Arugula Chicken & Berry Salad

This Arugula Chicken & Berry salad with honey balsamic dressing is out of this world good! Plus, being able to use your Instant Pot to cook your chicken makes it super simple!

 

If you’ve never tried baby arugula in your salad, you’re missing out. Baby arugula has such a nice and unique taste and I love the flavor so much! The good news is that you can combine it with romaine or iceberg lettuce for added texture and benefits, too. But what I love most about this recipe is that it is incredibly light and fresh, yet filling.

 

We’ve all had salads that are just loaded down and leave us feeling anything but healthy, right? This salad not only tastes light and healthy, but it is light and healthy! 

 

If you don’t like the taste of arugula, you can substitute in romaine or iceberg lettuce instead. If you prefer kale, add in as much as you want or even combine it with arugula, romaine, and/or iceberg lettuce. Some people may not want to give arugula a try since it’s a bit more expensive, but I can assure you that it’s worth the taste. Plus, it isn’t really arugula salad without arugula.

 

While the name does imply berries, you can always add in some other fruit if you prefer. Sliced grapes are a great addition to this recipe as are raisins. Either of those would give it the sweet taste while still being light and healthy.

This salad is a great starter for any meal. However it’s really a hearty enough salad to eat as a meal. However, if you’re wanting to pair it up with something, you could pair it with something tasty fixed in the air fryer or a soup. Here’s a few options:

 

If you’re ready for this delicious recipe, I’m ready to share it with you! 

 

This recipe is so simple and easy! Plus, it’s gluten-free, soy-free and low carb! Perfect for the paleo diet! 

Serves – 4

Ingredients

• 1 (5oz.) box of Baby Arugula

• 2 cups of sliced sliced Instant Pot Chicken

• 1 cup of sliced fresh Strawberries

• ½ cup of fresh Blueberries

• ¼ cup of chopped Pecans

• 2 oz. log of Goat Cheese

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar

• 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 tablespoons of Raw Honey

• Salt and Pepper

Instructions to make this arugula salad

In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the salt. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, combine the baby arugula, cooked chicken, sliced strawberries, blueberries, and chopped pecans.

Pour over the prepared honey balsamic dressing and toss to coat.

Divide among serving plates and add crumbled goat cheese.

Serve immediately.

How hard is it to cook the chicken in the Instant Pot?

There’s nothing hard about it! The Instant Pot literally does all the hard work for you! And depending on what type of texture you desire for your chicken, you can cut it up into chunks or shred it when it’s done. 

How do you store leftovers of this salad?

In my experience, salads don’t really save all that well. However, the chicken that you’ve cooked for the salad does need to be saved. You can take any leftover chicken and store it in an airtight container or bag. Then, just place it in the fridge. When you’re ready to use it again, you can use the cooked chicken for any recipe that you want! Talk about a great time saver and meal prep plan. Also, the fruit IF not mixed with the dressing can also be saved or even frozen to store.

Can you freeze the chicken in this salad recipe?

If you’re going to freeze the cooked chicken on its own, then yes, you can freeze it. Just make certain to get a freezer-safe container or bag and label it with the date. When you’re ready to unthaw it, you’ll know exactly what it is you’re looking for!

Plus, if you freeze it in smaller containers, you can unthaw it a little bit at a time rather than all of it together. In fact, I have a whole freezer meal series on meal prepping with instant pot chicken!

The next time you’re craving a salad, this Arugula Chicken & Berry Salad needs to be on your radar. It’s simple to make, it tastes delicious and it will make your taste buds want more!

Also, if you’re growing your own vegetable garden, just think about how fun it would be to have your very own berries from your garden as an addition! Now that’s using your noggin’ to fuel your body with good food! Enjoy!