This grilled balsamic chicken with toasted pine nut and cherry salad is one of my favorite salad recipes of all time! The grilled balsamic chicken is juicy, flavorful and easy to make. Paired with the simplest yet super flavorful toasted pine nut and fresh cherry salad, you’re going to LOVE this bold and refreshing combo.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad – Healthyish Foods

Ingredients Needed for Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad

Chicken – You’ll need one pound of chicken breasts for this recipe. Butterfly the chicken in to four thin cutlets for quick even grilling.

Chicken Marinade – Combine avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, light brown sugar, diced garlic, salt and black pepper.

Salad – This salad recipe is made from a few simple, fresh ingredients. You’ll need fresh baby spinach, pitted and sliced fresh cherries, toasted pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese and dressing.

Salad Dressing – Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a measuring cup. Whisk until well combined.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad – Healthyish Foods

How to Make Perfectly Grilled Chicken

Preheat the grill and be sure to brush the grates with avocado oil right before you add the chicken. This will prevent the meat from sticking to the grates.

When marinating the chicken, be sure to use a glass bowl that you can seal or cover with saran wrap. Or you can use a sturdy Ziplock bag. DO NOT use a metal bowl. Metal is reactive and can alter the flavor of the chicken as it marinates over time.

Marinate this recipe for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. Do not over marinate as the vinegar can break down the protein in the chicken if it sits too long, making it soggy.

How to Make Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad

Marinate the Chicken

Combine avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, light brown sugar, diced garlic, salt and black pepper in a glass mixing bowl. Mix well using a whisk. Add the chicken cutlets, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make the Salad

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a measuring cup. Whisk well and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the baby spinach and as much or as little dressing as you like. Toss the spinach and dressing together until it’s well coated. Top the dressed spinach with toasted pine nuts, pitted and sliced cherries and crumbled goat cheese. Cover and refrigerate until the chicken is ready.

Grill the Chicken

Preheat the grill to 400-450 degrees. Brush the grates with avocado oil and add the marinated chicken cutlets. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest before enjoying.

Assemble the Dish

Add the chicken to your plate and serve it up alongside or over a bed of the toasted pine nut and cherry salad. Drizzle with a touch more dressing and enjoy!

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad – Healthyish Foods

Storage

Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. Reheat chicken in the microwave until warmed through. Store any extra dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. However, any dressed salad is best enjoyed immediately.

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Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad – Healthyish Foods

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad

This grilled balsamic chicken with toasted pine nut and cherry salad is one of my favorite salad recipes of all time. The grilled balsamic chicken is juicy, flavorful and easy to make. Paired with the simplest yet super flavorful toasted pine nut and fresh cherry salad, you’re going to LOVE this combo.
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Ingredients

Balsamic Chicken

  • 1 lb. chicken breasts, butterflied into 4 thin cutlets
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, diced small, about 1 clove
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cherry Salad

  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1.5 cups cherries, pitted and sliced
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
  • ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

Dressing

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 measuring cup to mix the dressing
  • 1 glass mixing bowl to marinate the chicken
  • 1 gas grill
  • 1 grill brush
  • 1 large mixing bowl for the salad
  • 1 baking tray for the grilled chicken

Instructions 

How to Make Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Toasted Pine Nut and Cherry Salad

    Marinate the Chicken

    • Combine avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, light brown sugar, diced garlic, salt and black pepper in a glass mixing bowl. Mix well using a whisk. Add the chicken cutlets, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

    Make the Salad

    • Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a measuring cup. Whisk well and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the baby spinach and as much or as little dressing as you like. Toss the spinach and dressing together until it’s well coated. Top the dressed spinach with toasted pine nuts, pitted and sliced cherries and crumbled goat cheese. Cover and refrigerate until the chicken is ready.

    Grill the Chicken

    • Preheat the grill to 400-450 degrees. Brush the grates with avocado oil and add the marinated chicken cutlets to the hot grates. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest before enjoying.

    Assemble the Dish

    • Add the chicken to your plate and serve it up alongside or over a bed of the toasted pine nut and cherry salad. Drizzle with a touch more dressing and enjoy!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving of chicken with dressed salad, Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 458mg, Potassium: 659mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 3532IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg