Strawberry Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

This copycat Panera Strawberry Pecan Salad is loaded with fresh berries and candied pecans. Tossed with a sweet homemade lemon poppy seed dressing, it's the perfect fresh salad warm summer days!

Ingredients

For the Salad:

1 cup pecan halves
¼ cup granulated sugar
12 ounce package Romaine lettuce, chopped
8 ounce fresh strawberries, halved
4 ounce fresh blueberries
2 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup red onion, sliced (cut into small pieces)
15 ounce can Mandarin oranges, drained
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

For the dressing:

¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon poppyseeds

Instructions

In a small skillet over medium heat, saute pecans with sugar. This will take several minutes for the sugar to dissolve as you stir the pecans. Set aside and cool.
In a large bowl, combine romaine, berries, oranges, cheese and onion. Add diced chicken. Toss gently.
In a small mason jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake with lid on.
When ready to serve, add candied pecans and drizzle with dressing. ENJOY!

Notes

Make the dressing ahead of time. Mix all the ingredients together and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. When the salad is ready, the dressing will be perfectly chilled and ready to drizzle over your Strawberry Pecan Salad.

Side dish or main course.To serve this salad as a side dish for your main course, simply omit the chicken. Adding the chicken turns it into a complete meal!

Make it less sweet. Use unsweetened toasted pecans instead of candied nuts if you prefer a salad with less sweetness. You could also reduce the amount of sugar in the dressing to suit your taste.

Lettuce- Swap out the romaine and use spinach instead! Spinach salad is a great way to get extra vitamins. You can also do ½ and ½ with the spinach and romaine.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 556Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 5gSugar: 28gProtein: 18g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.