I would simply scale back the amount of pecan butter since that is likely what is making it too thick. All blenders/food processors have different abilities and maybe mine gets it thinner than yours does and it’s therefore more pourable. Not sure but it’s a fairly easy fix.
Also, for me personally, I don’t see a need to refrigerate it for shorter term storage – a few days or so. Longer, yes, but of course do what you’re comfortable with.
Though tasty, this vinaigrette can in no way be drizzled over a salad. Are the listed ingredients correct? I’ve made it three times and – don’t get me wrong – we love the taste! But the dressing, even with lots of added vinegar, is far too thick, especially if stored in the cooler for the ride to our tailgate parties. Is something missing? I’d love to be able to drizzle the dressing.
Your strawberry pecan chicken salad look amazing but I have to question how it can be healthy with 6032 calories per serving. Wish it was not s but calling that healthy is criminal. I know there is a difference between low calorie and healthy but no one should be eating a portion with that many calories at on meal if making claims to be a healthy choice.
I just saw this salad and I’m in love! Totally my kind of lunch!!
Thanks and I know you definitely would love it! We have the same tastes!
Quick question…how do I store the butter, and for how long will it stay good?
I store it at room temp and gave my thoughts in item 7. Use your best judgment and what you’re comfortable with. Enjoy!
I’m crazy for pecans, the salad looks great but I’m literally dying to try that dressing! On my lunch menu this week for sure!
If you’re a pecan fan, you’ll love this between the pecans themselves and then the pecan butter marinade and pecan butter vinaigrette!
hey girl- this looks so tasty! yummy!
Love finding a new kick-butt salad to add to my lunch arsenal! Looks so delish, light and bright!
Thanks Karly! Keeping variety within the salad game is a must-do!
Is there a mistake on the nutritional values listed? Surely, none would recommend eating a 6,032 serving a chicken salad no matter how delicious it is. Hope it is a mistake. It says per serving and serves 4.
It’s an automated system and I’m sure it’s not perfect and in this case is probably taking in the 12-ish ounce jar of pecan butter. As you know, nut butters are very calorically dense but as I mentioned in the post, you don’t use anywhere near the full amount that’s made for this recipe alone and there is plenty of extra.
This salad looks so refreshing!
Paige
https://thehappyflammily.com
Thank you!
This is like Summer on a plate! Gorgeous dish! Swooning over the vinaigrette – sounds incredible.
This is on my to try list… it looks healthy and tasty! East-breezy summer dish. ;)
Thanks! :)
This sounds amazing! What a great combo!!
Thanks!
This is going on my to make list–pecan butter for the marinade and dressing sounds delicious! Plus, it’s grilling season and strawberries are tasting good right now. As always, you come up with the best salads!!
Thanks for the compliments, Paula! I think you will love the pecan butter (and then love it as both marinade and dressing)! LMK if you try it!
What a great summer salad!! The pecan butter is so good with the chicken and strawberries. I will be perfectly happy eating this again tomorrow since I have enough ingredients. I followed suit and added honey and cinnamon to some of my pecan butter (good with carrots).
Thanks for making this one, Paula! I know it’s a bit of a step to make the pecan butter first but like you know (and did!) now you have extra that you turned into honey-cinnamon pecan butter…yum!
And glad you’re going to make it again! :)