Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

This salad recipe requires minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 Minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients

Chicken & Salad

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• ¼ cup feta cheese (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
2. Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle all over with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, thyme and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast, flipping once, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°, 15 to 17 minutes. Set aside to cool, then slice into bite-size pieces.
3. Divide spinach among 4 bowls or single-serving lidded containers. Top each with one-fourth of the sliced chicken, ½ cup sliced strawberries, 1 tablespoon feta (if using) and 1 tablespoon walnuts.
4. To prepare the dressing: Place oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, Italian seasoning, remaining ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Or blend in a large glass measuring cup or wide jar with an immersion blender.
5. Dress each salad with 1½ tablespoons vinaigrette just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 374 Calories, Total Fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 76 mg, Carbohydrates: 14 g, Fiber: 5 g, Total Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 26 g, Sodium: 527 mg, Potassium: 345 mg, Phosphorus: 176 mg, Iron: 6 mg, Folate: 34 mcg, Calcium: 143 mg, Vitamin A: 7448 IU, Vitamin C: 28 mg, Vitamin D: 4 IU