Chicken Salad with Peaches, Avocado & Fresh Raspberry Dressing
Published on July 28, 2025
Quick Summary
This fresh and vibrant summer chicken salad is loaded with juicy peaches, creamy avocado, hearty farro, feta, almonds, and a tangy homemade raspberry dressing. It’s easy to throw together, full of texture and flavor, and perfect for lunches, light dinners, or taking to potlucks and parties!
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Pin ItA Fresh Summer Chicken Salad That’s Always a Showstopper
This salad is everything I want in a summer recipe: fresh, beautiful, easy to throw together, and full of flavor. It’s one of those dishes that looks impressive on the table but comes together with minimal effort, and once people taste it, they’ll be asking for the recipe.
The combination of juicy peaches, creamy avocado, salty feta, peppery arugula, and that bright, fresh raspberry dressing is just next-level. It’s sweet, savory, creamy, tangy, and crunchy all in one bite.
And the best part? The dressing is just smashed raspberries, olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, and a touch of honey — no blender required! Smashing the berries by hand is quick, fun, and leaves the dressing looking beautifully rustic and full of color.
You can use grilled chicken, leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken to make it even easier — or leave it out completely for a vegetarian version. Want to keep the protein? Just toss in some chickpeas instead. This salad is super flexible and totally delicious no matter how you customize it.
Whether you’re making it for a quick lunch, a light dinner, a summer dinner party, or bringing it to a potluck — it’s a refreshing crowd-pleaser every time.
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
- Arugula: Adds a fresh, peppery bite. Swap with baby spinach or mixed greens for a milder flavor.
- Grilled or shredded chicken: Use freshly grilled, leftover, or rotisserie chicken for convenience. For a vegetarian option, leave it out or substitute chickpeas for protein.
- Fresh peaches: Use ripe but firm peaches so they hold their shape and add juicy sweetness without turning mushy. Nectarines also work well.
- Cooked farro: Nutty and chewy, it adds heartiness. Quinoa, couscous, or brown rice can be used instead.
- Diced cucumber: Adds a cool, crisp texture.
- Avocado: Creamy and rich; pick a ripe but firm avocado to hold its shape.
- Sliced almonds: Provide crunch; toast lightly for extra flavor.
- Crumbled feta cheese: Salty and tangy! Goat cheese or parmesan make good substitutes. If you need the salad to be dairy-free, you can omit the cheese.
- Sliced red onion: Adds sharpness and color.
- Fresh Raspberry Dressing: A bright, tangy mix of fresh smashed raspberries, olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper, so easy to make!
Tips for Making the Salad
- Make the farro in advance and cook it just until tender—a bit al dente for a nice chewy texture—and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Smash the raspberries: No need to drag out the blender! Just mash the berries with a fork or spoon in a small bowl — it’s quick, fun, and makes the dressing gorgeous.
- Let the dressing sit for a few minutes after smashing the raspberries to let the flavors meld.
- Use leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this salad even easier and add great flavor with minimal effort.
- Toast the almonds lightly in a dry skillet to bring out their natural oils and add a deeper crunch and flavor.
- Wait to dress the salad until just before serving—once tossed, the raspberry dressing lightly tints the greens and other ingredients a reddish-pink, which is pretty but can look a little messy if it sits too long.
- If you prep ahead, keep components separate and combine just before serving.
Chicken Salad with Peaches, Avocado & Raspberry Dressing
Ingredients
For the raspberry dressing:
- 6 oz fresh raspberries
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 5 oz arugula
- 2 cups chopped grilled chicken or shredded chicken
- 2 peaches, sliced
- 1 cup cooked farro
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
Instructions
- Put the raspberries in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until smooth.
- Add the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined. The dressing will be a little thick and that’s ok.
- In a large serving bowl or on a large platter, combine the arugula, chicken, farro, cucumber, peach slices, avocado, almonds, feta, and red onion.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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More Summer Salad Recipes
- Blackberry Peach Arugula Salad
- Summer Farro Salad
- Berry Kale Salad
- Strawberry Burrata Salad
- Tomato Peach Burrata Salad
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