Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad (Printable version)

Tender chicken meets tangy sun-dried tomatoes, fresh vegetables, and creamy feta in a light balsamic dressing. Perfect for lunch or dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

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 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil (reserved from jar)
11 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the 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 greens, shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Scatter crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds over the top. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The dressing uses the oil straight from the sun-dried tomato jar, which means zero waste and double the tangy, concentrated tomato flavor in every bite.
  • It comes together faster than delivery and somehow tastes like something you would order at a cafe with cloth napkins and a fifteen dollar price tag.
  • Leftovers hold up beautifully the next day because the sturdy greens do not wilt under the weight of the vinaigrette.
02 -
  • Do not drain and discard the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar because that infused oil is the most valuable ingredient in the entire recipe and you will end up with a flat, forgettable dressing without it.
  • If you toast the pine nuts on the stove, keep them moving constantly because they go from golden to burnt in the span of about ten seconds and there is no rescuing them once they cross that line.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week because it works on almost any combination of greens, grains, or roasted vegetables you throw at it.
  • Let the salad sit for about ten minutes after dressing before you eat, since that brief rest allows the sun-dried tomato oil to soak into the chicken and transform it from ordinary to irresistible.

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