When the weather is hot, nothing beats a light, cool salad. This Arugula Salad with Chicken is certainly light and cool, but it’s more.

Arugula Salad with Chicken

Name: Arugula Salad with Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp White wine vinegar; 1 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses; 2 Tbsp Blood orange oil; 1 Tsp Grated lemon zest; 1 Tsp Dijon mustard; 2 Tsp Honey; 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt; 1/4 Tsp Pepper; 1 Cup Arugula; 1 Cup Baby Spinach; 1/2 Lemonade apple, sliced thin (Granny Smith can be substituted); 1/3 Cup Dried cranberries; 1 Cup Cooked chicken breast (Shredded); 3 Tbsp Toasted almonds; 2 Tbsp Gorgonzola cheese; 3/4 Cup Cherry tomatoes

What’s better on a hot day than a cooool salad? This Arugula Salad with Chicken absolutely is spot on perfect not only for the rich taste, but also for the reason that this salad is a super Healthy Recipe with only 280 calories per serving.

My inspiration for this delicious salad cam from Tyler Florence. He was making a simple Arugula Salad with Parmesan. It was light, so fresh and came together very quickly.

So I was thinking about that salad and decided to step it up a bit and turn it into a more complete meal for dinner.

For ease, I used Rotisserie chicken from the store and then added all kinds of healthy ingredients like spinach, dried cranberries, almonds, and a touch of gorgonzola cheese for richness.

The dressing really added the finishing touch. Some time ago I fell in love with a salad I had at a winery luncheon in Paso Robles, California. It was tangy and orangey and sweet all at the same time and it was so fresh tasting.

I asked the restaurant owner how he made it. He said it was simply made with Pomegranate Molasses and Blood Orange Oil.

So I whipped up that dressing and it’s perfect with this salad.

Best of all, this fabulous salad comes together in 15 minutes. 15 Minutes!

So let’s make it.

Ingredients for Arugula Salad with Chicken

Arugula
Baby spinach
Apple
Gorgonzola cheese.
Rotisserie chicken breast
Dried cranberries
Toasted almonds
White wine vinegar
Pomegranate molasses
Honey
Dijon mustard
Sea salt
Black pepper
Blood Orange oil

How to Make Arugula Salad with Chicken

I started with Arugula, but then I also added spinach. The two together are perfect.

One is light and peppery, and the other just has more texture and substance.

And why not have some fruit? Something pretty…. like dried cranberries. Both sweet and tart at the same time.

And then I thought for extra crunch, why not some nuts. And the kind? Well, almonds of course. Not the shaved type that immediately wilt with the dressing but toasted slivered almonds that hold their texture and crunch.

And for sure tomatoes. This, being summer, is prime time for the sweetest cherry tomatoes that just burst in your mouth with flavor.

I learned a long time to never refrigerate tomatoes. They just lose their flavor. Not sure if it’s due to the extreme cold, but they just never taste the same as they do when you leave them at room temperature. In fact, they even become a but mushy.

And for a bit of richness, I also added Gorgonzola. You could add blue cheese instead, but I prefer the Gorgonzola. It’s just richer tasting and has a wonderful creamy texture.

And finally the dressing. No question that the right dressing really makes a salad.

A vinegar and oil dressing for this Arugula Salad with Chicken was just what it needed. But it also needed a touch of sweetness. Years ago I fell in love with Pomegranate Molasses.

It was in a salad that we had at Cass Winery in Paso Robles, CA. They combined Pomegranate Molasses, with vinegar and Blood Orange Oil. And I’ll tell you, it was the best salad dressing I’ve ever had in my life! It was tangy and sweet and soooo fresh tasting.

And so, Arugula Salad with Chicken. Enjoy the flavors of summer. And at 280 calories per serving, this is not only a super Healthy Recipe, but absolutely delicious as well.

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5 from 3 votes