Berry Chicken Salad

Enjoy this lovely salad for a lunch that’s sure to brighten up your day.

Berry Chicken Salad
 
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Ingredients
  • 10 cups (16 ounces) fresh spring mix lettuces
  • 1 cup sliced red onion
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • ½ cup pecans, lightly toasted
  • 2 ounces crumbled feta (about ½ cup)
  • Blueberry Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)

Blueberry Barbecue Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ red onion, diced (about ½ cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 16 ounces fresh blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1½ tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, sliced onion, blueberries, strawberries, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter.
  2. Top salad with shredded chicken, pecans, and feta. Drizzle with desired amount of Blueberry BBQ Sauce. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any remaining sauce for up to 1 week.
Blueberry Barbecue Sauce
  1. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions begin to become translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add blueberries, lemon juice, white balsamic, and brown sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until blueberries start to release their juices, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Continue cooking on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until berries are soft and bursting, 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from heat.
  3. Pour blueberry mixture into a heatproof container. Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Let cool completely. Refrigerate until serving, up to 1 week.