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a close up of mixed berry salad in a large bowl, on a table

Easy Mixed Berry Salad Recipe (video)

15 minutes prep + 0 minutes cook
4 servings
Easy mixed berry salad with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado and poppy seed dressing! Delicious summer salad that's great with grilled chicken!

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

For Berry Salad:

  • 8 to 10 cups mixed spring greens, or arugula
  • 1 bundle fresh mint leaves
  • 10 to 12 basil leaves
  • 4 medium persian cucumbers
  • 1 large avocado
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1/3 cup goat cheese, or feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

For Poppy Seed Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey, or agave, maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds

For Grilled Chicken Breast: (optional)

  • 2 large chicken breasts, approximately 1 pound
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp EACH: chopped, fresh dill; chopped parsley

Instructions

Prepping the Ingredients:

  • Start by washing your berries and vegetables. Fil la large bowl with cold water and add about 1/3 to ½ cup white vinegar, depending on how large your bowl is. Drop in the berries, swirl around, and let them stand for a few minutes.
  • Remove the berries into a colander and rinse them under clean, cool water. Spread them onto a towel covered with paper towels to dry. Do the same for the cucumbers, avocado, and even the mint leaves.

Making the Salad Dressing:

  • Next, make the dressing. Squeeze the juice from1 lemon into a measuring cup; you’ll need about 2 tablespoons. Next, add in the balsamic vinegar, honey (agave or maple syrup will work well, too) and olive oil.
  • Season with the salt and add in the poppy seeds. You can also add the zest from 1 lemon. Whisk everything together and set aside until ready to use.

Assembling the Salad:

  • Fill a large casserole or salad bowl with the spring greens. Pick the freshest mint leaves off the stems and add them to the bowl. Stack the basil leaves, gently roll them, then slice and sprinkle over the salad.
  • Next, thinly slice the cucumbers and sprinkle those over the greens. Slice the avocado next, fan out the slices, and garnish the salad.
  • Slice the strawberries next, then sprinkle them over the salad, alternating with the raspberries and blueberries.
  • Crumble the goat cheese (or feta cheese) over the salad, and then add the sliced almonds.
  • Whisk the salad dressing, then pour it over the salad. Add the dressing only when you’re ready to serve.
  • This salad can be enjoyed right away – just pour on the dressing and dig in! If you want to prepare it ahead of time, simply cover the salad and store it in the refrigerator, keeping the dressing separate.

Grilled Chicken Breast (Optional):

  • For making my Grilled Chicken Breast: In a small casserole tray, combine all the marinade ingredients for the chicken: mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper and spices. Whisk everything together until smooth.
  • Add in your chicken and make sure it gets well coated all over. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and marinate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
  • Preheat your outdoor grill to 600F for at least 10 minutes, until the grill grates are hot. Add the chicken breast, close the lid and grill for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes on the second side, with the grill closed.
  • Move the chicken up to the second rack of your grill and finish cooking the chicken breast indirectly until the internal temperature reaches 165F. The timing will depend on the thickness of your chicken, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for at least 5 to 7 minutes before slicing.

Note:

  • Nutritional info calculated for salad only. Grilled chicken (about 1/2 a chicken breast per serving) adds an additional 260 calories, approximately.

Nutrition

Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 801mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1492IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 3mg