Beet Salad with Chicken and Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
This flavor-filled Beet Salad with Chicken makes a great lunch or light dinner. Two types of beets add earthy flavor to the salad. They pair beautifully with candied sunflower seeds, and the delicious lemon-basil vinaigrette.
Beets are healthful, versatile root vegetables, which are harvested from summer through late fall. In this recipe, we use raw and roasted beets, which adds layers of texture that complement the crunchy sunflower seeds.
Makes 4 servings
Free of gluten and all top allergens
Photo: Andrew Grinton
See other allergy-friendly salad recipes here.
Ingredients for Beet Salad
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Candied Sunflower Seeds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dairy-free, soy-free buttery spread
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds (see Recipe Tip)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Beet Salad
- 3 medium golden beets, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup allergy-friendly vegetable broth
- 10 oz butter lettuce or spring mix
- 2 cups cooked sliced chicken
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 oz sugar snap peas or radishes, trimmed and sliced
- 1 medium red beet, spiralized or shaved
Recipe Tips
With sunflower seeds, check the label or email the manufacturer to check if a brand is safe for nut allergies.
Instructions for Beet Salad
- For vinaigrette, in a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, basil, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until emulsified. Transfer to an airtight bottle and refrigerate.
- For candied seeds, preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt maple syrup and buttery spread together in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sunflower seeds and stir to coat. Transfer seeds to the baking sheet, toss with salt and spread into a single layer.
- Bake for 5 minutes, stir and bake for 5 minutes more. Leave oven on, but remove seeds.
- Put golden beets in a baking dish and toss with broth and ¼ cup of vinaigrette. Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes, until fork-tender. Uncover and let cool.
- Put lettuce or spring mix, chicken, tomatoes, snap peas or radishes and golden beets in a large serving bowl. Add lemon basil vinaigrette and toss to combine.
- Break candied sunflower seeds into pieces and sprinkle on salads when serving. Garnish with red beets.
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