This salad was inspired by the one served at Gloria’s Mexican Restaurant. I was first introduced to the salad while at lunch with my Sister-in-Law and Aunt a few weeks ago.

I’ve… been back a couple times since, to indulge.

One of my favorite things about this salad is the vinaigrette. Seriously. I could eat it with a spoon. My mouth is watering even now just thinking about it.

It’s sweet, tangy, and so refreshing on a hot summer day when paired with this salad that’s nearly overwhelmed with tropical fruits.

Did I mention that this vinaigrette is a great marinade too? Marinade anything from meat to strawberries. Yes, strawberries are delicious after being soaked in this vinaigrette for a few hours.

I could almost eat this salad every day. It’s fabulous and so filling!

Definitely a summer love of mine this year.

Tropical Chicken Salad & Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Since about half of the vinaigrette is discarded, I have accounted for that in the nutritional values below.
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 Large Salad + Chicken • Calories: 305.9 • Fat: 9.6 g • Carb: 29.1 g • Fiber: 4.9 g • Protein: 22.4 g • Sugar: 22.4 g • Sodium: 130 mg

Ingredients:
Vinaigrette:
1/2 C. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C. Honey
1/4 C. Olive OIl
1 Tsp. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

Salad:
4 Medium Chicken Breasts (3 Oz. Each)
4 Garlic Cloves, Smashed
Salt & Pepper to Taste
6 C. Spring Mix Salad
1 C. Strawberries, Washed & Quartered
1 C. Mango, Diced
1 C. Pineapple, Diced
4 Clementines or 1 C. Mandarins
Avocado, Optional

Directions:
Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.

Reserve half of the vinaigrette (about 1/2 c.) into a small airtight container and store in the fridge until later.

Put the remaining half of the vinaigrette (about 1/2 c.) into a ziplock or shallow dish with the chicken breasts and garlic. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least one hour and up to a full day. Seasoned mine with some salt and pepper.

When ready, remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until cooked through. I used my counter top grill for about 5-6 minutes with my particular chicken breasts.

While the chicken is cooking, plate the salad and fruit. There should be about 1/4 c. of each fruit per salad, with a total of 1 c. of fruit on each plate.

When the chicken is done, allow it to cool slightly before slicing and placing atop the salad.

Remove the vinaigrette from the fridge and spoon about 2 tbsp. of the dressing over each salad.

Serve and enjoy!