Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad (Printable)
Protein-packed Mediterranean salad with tender chicken, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, fresh vegetables, and crumbled feta in homemade balsamic dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
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 packed 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
# Directions:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin 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 salad greens, shredded chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, diced cucumber, and thinly sliced red onion.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds over the top.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving for a chilled presentation.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The dressing uses the oil straight from the sun dried tomato jar so nothing gets wasted and every bite carries that deep, tangy concentration.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for a couple hours which means you can actually make it ahead without everything turning soggy and sad.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad more than two hours ahead or the greens will weep and collapse into a puddle that no amount of feta can rescue.
- The sun dried tomato oil is the entire reason this dressing works so never drain the jar down the sink, save every amber drop.
03 -
- Shred the chicken while it is still slightly warm because it absorbs the dressing differently and tastes noticeably more tender.
- Let the dressing sit for ten minutes before using it because the garlic and mustard need that time to dissolve into something greater than their separate parts.