Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This autumn salad with apple cider vinaigrette is simple, nourishing and full of fall flavors! It’s easy to make and great for a quick lunch or to serve with a big group! The homemade apple cider vinaigrette is delicious and definitely makes the salad in my opinion! If you want to make it a little more hearty, you could always add some sweet potatoes, quinoa, or rice! Enjoy!

What you need to make autumn salad with apple cider vinaigrette + substitutions:

Mixed greens- I loved mixed greens as my base here! Arugula or kale would be great and seasonal too.
Chicken breast- You can use baked chicken, grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, whatever you like. I just baked mine in the oven at 375F degrees with olive oil, salt, pepper & garlic for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature was 165F degrees.
Honeycrisp apple- The apple adds a nice sweetness and a nice crunch. Honeycrisp apples are hands down my favorite, but you could definitely use another variety. They go great in this autumn salad.
Dried cranberries- These also add a nice sweetness and they’re just so good.
Roasted pecans- I bought roasted and salted pecans, but you could roast or toast them yourself!
Feta- I love cheese. It may be one of my favorite food groups, and feta is definitely at the top of my list. Goat cheese would work fine here too, but I really enjoyed the feta.
Apple cider vinegar- For the dressing, I love using the apple cider vinegar for this vinaigrette for the flavor and also the health benefits!
Olive oil- A good extra virgin olive oil can make all the difference in the taste!
Honey- I used honey here, you could definitely substitute with maple syrup if needed.
Dijon- Dijon mustard is one of my favorites and works really well here. I wouldn’t trade it out for another mustard personally, but you can if you’d like. It adds the perfect touch to this autumn salad with apple cider vinaigrette.

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Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This autumn salad with apple cider vinaigrette is simple, nourishing and full of fall flavors! It's easy to make and great for a quick lunch or to serve with a big group! The homemade apple cider vinaigrette is delicious and definitely makes the salad in my opinion! If you want to make it a little more hearty, you could always add some sweet potatoes, quinoa, or rice! Enjoy!

Course: Salad

Keyword: apple cider vinaigrette, autumn, easy, fall, gluten free, salad

Servings:

Ingredients

For the Salad:

2 cups mixed greens
3-4 oz cooked chicken breast
¼-⅓ cup honeycrisp apples chopped
2 tbsp roasted pecans chopped
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp feta

For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Prepare your chicken breast however you're going to use it: rotisserie, baked, crockpot, grilled, etc. I baked mine in the oven at 375F degrees with olive oil, salt, pepper & garlic powder for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature was 165F degrees.
Assemble your salad. Add a base of greens and then top with the remaining ingredients: chicken, apples, pecans, cranberries, and feta. All the measurements are general so feel free to add more or less of anything.
Prepare your dressing. In a jar, add in the apple cider vinegar, dijon, honey, salt and pepper. Mix well. Slowly pour in the olive oil while simultaneously stirring.
Pour as much dressing as you'd like over the salad. The recipe makes extra but not a ton, so if you'd like more, just double the recipe. Mix and enjoy!