The Best Summer Salad Recipe
I always serve this summer chicken salad to my family, and they all agree it is one of the most awesome salad bar ideas!
How much fun is a summer salad bar? I love giving my family salad bar ideas, and this mason jar/charcuterie salad idea was a huge hit! I serve salads frequently, especially in the summer, which means I make them. Today, I am sharing the best summer salad recipe.
Summer Salad Bar Ideas
This salad is crunchy, refreshing, and delicious. Normally, I serve the salad tossed. With six people enjoying this salad, I decided allowing everyone to make their own would be great. That allows everyone to make the salad exactly how they like it!
I decided to serve all of the salad bar items in mason jars. I have many of them, and I love how they look on this large cutting board.
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What’s in This Summer Salad Recipe?
Baked Chicken
Romaine lettuce
Green onions
Dried cranberries
Honey crisp apples
Mandarin oranges
Toasted almonds
Avocado
Goat cheese
Salad dressing
Having all the salad ingredients in different-sized mason jars makes the presentation fun. This allows everyone to choose their ingredients for a customer salad.
Chopped in 3/4″ slices, lettuce is perfect for a salad bar. I have done it this way for years!
These sugared almonds are undoubtedly one reason this is the best summer salad recipe ever.
They are cooked on the stovetop with two tablespoons of sugar. That’s it! The trick is to keep stirring until golden brown and immediately place them on foil to cool. This is one of those items where you must give them your full attention. Unfortunately, I have burned these a gazillion times because I briefly walked away from the almonds and returned when it was too late.
You can grill, bake, or boil the chicken for the salad. I placed it in a baking dish, sprinkled it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, and baked it at 350 degrees for twenty-five minutes. This is so good!
The Best Summer Salad
Ingredients
- Sugared Almonds
- 3/4 cup slivered almonds
- 2 TBL. sugar
- Chicken breasts:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 TBL olive oil
- 2 tsp poultry. seasoning, 1 /2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 head green leaf lettuce
- 2 avocados, cut into pieces
- 2 cans mandarin oranges (11 oz.)
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 honey crisp or pink lady apple, diced
- 5 green onions
- Dressing:
- 2 TBL sesame oil
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- To make the slivered almonds, place almonds and sugar in a stovetop pan. Cook at medium temperature for approximately four minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon the entire time. As soon as the almonds are golden brown, remove from heat and place on aluminum foil to cool.
- Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish, sprinkled it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning and bake at 350 for twenty-five minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix all ingredients for salad dressing in a container and shake.
- Mix all salad ingredients (or place in containers as a salad bar). Add sugared almonds and sprinkle with dressing.
Enjoy this amazing salad. I know you will be making it all summer long.
Fabulous Spring Kitchen Decor!
This week, some of my blogging friends and I are sharing our favorite summer recipe ideas. Click on the links below the images to see their full posts.
Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan on the BBQ at The Happy Housie
The Best Summer Salad at My 100 Year Old Home
Summer Corn, Blueberry and Avocado Salad at Cassie Bustamante
Lobster Rolls at Home at Finding Silver Pennies
Easy Skillet Nachos at She Gave it a Go
Rhubarb Cloud Dessert at A Pretty Life
Summer Apple Rhubarb Galette at Life is Better at Home
Summer Pavlova at Life is a Party
Lemon Rosewater Cookies at This is Simplicite
Cherry Rhubarb Crisp in Mini Skillets at Satori Design for Living
Cherry Pie Ice Cream at Jenna Kate at Home
Berry Crisp on the Grill at Clean & Scentsible
Sheet Pan Lemon Bars at My Sweet Savannah
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Looks beautiful and delish!! At what temperature do you bake your chicken?
Thank you!
We eat so many salads, especially in the summer months. Can’t wait to give this one a try. The combination looks delicious!
It really is a summer staple in our house! Hope you can try 🙂
i LOVE the way you set this up so creatively! As someone who doesn’t eat meat, I always appreciate it when I have the option to not include it. This looks delicious! Well done!
I am so glad, Cassie! Thank you!
This sounds delicious and I love your set up! Pretty much everyone in our household likes different toppings so this is perfect!
Agree, this looks so beautiful and delicious! I LOVE the salad bar idea with mason jars – fantastic. Can’t wait to try it. xx
I love summer salads and since I had almost all the ingredients and was already planning a grocery trip – this was a great choice for dinner last night. My 14-year old daughter loved it and said it was one of her favorite salads ever. I’m sure we’ll be making it again soon. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
I made this salad and it is delicious. It is easy to substitute ingredients too, I had pistachios instead of almonds! I will be making this salad all summer. Thank you!!
Looks fantastic, will be making this evening! Question: In your text you say to toast almonds with 2 tsps. of sugar,yet,in the recipe it says 3,which is correct? Thanks so much.
looks good, i use yempyatuons dishes like you used mason jars, going to try mason jar to change it up, lol.
what time is dinner, I’ll b right over, 😄
auto correct changed, sorry, should read temptations by tara….noy even sure if the other word is a word!
How is the salad dressing?? I love making my own dressings, and this sounds great
LOVE the salad bar idea, and the mason jars are a darling touch – so summery and casual. When we finally get our backyard cleaned up enough to have dinners out there, I’m definitely doing this! Thanks as always for the fabulous inspiration!
It’s the best! Perfect for a group 🙏 yay! Enjoy and thank you so much!
Leslie, it looks wonderful, and I also love the Mason jar idea!
I’m pretty sure you’ve mentioned having the California Sizzles cookbook. I make a similar salad to yours and often use the Dijon Mustard Marinade in the book for the chicken then grill it for the salad. Really good!👍🏻
Thank you! They make so much sense for this. That sounds delicious Becky!
This all looks so delish!! I’m going to make a few of these soon such a great combination of foods mason jars are getting to be my favorite item for storing so many things!!!
Such a great way to serve and store! Thanks Jackie ☺️
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