Summer Chicken Salad with Raspberries
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This summer chicken salad with raspberries celebrates the best of the season. It's juicy BBQ chicken served on a bed of spinach with fresh herbs and creamy goat cheese then drizzled with a tangy-sweet raspberry dressing. It's simple to make (without turning on the oven), and it's ready in just 20 minutes!
Make the most of raspberry season with these coconut raspberry popsicles, coconut macaroons with raspberry jam, or a pink lemonade margarita.
This is the perfect summer chicken salad recipe to make on hot evenings when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven. You can make the dressing ahead of time, then simply fire up your BBQ to grill the chicken. It is a healthy, fresh, and satisfying meal that won't weigh you down.
It's a beautiful salad, with lots of bright red color from fresh berries, tomatoes, radishes, and the tangy-sweet raspberry dressing.
It's versatile so feel free to use what you have on hand. We use spinach in the pictures but you could try spring mix or leafy green lettuce if that's what you have available. Veggies like cucumber, avocado, and jicama taste great in it too.
How to make this summer salad
Here's how to make this summer chicken salad with raspberries in a few easy steps:
- While your BBQ preheats, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients for the chicken. Add the chicken breasts and marinate them while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Next, blend the salad dressing then pile all of the salad ingredients into a large salad bowl.
- Add your chicken breasts to the hot grill, and let them cook for about 6 minutes on each side, basting with marinade as you flip.
- Remove them from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes. Drizzle half of the raspberry vinaigrette over the salad then top with the chicken. You could also slice the chicken breasts into strips before adding them to the salad.
Ingredients for this summer salad
Don't fret about the long list of ingredients; Most of what you see here you likely have in your kitchen or you can pick up in the produce section of your grocery store. And the veggies are versatile ā you can use what you have on hand!
Here's everything you need to make the grilled chicken:
- Chicken breasts
- BBQ sauce (try our homemade BBQ sauce for chicken)
- Honey
- Sea salt
Here's what you'll need to make the salad:
- Spinach
- Raspberries
- Radishes
- Mint & basil
- Silvered almonds
- Goat cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
Here are the ingredients for the raspberry basil vinaigrette:
- Raspberries ā fresh, or frozen and thawed
- Basil
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
You'll have twice as much dressing as you'll need for this salad as it's really hard to blend a smaller quantity with a regular-sized blender. The leftovers will keep well in your fridge for up to a week so you'll have plenty of chances to use it!
Recipe FAQs
Can I use any kind of berry?
Yes! Feel free to swap the raspberries for your favorite summer berries such as blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries. They all taste great in this summer chicken salad!
How long does the dressing keep in the fridge?
Store leftover salad dressing in a jar or container with a lid for up to a week.
How long will the chicken keep?
Cooked chicken will keep for up to 3 days in your fridge. It tastes great sliced and served old over salad!
More delicious summer recipes
Summer will be over before you know it. Enjoy it while it's here! During the hot summer months, we like to make no-cook or bbq recipes like these grilled steak tacos, summer tomato and grilled corn salad, or these coconut curry no-cook veggie noodles.
These are a few of our other favorite recipes that highlight the tastes of the season:
Summer Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
The Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce (divided. Try our homemade BBQ sauce!)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pinch sea salt
The Salad
- 4 cups spinach leaves
- Ā½ cup raspberries
- Ā½ cup sliced radishes
- Ā¼ cup mint leaves (lightly packed)
- Ā¼ cup basil leaves (lightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons goat cheese
- 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
The Raspberry Basil Vinaigrette
- 1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries
- 4 large basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your BBQ to medium-high. Mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and salt in a medium-sized bowl then add the chicken breasts and coat them in the marinade. Let them marinate while you chop the veggies and prepare the dressing.2 medium chicken breasts, 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 pinch sea salt
- Put the salad dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. If needed, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is pourable.1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries, 2 tablespoons cold water, 4 large basil leaves, 3 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Pile all of the salad ingredients into a large salad bowl.4 cups spinach leaves, Ā½ cup raspberries, Ā½ cup sliced radishes, Ā¼ cup mint leaves, Ā¼ cup basil leaves, 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons goat cheese
- When your grill is hot, put on the chicken breasts. Let them cook for 6 minutes then baste them with some of the marinade and flip them over to cook for another 6-8 minutes on the other side, or until they are no longer pink inside and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle half of the raspberry vinaigrette over the salad then top with the chicken. Optional: slice the chicken breasts into strips before adding them to the salad.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our salad recipes!
