Spinach Salad with Grilled Veggies (Print-Friendly Version)
A hearty dinner salad featuring grilled vegetables, spinach and herby marinated chicken with a homemade French-style dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Main Salad
01 -
1 to 1 1/2 pounds marinated chicken breast
02 -
6 crimini mushrooms or substitute portobellos, shiitake, maitake, or oyster mushrooms
03 -
1 small red onion
04 -
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced in half or 6 mini sweet peppers
05 -
10 ounces baby spinach (approximately two bunches)
06 -
Optional: sliced hard-boiled eggs, coconut bacon, and feta cheese
→ French Style Dressing
07 -
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
08 -
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
09 -
2 tablespoons maple syrup
10 -
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 -
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 -
1 clove garlic, minced
13 -
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 -
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
15 -
1/3 cup olive oil
→ Coconut Bacon
16 -
1 cup wide raw coconut flakes
17 -
1 tablespoon smoked soy sauce (or soy sauce or Braggs with 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke)
18 -
1 teaspoon maple syrup
# How to Make It:
01 -
Whisk together red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, pepper, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously until combined and emulsified.
02 -
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours for best flavor.
03 -
Preheat grill with the lid closed on high heat. Brush mushrooms, onion slices, and peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
04 -
Place the marinated chicken and vegetables on the hot grill. Turn heat slightly down and close the lid. Grill for 4 minutes before flipping the vegetables. Flip chicken only after grill marks appear. Continue grilling for an additional 4-8 minutes until vegetables are cooked and chicken reaches 160°F at its thickest part. Remove from grill and let vegetables rest to finish cooking with residual heat.
05 -
Toss spinach with a portion of the dressing. Cut the grilled chicken, peppers, and mushrooms into bite-sized slices and arrange over the dressed spinach. Top with optional ingredients such as sliced hard-boiled eggs, feta cheese, and coconut bacon.
06 -
Mix coconut flakes with smoked soy sauce and maple syrup until fully coated. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 6-9 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow to cool for a crispy texture.
# Important Notes:
01 -
This salad is adaptable; add more vegetables, spinach, or toppings to increase quantity, or reduce the portion size as needed.
02 -
Coconut bacon will continue to crisp up as it cools after baking.