Crunchy Spring Mix Salad

This filling and refreshing Chicken Pecan Spring Mix Salad comes with juicy tomatoes, zingy red onion and feta cheese for a delicious entree salad recipe. Customize it with your favorite additions for a salad worthy of putting on repeat!

You’re looking at my latest salad obsessions. 

I cycle through my hyper-fixation salads throughout the year. The last salad love affair? My Fall Harvest Salad, followed closely by my Winter Salad Recipe. 

​While I have shared numerous salads, I haven’t spoken about my favorite leafy green selection when it comes to salads. 

I choose Spring mix greens each and every time!

I like using spring greens because they have some crunchy texture in addition to a wide variety of lettuces for a mixed bag of vitamins and minerals. 

Plus, I find the texture of fresh baby greens to be preferential over all romaine or all baby spinach.

In addition to using Spring mix salad greens, my basic formula for all of my favorite salad recipes is as follows:

Formula For Spring Mix Salad

1. 5 ounces of Spring Mix. If using more, adjust the ingredients that follow appropriately.
2. 1 to 3 cups of some form protein. Chicken, steak, or salmon for me. Black beans, garbanzo beans, and/or lentils are great vegetarian options.
3. 2/3 to 1 cup of nuts and/or seeds. Mix and match here!
4. 1/2 cup to 1 cup of fresh fruit or dried fruit, such as blueberries, strawberries, dried cranberries, etc. I typically do 1/2 cup of dried fruit AND 1 cup of fresh fruit.
5. 1/2 to 1 cup feta cheese, goat cheese or gorgonzola cheese.
6. Any fresh vegetables you love in salads in whatever quantity you deem necessary. Tomatoes, cucumber, onion, carrots, sprouts, fresh peas, raw broccoli, and red cabbage are great options.
7. Bonus points: 1 diced avocado.

All of the above factors combined add up to a filling, nutrient-dense meal that is packed with flavor to keep life interesting. 

The quick and easy recipe in the recipe card below makes a big salad for two individuals, or an easy side salad for up to 5 people. 

You can change up the amount of each ingredient depending on your personal taste and how many people are eating. 

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this tasty green salad recipe! The great news is you can find the full list of ingredients at your local grocery store. 

Spring Mix Salad Ingredients:

Spring Mix Lettuce: Pick up a 5-ounce bin of a spring mix salad blend from the produce department. Spring mix is a combination of tender baby lettuces, including baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, green romaine, and red and green oak leaf. 

Cooked Chicken Breast: Use your favorite pre-cooked chicken such as rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken or baked chicken.

Crunchy Pecans: Adding nutty crunch to this healthy salad recipe, pecan pieces bring lots of fun to the meal. I feel nuts or seeds of some kind are mandatory in salads!

Dried Cranberries: Bringing a burst of sweetness and tangy flavor, I absolutely adore sweet cranberries in salads. They round out the flavor profile with their sweet and sour essence. 

Feta Cheese: Another salad favorite for me, feta cheese adds a great deal of savory flavor. Swap it out for goat cheese if you prefer.

Red Onion: Zingy red onion brings a pop of spice. Substitute it for green onions for a more subtle onion flavor. 

Cherry Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add a refreshing element with some sweet and acidic vibes. I like using cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, but you can easily swap for your favorite kind of tomatoes. 

Balsamic Vinaigrette: My dressing of choice is my Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette, which I think pairs magically with all of the other flavors. 

The flavor combination of tender chicken, tangy cheese, sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans and zippy fresh vegetables makes this a super tasty salad with a satisfying crunch.

Looking for ways you can customize this fresh spring greens salad? Here are some options!

Recipe Customizations:

• Feel free to use romaine lettuce, green chard, kale, or baby spinach if you prefer.
• Dice up one ripe avocado and add it in. 
• Add any of your favorite salad veggies, such as cucumber, carrots, sprouts, fresh peas, raw broccoli, crunchy celery, etc. 
• Use walnuts, pumpkin seeds, crunchy sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or almonds instead of pecans. 
• Swap out the balsamic vinaigrette for your favorite dressing. I also like my Mayo-Free Green Goddess Dressing or Homemade Italian Dressing for this salad as well.  
• Use leftover turkey or steak in place of chicken.
• Add a chopped sweet apple, pear, mandarins, or fresh berries to the salad.
• Turn it into a wrap by stuffing it into a tortilla.
• Omit the chicken to make it a side dish.

Now that we’ve covered the wholesome ingredients, let’s make this healthy salad recipe!

How to Make Spring Mix Salad:

Begin by preparing the dressing if you’re making homemade salad dressing. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Chop the Spring mix on a cutting board to your desired size pieces. This extra step makes salad so much easier to scoop up and eat!

Transfer the greens to a large bowl, along with the chopped chicken, tomatoes, chopped pecans, red onion, feta cheese, and dried cranberries.

Drizzle in the balsamic vinaigrette and toss everything together until the salad ingredients are coated with your desired amount of dressing. Taste the salad for flavor and add anything else you’d like.

Serve salad in two large bowls and enjoy!

While I’m typically all about meal prepping, I recommend serving this salad fresh, just after preparing it. Nevertheless, if there are any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

The next time you’re craving a massive salad for lunch or dinner, whip out this easy cranberry pecan chicken salad recipe. 

It’s a great option for a quick dinner when you’re craving something clean with large volume. 

If you’d like to use this as a meal prep option, prepare the individual ingredients and store them in separate containers without the dressing involved. Then dress the salad just before enjoying. 

​Time savors? Use store-bought dressing and rotisserie chicken for a salad that takes roughly 15 minutes to assemble on any night of the week.

This simple recipe is loaded with sweet and savory flavors, making it one of the best chicken salad recipes to enjoy any time of year! Enjoy this easy spring mix salad recipe as a complete meal or as a go-to house salad.

The ideal spring salad for your next dinner party or weeknight side salad, mix it up with your own dressing and additions to enjoy during the spring season.

If you love hearty salad recipes like this, also try some of my favorite salads.

More Filling Salad Recipes:

• Tzatziki Salmon Salad  
• Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Grilled Salmon Salad with Strawberry Salsa  
• Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad  
• Crispy Salmon Salad  
• Spring Cleaning Detox Salad  
• Strawberry Spinach Salad

An easy way to get your greens and feel full too!

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