Strawberry Salad Recipe with Lemon Pepper Chicken
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Recipe Intro From lisathompson
Serve up this sensational strawberry salad recipe with lemon pepper chicken for a satisfying dinner that’s perfect for spring and summer.
Recipe Description
Strawberries add a sweet touch to this cabbage salad packed with lemon pepper chicken, salty feta, cherry tomatoes, and crunchy croutons. This would make a perfect addition to a picnic or potluck or serves 4 large dinner portions.
- Strawberry Salad Recipe with Lemon Pepper Chicken Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- Pro Tips
- FAQs
- Recipe Card
Strawberry Salad Recipe with Lemon Pepper Chicken Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Cabbage
Cabbage is a delicious hearty base for salads that takes on dressings and vinaigrettes without becoming mushy. It’s also packed with vitamin C and lasts a long time in the refrigerator for whenever you need to throw together a crunchy salad
Strawberry Vinegar
One of my secret ingredients to making my delicious, zippy lemon pepper vinaigrette for this salad is a splash of strawberry vinegar. Two brands that sell a strawberry flavored vinegar are Kosterina and Acid League (both are available on Amazon or at Whole Foods) If you can’t find strawberry vinegar, just swap in an extra ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar or small drizzle of honey.
Feta
Choose a whole block of feta and cube it yourself before tossing with lemon pepper seasoning. This ensures the feta remains moist and creamy. Pre-crumbled options can be dry and chalky.
Strawberries
If you’re skeptical about adding strawberries to a salad, just remember the old adage: “What grows together goes together.” This implies that fresh produce growing in the same season tend to naturally complement one another. Looking for a sweet way to start your day? These strawberry cheesecake stuffed pancakes are another great way to use fresh spring strawberries!
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
What’s a ridiculously easy way to pack a punch of flavor to your recipes? It’s this homemade lemon pepper seasoning. Just combine the zest of 3 scrubbed lemons with 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked pepper. It’s ready to use immediately, but if you want to make a bigger batch and store it for up to one month just stir the zest and pepper together and let the seasoning sit uncovered for about 12 hours. The zest will dry out and be ready to store in an airtight container at room temperature. Add it to this lemon pistachio pasta for a little kick!
Note: You can also use prepared lemon pepper seasoning, but be cautious of how much salt you add to the rest of the recipe components, as most of these pre-made versions also contain salt.
Pro Tips
Cooking the Chicken
I roast the lemon pepper chicken over slices of lemon to infuse it with flavor while it cooks but also to prevent the seasoning from burning by using an indirect heat source. If you prefer to sear or grill the chicken, reserve the lemon pepper seasoning for after it’s cooked.
How to Hull
Slicing the tops off strawberries is sooo last season. The best way to remove the tops, also known as hulling, is to insert the tip of a paring knife next to the stem about ⅛” deep, then turn the strawberry or the knife to remove it. You won’t be wasting any of the delicious part of the strawberry.
FAQs
How far in advance can you slice strawberries for a salad?
Strawberries can be sliced up to 2 days in advance. I recommend storing them in an airtight container lined with a sheet of paper towel to absorb any excess liquid.
What is lemon pepper good on?
Lemon pepper seasoning is used in this recipe to flavor chicken, vinaigrette, feta cheese, and croutons! You can also sprinkle it on popcorn or stir it into softened cream cheese to spread on bagels and dip crackers in.
What cheese goes well with strawberry salad?
Feta cheese is the perfect salty complement for the sweet, ripe strawberries in this salad. Goat cheese or aged white cheddar are other great options. If you can’t eat dairy you can substitute a non-dairy feta.
How to cut strawberries for strawberry salad?
After I hull the strawberries I slice them thinly into rounds. I find this to be the perfect size for a strawberry salad.
Recipe Card
FOR THE LEMON PEPPER SEASONING
ingredients
- 3 organic lemons, scrubbed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
FOR THE LEMON PEPPER VINAIGRETTE
ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon strawberry vinegar, (optional)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey, (optional)
FOR THE LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN
ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
ingredients
- 1 medium green cabbage, cored and diced 1/2"
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup croutons, (homemade or store bought)
- 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese, cubed 1/2"
- Pinch lemon pepper seasoning
MAKE THE LEMON PEPPER SEASONING
Method
Step 1
Zest the lemons. Stir the lemon zest and freshly cracked black pepper in a small shallow bowl until well combined. Let dry uncovered in an even layer overnight, then transfer to a small jar or airtight container.
Step 2
Lemon pepper can be made up to 1 month in advance (but it’s so delicious that it usually doesn’t last that long!) If you are making the salad in the next 1-3 days, save the zested lemons in the refrigerator to use in the lemon pepper vinaigrette and to cook with the chicken.
MAKE THE LEMON PEPPER VINAIGRETTE
Step 1
Add olive oil, vinegar, strawberry vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, lemon pepper, and kosher salt to a jar and tightly seal. Shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Step 2
Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use. The vinaigrette can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
MAKE THE LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN
Step 1
Drizzle a little olive oil into a baking dish, then lay the lemon slices overtop.
Step 2
Season chicken generously with kosher salt (about ¾ teaspoon for two medium chicken breasts). Add a drizzle of olive oil and season with lemon pepper.
Step 3
Arrange the chicken over the sliced lemons.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
Step 5
Roast the chicken for about until cooked through and the internal temperature is 165F degrees, about 30 minutes.
Step 6
Tent with foil and let chicken cool completely before slicing against the grain.
Step 7
Chicken can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
Step 1
Add the diced cabbage and croutons to a large serving bowl. Drizzle about half of the lemon pepper vinaigrette over the cabbage, then massage the vinaigrette into the leaves until slightly softened.
Step 2
Arrange the sliced strawberries, halved tomatoes, cubed feta, and sliced lemon pepper chicken overtop.
Step 3
Season with a pinch more of lemon pepper, then toss the salad until well combined.
Step 4
Serve the salad with the remaining vinaigrette and enjoy!