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Spinach salad in a big rustic bowl with chicken, butternut squash, raisins, pecans, and apples on top, ready to eat.
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4.41 from 5 votes

Butternut Squash Chicken Spinach Salad

Hearty, filling fall-inspired salad recipe with all sorts of goodies is the ultimate way to enjoy your greens!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Chicken Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 493kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless chicken tenders or breasts
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil see note
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the Salad:

  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil see note
  • 2 cups butternut squash peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup raw pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1 large green apple cored and sliced

For the Vinaigrette

Instructions

Prepare the cider vinaigrette:

  • Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette to a small blender and blend until thick and completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Roast the butternut squash and chicken:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spread the butternut squash over a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and cinnamon. Toss everything together using your hands until everything is well coated.
  • Place the chicken in a casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil, dried oregano, paprika, and sea salt. Use your hands to mix everything together so that all tenders are well coated in oil and spices.
  • Roast the butternut squash and the chicken in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the butternut squash is golden-brown and soft on the inside, and the chicken tenders are cooked through (internal temperature of the chicken should be 160 degrees F.). If the chicken is not finished cooking after 20 minutes, turn off the oven and leave chicken in the still-hot oven 5 to 10 minutes, until all the way cooked.

Prepare the Salad:

  • Divide the baby spinach between 4 bowls. Top with pecans, golden raisins, roasted butternut squash, chicken, and apple slices. Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over each bowl and serve.

Notes

*You can replace the avocado oil with almond oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4 | Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 30g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 20g