This fresh summer salad with chicken has juicy peaches, blueberries, feta cheese and a tasty citrus mint dressing.

The summer warmth lowers the appetite, welcoming fresh, lighter meals to the table and this salad with chicken, blueberries and peaches is perfect for the season. One of my favorite things about this dish is how the mint in the dressing pairs so well with all the fruit!

I remember the first time I had fruit and mint paired together. It was at a beautiful resort here in Arizona. My husband and I hadn’t been married long and were still living in Oregon, but came down to enjoy the area on vacation. It was a warm, dry day in the desert (shocking, I know), and the lobby had infused ice water with melon and mint, and it was SO refreshing! Since then, I’ve paired mint with many fruits and just love the combination!

Mint goes well with many fruits, but in this case you’ll find it alongside orange and lemon in the dressing. The citrus mint dressing is tossed with sweet blueberries and peaches, creating a bright and delightful salad with chicken too!

Let’s take a look at why it’s great and how to make it!

Why You’ll Love this Salad with Chicken

• It’s a quick and easy recipe for those of you on the go, but healthy and filling too.
• You’ll love the taste of fresh, crisp romaine topped with delightful, juicy fruits on a warm summer’s day.
• The lightweight dressing with its orange and lemon citrus juices and chopped mint is simply the best.
• The feta cheese cuts the light sweetness of the fruit and dressing perfectly.
• Sliced Almonds top off this salad, adding the perfect subtle crunch.

What’s in the Salad?

Dressing

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – My favorite healthy oil for salad dressings (and many other things!)
• Apple Cider – The nice tangy flavor adds a little zip to the dressing.
• Orange Juice – The sweet and tart orange juice is great with the mint.
• Lemon Juice – The tanginess add nice flavor.
• Honey – For the perfect flavor and sweetness.
• Mint – Always use fresh mint and chop it finely.
• Salt and Pepper – To add a little simple seasoning.

Salad 

• Romaine Lettuce – Crisp romaine is the perfect base for this salad.
  • Change it up: Mixed baby greens or spinach also works well in this salad.
• Chicken Breast – I use a countertop grill in the summer so I can avoid using the stovetop or oven, which heats up the house. I cut the chicken breast into cubes.
• Peaches – Juicy peaches sweeten up the salad nicely.
  • Change it up: Nectarines are another option and have a very similar taste.
• Blueberries – The berries add a nice flavor and additional sweetness.
• Feta – Creamy crumbled feta goes so well with the fruit and cuts the sweetness perfectly.
  • Change it up: Goat cheese works well with all of these ingredients and is another great choice. Simply leave off the cheese or use your favorite non-dairy cheese to make this recipe dairy-free!
• Almond – I like using sliced almonds in this salad. They add great texture.
  • Change it up: Chopped pecans are another tasty option.

How to make this Salad with Chicken

1. In a large serving bowl, add the romaine, cooked chicken breast and about three quarters each of the peaches, blueberries, feta and almonds. *** You will top the with remaining quarter before serving.

2. For the dressing, add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, mint, salt and pepper to a medium bowl and whisk ingredients together until the honey is well incorporated with the oil and vinegar.

3. Toss about three quarters of the dressing with the salad ingredients in the large serving bowl.

4. Top the salad with the remaining peaches, blueberries, feta and almonds and drizzle the remaining dressing on top. *** This step is mainly for aesthetics, so if you don’t care how the salad looks, and just want to get right down to eating it, just toss everything at the same time!

5. Serve and enjoy!

What to serve with this Blueberry Peach Salad with Chicken

This salad doesn’t need much to go with it, but here’s a couple of options:

• Crackers – I recommend some crisp, salty wafer crackers for a little something lightweight and savory to serve alongside this salad. Many of the options out there are gluten free!
• Bread – Another option is bread. A nice crusty bread always goes well with a salad. If you’re gluten free like me, throw a gf roll or baguette in the oven for a bit to add a little crustiness to it.

Making Ahead and Storing Leftovers

Making Ahead

• • The dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. In fact, doing so gives the flavors extra time to blend. Storing it in a container with a lid makes it easy to shake up before adding it to your salad.
  • Prepping the ingredients ahead of time is great, but I recommend waiting to mix the ingredients until you are ready to serve it for best results. If you’re in a time crunch, you can mix the ingredients ahead of time, but do not add the dressing until you are ready to serve the salad.

Storing Leftovers

• • If you do not anticipate eating the entire salad, I recommend putting aside what you’d like to store with the dressing on the side. Fresh is always best, but consuming the leftovers within 24 hours is fine.

Thank you for checking out this blueberry peach salad with chicken and citrus mint dressing! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

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