This grilled chicken salad is packed with flavor with sweet juicy berries, avocado, and a berry vinaigrette along with savory grilled chicken, spinach, and walnuts or candied walnuts. It’s Paleo, dairy-free, and has a Whole30 friendly option. Perfect for a light healthy lunch or dinner!
I’ve been getting tons of requests for big salads lately and I don’t blame all of you – it’s what I’ve been craving lately too!
I decided since it’s June, we need a salad with lots of in-season fruit along with greens and other goodies.
I polled Instagram about what type of fruit people preferred and the majority chose BERRIES. Since I couldn’t pick just one berry, I decided a triple berry salad was in order.
Of course we’re not stopping at triple berry. I also had to make a berry vinaigrette too! It’s easy to whip up in a blender and you can use any berries you like. I used a combination of raspberries and strawberries for mine.
You have the option to add a little bit of either maple syrup or honey to your dressing if you don’t need the recipe to be Whole30. Depending on the berries you use, you might decide it’s sweet enough without adding anything anyway. You can easily taste test and add whatever you like after it’s blended.
Then we have walnuts – candied walnuts if you’re not on Whole30. I have a thing for candied nuts in salads and making your own is super easy. It takes just about 5 minutes and a few ingredients in a skillet and you’re good to go.
Spoiler alert – if you make the candied walnuts it might be hard not to eat them by the handful before they make it to the salad!
Lastly we have avocado, and, of course, grilled chicken, making this salad full of protein, healthy fats, and just as filling as it is delicious.
If you’re ready for a BIG salad that’s both sweet and savory, refreshing yet filling and all kinds of delicious, you’re in luck! Grab ALL the berries and a good blender because it’s time to start – let’s go!
Triple Berry Avocado Grilled Chicken Salad {Paleo, Whole30}
Triple berry avocado grilled chicken salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1 cup berries of choice sliced, if using strawberries
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 2 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp stone ground mustard
- 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey** (Omit for Whole30)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Candied Walnuts* (Just Use Walnuts for Whole30)
- 1 cup walnuts halves/pieces
- 2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- Sea salt
Chicken:
- 1.25 lbs chicken breast 2-3, breasts pounded to even thickness
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
Remaining Ingredients:
- 8 oz baby spinach chopped if desired
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 large avocado
Instructions
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Prepare the dressing first. Place all ingredients, except for salt and pepper, in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
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Drizzle grill chicken with avocado oil and brush to coat. Season with the sea salt, black pepper, garlic and onion powder. Preheat your grill to medium and cook chicken covered, 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through (no longer pink in the center), set aside.
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Candied Walnuts (Omit this step for Whole30 and just use walnuts):
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In a skillet, toss walnuts with the sugar and sprinkle with salt. Turn heat to medium and add the ghee, stir. Cook and stir about 4-5 minutes, adjusting the heat to med-low if necessary to avoid burning.
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Assemble the Salad:
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Layer the spinach with the berries, peel and slice your avocado and arrange all around, then top with grilled chicken, walnuts or candied walnuts, and drizzle with dressing before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Just Use Walnuts for Whole30
**Omit sweetener for Whole30
***Nutrition is calculated including the candied walnuts
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo + Whole30 Salad Recipes? Try One of These!
BLT Chicken Salad with Peppercorn Ranch
Crispy Chicken Salad with “Honey” Mustard Dressing
Kale Salad with Chicken, Caramelized Onions and Hot Bacon Dressing
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There’s no ability to pin this recipe ☹️
WOW! This looks gorgeous AND delicious!
It looks amazing but if I don’t have enough those ingredients (which you listed above), which one must have?
Love this Michelle! Perfect timing on this recipe with wild berry season coming up 😉 YUM. Would be incredible with wild blueberries/strawberries.
This was AMAZING!!! Pregnant with my 4th and I’ve made this several times since my first try as I’ve been craving it like crazy 🙂
I’d like to make this recipe ahead of time and assemble throughout the week for lunch. Can the dressing be stored in the refrigerator without it solidifying? I always seem to have issues with my homemade dressings getting solid after I put them in the fridge. Thanks!
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this was delicious thank you for another great recipe.
Waw… this is really awesome. After seeing these images I really interested to try your recipe. Thank you for sharing this. This helps me to do something special for my cooking.