Berry delicious! Are you craving a dinner that is bursting with seasonal yumminess, simple to pull together and healthy with an exclamation point? My recipe for Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken is all these things — plus it’s gorgeous enough for outdoor entertaining.

I first made this recipe for the Living Litehouse blog at LitehouseFoods.com; it builds on the flavors of their vibrant Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. This elegant entrée salad features all the food groups with spinach, grilled chicken breast, raspberries, walnuts and wheat berries all playing nicely together.  What, you’ve never eaten wheat berries?! This versatile whole grain has a sweet, nutty taste and pleasant, chewy texture – a nice swap for brown rice when you’re looking to bust out of a rut. Wheat berries are also a great source of vitamins, fiber and other essential nutrients – and offer healthy source of carbs to fuel your day.

You can also layer up all the ingredients into a jar salad to take to work or to refuel right after a gym session. Starting by pouring dressing in the bottom of the jar, then layer up everything in order of “sturdiness and wiltability” – meaning the wheat berries go next and then the delicate spinach up top.  When you’re ready to eat lunch, just shake-shake-shake the jar and pour out on a plate (or eat straight from the container, it’s one less dish to clean)!

If you can’t find the Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette from Litehouse Foods, then try this homemade Raspberry Dressing recipe that first appeared in Southern Living.

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Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Make life easy and grill chicken ahead of time or substitute rotisserie chicken from the deli that has been cut up into chunks!

Course: Fruit, Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked wheat berries cold or at room temperature
• 1/2 cup ½ cup Litehouse Foods Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (divided) or make own dressing
• 8 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 12 ounces grilled chicken breast
• 1/3 cyo chopped green onions (bulbs and tops)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
• 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. In small bowl, mix together the cooked wheat berries with ¼ cup of Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. Set aside.
2. Add spinach to large bowl. Toss with dressed wheat berries, grilled chicken strips, green onions, raspberries, walnuts and feta.
3. Serve with remaining ¼ cup dressing.