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 late spring or 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. Usually, 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.
Lettuce sliced in 1″ pieces 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 fantastic salad. I know you will be making it all summer long.
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I bet it’s a fun way to get everyone eating more veggies. Can’t wait to try it!
This summer salad recipe looks so good! I love the idea of a salad bar with all those colorful ingredients in mason jars. Definitely gonna try making this for my next barbecue!
Finally found a truly mouth-watering summer salad recipe! Say goodbye to boring salads.
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