Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts your new favorite summer salad. Sure, you’ve probably seen the Watermelon Feta combination before. So 2010, am I right? Heck you’ve probably even seen Watermelon, Feta and Blueberry together. But really, does anyone ever get tired of this combination in the summer? Answer: NO. It’s just so freaking refreshing, with the sweetness from the watermelon and blueberry combining with the saltiness from the feta? Plus, can I get a hell yeah little red, white and blue action around here for the 4th of July this holiday weekend?
Heck yes. But you know me and my total inability to follow recipes or food trends to the T…I just had to put my own spin on it. So I took some of Tessemae’s delicious Honey Balsamic dressing, marinated some chicken and grilled it up, then threw that on top of this already glorious salad, plus some macadamia nuts. Oh, and to make it even more fancy AF, I topped it all off with a balsamic reduction.
Whaaaaaaat. Drooling? Yep. It’s fine.
But wait…cheese? Dana? I’m missing something here. Aren’t you lactose intolerant? Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Lately, since I’ve been healing up my gut for a while, I’ve been trying to eat more foods I used to have issues eating to see how I react to them. Feta is one of the ones that’s been going really well! Most people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate goat cheese better than cow cheese, but it’s the opposite for me. I eat goat cheese? I feel like I want to die inside, and my face breaks out. So no thanks. But with feta, I feel great! and CHEESE!! I don’t eat it all the time, but when I do, it’s usually in this salad. And its freaking delicious!
To make this salad awesome, make sure you’re using the freshest produce you can find. For me, that means getting it at my local CSA/Farmers Market, or from the awesome folks at From the Farmer. I’ve worked with with this local DC/Maryland/Virginia farm-fresh produce delivery company before on my Balsamic Broccoli, Apple & Sweet Potato Salad, and the company has only grown from there! They connect with local family farms and deliver their fresh fruits and vegetables right to their customers’ front doors, plus they have this awesome new marketplace where you can get goodies like local meats, kombucha, fresh baked goods, and the like! Pair that with an awesome company like Tessemae’s with some kicka** dressings to spruce up that produce? And you’ve got a total win. This summer I’ll be bringing you guys recipes using fresh produce from From the Farmer and Tessemae’s every week! Oh heck yes.
Now go make your new favorite salad! This one, duh.
- 4 chicken breast halves
- ¼ cupTessemae’s Honey Balsamic Dressing, plus additional, for serving
- 8 cups lettuce
- 2 cups diced watermelon
- ½ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup chopped feta
- ¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- Optional: balsamic glaze, for topping
- Marinate the chicken in the Tessemae’s Honey Balsamic Dressing for at least an hour in the refrigerator, or up to overnight.
- Once the chicken has marinated, preheat an outdoor grill on medium heat. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and the juices run clear.
- When the chicken is done, allow it to rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, watermelon, blueberries, feta, and macadamia nuts. Slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad. If desired, toss with more Honey Balsamic, or a balsamic glaze. Eat up!
This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with From the Farmer and Tessemae’s. Stay tuned for more recipes featuring summer produce and Tessemae’s dressings!
Looking for other ways to use up your fresh summer produce with Tessemae’s dressings? Check these out!
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus with Garlic Scape Pesto
Honey Balsamic Salmon & Grilled Peach Salad with Prosciutto & Candied Pecans
One-Pan Greek Summer Shrimp Skillet
