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Lunch
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Sweet sliced strawberries against peppery baby spinach, with warm smoky chicken, toasted walnuts, and small crumbles of goat cheese that melt a little on contact. The balsamic dressing is tangy rather than syrupy, which is what lets the berries taste like berries. A full lunch at about 34 grams of protein, and a reason to look forward to salad.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Recipe Card
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Method: Skillet·Cuisine: American
Best Season
Spring and early summer
Ingredients
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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 3 cups diced rotisserie chicken; skip step 1 and expect about 300 mg more sodium per serving)
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1 teaspoon olive oil, for the chicken
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1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon for the dressing
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1 teaspoon smoked paprika
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1/2 cup walnut halves
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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
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Freshly ground black pepper
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10 cups baby spinach (about 10 oz)
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2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
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1 cup cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
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1/4 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
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2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
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1
Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets, pat dry, and rub with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the smoked paprika. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and cook the cutlets 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. Rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
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2
While the chicken rests, toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Set aside on a plate.
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3
Make the dressing: in a small jar, shake together the 3 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, Dijon, shallot, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper until it looks creamy and holds together for a few seconds before separating.
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4
In a large bowl, toss the spinach with about two-thirds of the dressing until every leaf is lightly glossed but nothing is pooling in the bottom. Add the strawberries, cucumber, and red onion and toss once more, gently, so the berries don't bruise.
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5
Divide among four plates. Top with the sliced chicken, walnuts, and goat cheese, then drizzle on the remaining dressing. Taste a bite with a berry and some cheese in it; if it wants brightness, a squeeze more lemon over the chicken does it.
Meal Prep Tip
Cooked chicken, dressing, and toasted walnuts keep 4 days in the fridge in separate containers. Pack the spinach and strawberries dry and slice the berries the day you eat them; sliced strawberries weep within hours and will wilt the spinach underneath.
Make It Yours
Dairy-free
Leave out the goat cheese and add a quarter of a sliced avocado per plate. Costs about 3 g of protein per serving but adds 2 g of fiber and keeps the creamy element.
Nut-free
Replace the walnuts with 1/3 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Nutrition stays within a gram of the original and the seeds hold their crunch longer in dressing.
Keto
Cut the strawberries to 1 cup total and swap the balsamic for red wine vinegar. Brings net carbs to about 7 g per serving, inside the keto target.
Vegetarian
Swap the chicken for 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils or 14 oz of firm tofu seared the same way. Lentils bring the net carbs to about 22 g, so file this version under Mediterranean rather than low-carb; tofu keeps it low-carb at about 24 g protein.
Lower-sodium
Skip the salt on the chicken and rely on the paprika and lemon; the goat cheese and Dijon still season the salad. Drops sodium to about 400 mg per serving.
If you don't like goat cheese
Crumbled feta is saltier and firmer (add about 80 mg sodium per serving); shaved Parmesan is milder. Either way, use the same 2 oz.
Nutrition
Per serving — estimate, salad with dressing and chicken.
Calories
430
Net Carbs
10g
Total Carbs
15g
Fiber
5g
Protein
34g
Fat
27g
Saturated Fat
5g
Total Sugars
7g
Added Sugars
0g
Sodium
550mg
Nutrition pending review by our registered dietitian — estimate only. Not medical advice. Total sugars are from fruit and dairy; added sugar is zero.
Keywords
LunchHigh ProteinLow-CarbStrawberriesSkilletHealthy Fats
Besides Sugar
Besides Sugar: Acid and Fat Blunt the Fruit
In some small studies, vinegar taken with a meal has been associated with a modestly lower glucose rise from the carbohydrate alongside it, possibly by slowing stomach emptying. Here the balsamic and lemon coat the strawberries themselves, and the olive oil, walnuts, and goat cheese add fat and protein that may slow things further. Two cups of berries across four plates is about 10 g net carbs each to begin with.
About Prediabetes Mastermind
Prediabetes Mastermind builds practical, science-backed tools for reversing and managing prediabetes — meal frameworks, recipes, and plans verified by a registered dietitian. We treat prediabetes as a condition worth taking seriously, and we focus on what you can do, not what to fear.
These recipes and their nutrition figures are pending review by our registered dietitian. Nutritional information is an estimate and not medical advice; consult your healthcare provider about your individual plan, especially if you take glucose-lowering medication.
