Description
This Easy Beet and Goat Cheese Salad is made with roasted beets, creamy avocado and goat cheese, bright and citrusy clementines and strawberries mixed in with hearty spinach and roasted chicken. Top it off with a tangy and sweet homemade dijon vinaigrette and it is one healthy complete meal everyone will want to eat!
Ingredients
Scale
For the salad
- 3-4 medium size beets – peeled and sliced into half moon shapes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 (4-5 oz) pieces of cooked chicken breast cut into 1-inch slices or cubes (about 1.5 cups)
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- 1 cup quartered strawberries
- 1 cup diced avocado
- 3 clementines – peeled and separated
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Additional ingredients
- Fresh chopped dill – optional for topping
- Fresh chopped parsley – optional for topping
Instructions
- Roast the beets. This is so easy to do. Peel and slice the beets any way you like, I cut them into half moon shapes. Place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss and roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- While the beets are roasting, you can prepare the rest of the salad. Chop up the chicken, strawberries and avocado and peel and separate the clementines. Layer the chicken and veggies in a large bowl oven the spinach. Add the beets.
- Mix up the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake well to emulsify. You can also do this by adding all dressing ingredient to a small bowl and whisking well to combine.
- Dress and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss it all together to coat everything in the tangy, sweet dressing. Top with fresh chopped dill and parsley.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Switch up the greens. You can use spinach, kale or even arugula in this salad.
- Buy already cooked beets. Most grocery stores carry pre-packaged, cooked beets that you can just slice and add to this salad and skip the roasting steps. Although I prefer them roasted, this salad is still amazing with the precooked beets.
- Buy a rotisserie chicken or cook the chicken quickly in the air fryer. To cook the chicken in the air fryer: Season it with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook it at 380 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, turning it over halfway through the cooking time. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F it is done. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it.
- Make the dressing ahead of time. You can whip up the dressing in the morning and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- Make this recipe vegan. To make this recipe vegan, use soft vegan cheese and use maple syrup as the sweetener in the dressing.
- To store this salad. Store all ingredients separately in airtight containers then assemble and dress the salad when ready to eat.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Quick and Easy Salads
- Method: Roasted and Tossed
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
