Blueberry Salad with Feta, Chicken and Pecans
Enjoy the fruits of the season by making a Blueberry Salad with Feta, Chicken and Pecans. Tossed in a homemade blueberry vinaigrette, this spinach salad is a filling lunch, side dish or light dinner. All you need are a handful of ingredients and a bunch of fresh blueberries to make this fresh salad for any occasion.
2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2015 when my older daughter was just a few months old. The recipe and post include new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love this salad as much as I do!
Back in 2015, when I decided to make this salad, it was a day that my daughter wanted to be held, rocked and shushed.
So as hunger threatened, I did what any mom might do in this situation: I gently placed my girl in a wearable wrap and got to work making the salad and its dressing.
In fact, we were having such a good time and I was so proud of myself that I decided to photograph it.
That’s when the wheels fell off. (Spitup was involved. I will not go into further detail.)
It wasn’t until I got my girl to take a nap that I realized I was still ravenously hungry and that my food was out, waiting for me.
So I mixed it up, snapped some quick photographs and devoured the salad.
Why I love this recipe:
This Blueberry Salad recipe is all kinds of delicious. Not only does it have blueberries as a main ingredient, but there is chicken, toasted pecans and crumbled feta cheese.
It’s also got a homemade blueberry vinaigrette. This coats the spinach and adds a delightful tang to balance out the sweetness of the fresh blueberries in the salad.
The feta adds some salt. The toasted pecans add that crunch I adore in salads. And the chicken adds some meatiness, which I love in a lunch salad.
It’s a winner, that’s for sure, and y’all better believe we’ll be eating more of this salad as blueberry season continues.
It works both as an entree or a side salad, so either way, you’re set! And it would make an awesome salad to serve at entertaining event because holy cow, this blueberry goodness is G-O-O-D.
More salad recipes to try: Chicken Shawarma Salad | Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette | Turkey Taco Salad | Grilled Shrimp Salad with Homemade Lime Vinaigrette
What you need to make this recipe:
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Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to grab at the grocery store:
- Baby spinach — this is the base of our salad. If you’re not into spinach, you can use another leafy green of your choosing. Arugula or a spring mix would be delicious.
- Fresh blueberries — you need these for the salad, as well as the blueberry salad dressing. Find the freshest, sweetest berries you can!
- Pecans — to elevate the pecans in this salad recipe, we toast them in the oven or in a skillet. I like to do this in bulk to where I have toasted pecans for various applications throughout the week and then keep them in the fridge. You can also skip the nuts if you have an allergy.
- Feta cheese — crumbled feta is the best! You can use your favorite brand and type. Low-fat feta works, too. If you don’t like feta cheese, crumbled goat cheese would make a good substitute.
- Rotisserie chicken — I like to shred this before adding it to my salad to add some protein to it. You could also use roasted or grilled chicken, if you prefer. That said, you can make this a vegetarian salad by skipping the chicken… it’s still super tasty!
- Extra virgin olive oil — this is the fat in our salad dressing. You may use regular olive oil or even avocado oil if you don’t have EVOO at your house.
- Apple cider vinegar — this is the acidic ingredient in our salad dressing. While you could replace it with white wine vinegar or even balsamic vinegar, I really like the flavor of ACV in this dressing and how it pairs with the blueberries.
- Lemon juice — freshly squeezed is so much better than the shelf-stable stuff. Do yourself a favor and squeeze a lemon for this.
- Honey — this adds a little more sweetness to the dressing.
- Salt and pepper — we add these to the dressing after mixing it up. Always give the dressing a taste before adding salt and pepper so that you don’t over season.
How to make the Blueberry Vinaigrette
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and blueberries in a food processor or blender.
Blend the ingredients together until smooth.
Give the blueberry salad dressing a taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until time to eat.
How to make a Blueberry Salad with Feta, Chicken and Pecans
Layer the spinach in the bottom of a large mixing bowl or salad bowl.
Add the blueberries, toasted pecans, feta cheese and chicken.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the ingredients, and toss until combined.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
How to store:
If possible, store the salad dressing and salad separately. The spinach will become a little wilty when stored in the fridge with the dressing on it.
Store in an airtight container for 1-2 days max.
The salad dressing will keep in an airtight container or a mason jar for up to a week.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This salad is bright, colorful and utterly delicious. You can make it as a side salad to share or even a light dinner salad, if desired.
Here are some things I would do if I was sharing this salad with my people:
- Make the dressing early. Keep it in the fridge until it’s time to toss it with the salad.
- Leave out the chicken to make it a blueberry side salad.
- Swap out the nuts (or leave them out altogether if your guests have allergies.) This is great with toasted walnuts or almonds, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Since feta cheese is a salty, crumbly cheese, I like to pair it with something sweet, like fresh blueberries.
You sure can, but you need to keep the dressing and the salad separate until it’s time to mix them together because the texture of the spinach will not be as good.
Tips and Tricks for Making the BEST Blueberry Pecan Feta Salad
- Make sure your fresh blueberries are ripe and SWEET. If you’ve got more sour blueberries, the salad and its vinaigrette might be less-than-pleasing.
- Cook the chicken in advance or purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it. Store in the fridge until it’s time to make the salad.
- Toast the pecans in advance.
- After you’ve got your ingredients together, make the salad dressing. If it’s not sweet enough to your taste, add a little more honey to balance it out.
- Don’t pour the salad dressing on top of the salad ingredients until it’s time to serve!
Other warm weather salads to try:
If you’re into fruit in your salad, check out Ramen Noodle and Clementine Salad, Strawberry Romaine Salad in a Jar and Chicken Spinach Salad with Apples and Strawberries.
Want a heartier salad? Try out Cajun Cobb Salad, Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette and Salmon Niçoise Salad.
Just interested in this Blueberry Pecan Feta Salad?
Here’s how you make it:
Blueberry Pecan Feta Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups baby spinach 3 oz.
- ½ cup blueberries 100g
- ¼ cup toasted pecans 30g
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese 30g
- 4 oz. shredded rotisserie chicken optional
Blueberry Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup blueberries 50g
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and blueberries in a food processor or blender.
- Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Give the dressing a taste. Add the salt and pepper, if necessary, then set aside.
Make the Salad
- Combine the spinach, blueberries, pecans, feta and chicken in a large mixing bowl or salad bowl.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the ingredients.
- Toss until all ingredients are coated.
- Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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