Rosemary Chicken & Roasted Grapes Spinach Salad
This Balsamic and Rosemary Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad is topped with roasted grapes, with creamy, tangy goat cheese, walnuts, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette. I love healthy spinach salad recipes, and this one does not disappoint!
Seasonal Salads
Fall has officially come to Lynchburg, VA! The leaves are changing, there’s a chill in the air, and suddenly I’m craving everything Pumpkin Spice. #Basic?
I guess it seems like no matter what the weather is like, though, even in the dead of winter. I’m always in the mood for a big salad.
Based on what’s in season, I like to change my salad ingredients, and this one has all the warm and cozy harvest flavors: the most delicious grilled rosemary chicken and roasted grapes served on top on baby spinach and drizzled in a rosemary balsamic vinaigrette, walnuts, and smoked salt and rosemary goat cheese. Yes, yes, yes!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts marinated in: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and pepper. The marinade serves double duty, so save half to use as salad dressing!
- Baby spinach
- Chèvre or goat cheese
- Walnuts
- Roasted grapes (keep reading!)
Roasting Grapes
If you haven’t roasted grapes before, I definitely recommend it. They become so sweet and bright without sacrificing their juicy pop. Honestly, I eat them as-is or with yogurt and granola, but they’re a fantastic addition to the salad here.
While I waited for the chicken to cook, I was popping them into my mouth all on their own! I almost didn’t have enough left for the salads!!
When I roast grapes, I prefer to use a little walnut oil, but regular olive oil works great too! But if you have a little room in your budget, trust me, try the walnut oil. It’s got a rich, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the grapes and works wonderfully with this salad.
The nice thing about the rosemary balsamic marinade is that it doubles salad dressing… not to mention the flavors work so nicely with the goat cheese and walnuts!
I made this for dinner two nights in a row, and I still wanted more! If I hadn’t run out of grapes, I would’ve gone for three in a row.
Recipe Variations:
- For Paleo and Whole30 options, all you need to do is leave off the goat cheese. It’s as simple as that!
- I used Chevoo brand goat cheese (the smoked salt and rosemary flavored one), but you can substitute pretty much any other goat cheese that you have.
You may also like: Chicken and Bacon Caesar Salad, Asian Ginger Shrimp Salad Bowls, Honey-LESS Mustard Grilled Chicken Platter.
Like this recipe? Drop a star rating below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!
Balsamic Chicken and Roasted Grapes Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken Breasts
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoons pepper
Salad
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 4 Tablespoon chèvre or goat cheese
- 1/4 cup walnuts
Roasted Grapes
- 1 Tablespoon walnut or olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 cups red grapes
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken Breasts
- Trim the chicken breasts and pat them dry. If necessary, pound them to the desired thickness (I do this in a ziplock bag).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, and seasonings.
- Pour half of the mixture over the chicken, and set the other half aside. Cover the chicken and refrigerate it while it marinates, 30 minutes to an 1 hour.
Grill the Chicken
- Heat about 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Grill the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from heat, allow to cool slightly, and slice.
Roast the Grapes
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Wash and pat dry the grapes. Drizzle oil and salt over the grapes, then toss to coat them.
- Spread the grapes evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, turning once halfway through. Once the grapes are softened and bubbling, remove and allow to cool.
- Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy them.
Assemble the Salad
- Assemble the salad by dividing the spinach into four bowls.
- Top the bowls with crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, grapes, and chicken. Drizzle each with salad dressing just before serving.
