WHOLE30 CHICKEN SALAD WITH CHERRY VINAIGRETTE

This Whole30 chicken salad is packed with satisfying flavor, and is sure to liven up your lunch or dinner routine. Not only is it a paleo chicken salad as well, but the dressing is naturally sweetened wih cherries – its the perfect salad to add to your meal rotation!

I love salads, but sometimes I get bored of the same old salad, so I decided to create a new salad to add to the mix. Since I really love salads that have fruit and nuts added, I decided to try adding cherries, and this salad doesn’t disappoint! It is packed with flavor from the cherry vinaigrette, as well as from the red onion and feta. It’s such a fun salad to eat!

HOW TO MAKE THIS WHOLE30 CHICKEN SALAD:

All of this recipe can be made in advance, so it is a great recipe to prep ahead of time and have lunch or dinner ready for the week. To make the vinaigrette, just blend together all the ingredients until smooth. You’ll also want to bake the chicken ahead of time. Then, it’s time to assemble the salads: Layer mixed greens, and top with chicken, walnuts, leftover cherries, apple, red onion, and feta (if you’d like). That’s it! When you’re ready to eat, drizzle dressing over your salad and enjoy!

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS PALEO CHICKEN SALAD:

• Feel free to swap out the nuts for seeds if you have a nut allergy.
• If you’re not crazy about walnuts, pecans work great as well!
• Make sure to thaw your cherries before blending, or your dressing may seem more like a smoothie-consistency.
• Pears would work great in place of the apples!

IS CANNED CHICKEN WHOLE30 COMPLIANT?

If you’re thinking about subbing in canned chicken for fresh, look for a brand that doesn’t have any additives. Check the label carefully, it should just have chicken, salt, and water. Or even better: Just plain chicken! Here’s one without any added ingredients!

IS ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WHOLE30 APPROVED?

Rotisserie chicken is NOT typically Whole30 friendly, because of additives that are used in the coating of the chicken. If you’re looking for a shortcut to cooking your own chicken, try canned chicken or frozen pre-cooked chicken.

CAN YOU EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT ON WHOLE30?

I love that Whole30 doesn’t involve counting calories or macros, or obsessing over every little thing. Whole30 is designed so that meals are balanced and filling, and it is encouraged that you eat until you feel satisfied at meals. Most people don’t feel the need to snack on whole30 because the meals are so satisfying, but there are not any limits on how much you can eat.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GREENS FRESH:

While I love using the plastic tubs of ready to eat greens, if you aren’t using those the best way to keep your green fresh all week is to wash and dry them and then keep them in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. Another option is to spin them dry in a salad spinner and then store them in the spinner (with the water still at the bottom). It works wonders for keeping greens fresh!