Berry Chicken Layer Salad
This is one of those salads that is incredibly beautiful to look at as well as competes as possibly one of the best-ever easy, but complex tastes by layering a fruit, veggie and protein combo.
It is also another one of those times I can rely on my favorite Ziploc/Hefty bags to prep everything ahead of time until ready to assemble and serve.
I took this to a Bring-a-Dish/Potluck thing. It got rave reviews, as it won over everyone, competing with a great little spinach salad (also wonderful, second favorite), a few creative chicken and ham salads, and a trio of the noteworthy Jello salads (I know, you just have to go there….they are usually good and somehow take you back in time).
Instead of a large salad bowl, I served it layered in a glass casserole dish. It definitely crossed that line between all those salads and, of course, those comfort-food casserole dishes we’ve all come to expect, that were next to desserts that you never what to try to figure out how many calories they contain.
btw…I served a smaller version of this to my husband, since I had so many berries left, and an extra chicken breast in the frig. I took it up a level and used field greens instead of shredded iceberg.
This is also where I give a plug for BRIANNA’S Honey Mustard Dressing, the second best thing to come out of Brenham, Texas (birthplace of Blue Bell Ice Cream).
Okay, now that I’ve raised all kinds of expectations, here goes…
Ingredients
- 3 or 4 Split Chicken Breasts, cooked, cooled and chopped in chunks
- 3/4 cup Honey Mustard Dressing (BRIANNA’S, if you can find it)
- 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup Strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup Blueberries
- 1/2 cup Raspberries
- 1/2 cup Blackberries
- 6 to 8 oz Snap peas, cleaned and deveined
- Shredded Iceberg Lettuce (can substitute Field Greens)
- 1/2 cup fancy chopped pecans
Directions:
- Bring enough water to boil in stockpot that will cover chicken. Add a bayleaf and chicken breasts and cook for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool before cutting into chunks.
- Mix orange juice and salad dressing. This will carry and keeps well in a small pint-sized mason jar.
- Lightly rinse and drain each of berries separately on papertowels. Can bag and refrigerate if waiting to serve later.
- When ready to serve, layer lettuce, chicken, snap peas and scatter each of the berries over the entire dish.
- Shake dressing before drizzling over salad, and reserve extra for those who want more.