I’ve made this salad more than any other on my site. It’s silly it has taken me this long to take a picture of it and share the recipe here! It’s one of my favorite salads to make for a lunch with friends. (But my kids and husband enjoy it too.) The grilled chicken, almonds, and avocado make it hearty. The creamy goat cheese and sweet-tart cranberries make it more interesting. But the dressing is the star. It’s soooo delicious! One of- maybe THE- best salad dressing I’ve ever made/eaten.

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

INGREDIENTS

Orange Poppy Seeding Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil (I’ve also used grape-seed oil)
2 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Salad:
grilled chicken, sliced
baby spinach (I used a mixture of spinach, mixed greens, and romaine)
avocado, pitted and diced
crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
sliced almonds , toasted
sweetened dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Add olive oil, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard and salt to a blender. Pulse until well emulsified. (Or you can whisk to combine all the ingredients in a bowl.) Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

Dressing serves 4.

Adapted from Cooking Classy