For all of the flavors of summer in a bowl, this Summer Harvest Salad (a Tender Greens seasonal menu copycat recipe) will feel like dining al fresco on a hot summer night. Complete with stone fruit, berries, creamy goat cheese, and grilled chicken, this salad comes together with an easy balsamic vinaigrette and it’s absolutely going to become your next salad obsession.

a bowl of salad in the foreground with a large salad bowl full of peach and goat cheese salad, fresh leafy greens, blueberries, grilled peaches, chicken, pistachios, and goat cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette being poured on top

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Summer Harvest Salad with Grilled Stone Fruit and Chicken

I was driving from my home in Mar Vista to North Hollywood for a meeting with students from my old graduate school (I got both of my degrees from Carnegie Mellon University), and needed to stop for lunch. I found a Tender Greens in Studio City and was so excited to eat there. It had been a LONG time since I last had Tender Greens. I feel like they used to be everywhere in LA but in recent years we’ve set aside our Tender Greens obsession and replaced it with Sweetgreen.

Anyway, I wanted something healthy, a hearty salad, and their seasonal Summer Harvest Salad caught my eye. It had grilled peaches, blackberries, creamy goat cheese, caramelized onions, pistachios, golden balsamic vinaigrette, and grilled chicken. It was literally perfect. I am salivating again just writing this paragraph.

I LOVE summer fruits, I’m OBSESSED with grilled peaches. And I CAN’T GET ENOUGH of adding goat cheese to salads. Also, pistachio is like… my favorite nut ever. This salad was made for me.

Instead of spending over $20+tax+tip on this salad, I decided to make a copycat version at home, so I could spend just as much money on the simple ingredients and get several days worth of this perfect salad to munch on for lunch.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s the perfect blend of flavors and textures. Creamy, tangy goat cheese. Crunch and saltiness from some roasted pistachios. Juiciness from the grilled peaches and berries.
A great way to use up summer produce. C’mon, we’ve all bought a massive bag of peaches and got sick of making cobblers and pies.
It’s literally perfect??? What more do you need me to say???

Ingredients for Summer Harvest Salad

Stone fruit: I used yellow peaches, but you can use nectarines or white peaches!
Berries: I used blueberries, and the Tender Greens salad uses blackberries. If you really want to go out on a limb, use raspberries.
Creamy cheese: Goat cheese is the GOAT, but if you’re not a huge fan of goat cheese, feta is a great alternative. If you’re like, REALLY not a fan of the sharp tanginess of either of those cheeses, use those tiny mozzarella pearls for something much more mild.
Nuts: I use a honey roasted pistachio for this salad, but you can use any other nut you might already have on hand (almonds or walnuts are great alternatives).
Chicken: Fire up the grill and slap some chicken breasts on there, baby!
Balsamic vinaigrette: It’s literally so easy to make a better-for-you balsamic vinaigrette at home with pantry staples. All you need is balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, some garlic, and salt & pepper.

How to Make Peach & Goat Cheese Salad with Chicken

Here’s a brief overview of the salad-making process (with photos!), but scroll further to find the detailed recipe card with measurements and more detailed steps!

Cook the chicken: Grill it. Pan sear it. Air fry it. However you choose to cook it, make sure it’s cooked to an internal temp of 165ºF and seasoned to perfection! Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cubing or slicing the chicken.
Grill the peaches: Slice the peaches to about 1/4-1/2″ thickness, brush lightly with olive oil, then add to a grill pan or grill, cooking for just a few minutes and gets those beautiful grill marks.
Make the dressing: Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously to mix well.
Assemble the salad: Lay down a bed of leafy mixed greens, then add chicken, grilled peaches, blueberries, goat cheese, pistachios, and a drizzle of that balsamic vinaigrette.

searing chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper on a skillet — Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper, then cook in a skillet over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through.

Grilled chicken chopped up into cubes — Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes, then chop into cubes.

Peach slices grilling on a grill pan — Slice peaches to 1/4-1/2″ thickness, then brush with oil. Grill on a grill pan for 2-4 minutes per side.

Olive oil, dijon, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil added to a jar — Add olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a jar

salad dressing in a jar — Add the cover to the jar and tighten, then shake vigorously to mix the salad dressing

mixed leafy greens and chicken in a large salad bowl — Add mixed leafy greens to a salad bowl and top with grilled chicken

peaches, leafy mixed greens, and chicken in a salad bowl — Add grilled peaches to the salad

summer harvest salad with peaches, leafy mixed greens, chicken, blueberries, goat cheese, and pistachios in a salad bowl — Top with pistachios

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Swap the protein: Steak would be absolutely delicious here, too!
Change the cheese: Not a goat cheese fan? Some cheeses you can use in place of goat cheese are feta, blue cheese, mozzarella pearls, or shaved parmesan.
Nut alternatives: Instead of pistachios, you can use almonds or walnuts.
Different dressing: Tender Greens uses a golden balsamic dressing, so if you have golden balsamic vinegar on hand, use that instead of balsamic vinegar! Champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar would also be great vinegar swaps here.
Other toppings: The original Tender Greens recipe also included caramelized onions. I opted not to add these just to simplify the recipe and cooking process, but if you have the time and desire to add some, it’s absolutely delicious! You can also add some golden raisins or fresh basil.

Storing and Reheating Summer Harvest Salad

I prefer to store each part of the salad in separate containers so I can reheat chicken and quickly grab as much as I need to assemble a salad for lunch or dinner. Always store the dressing separately so the greens don’t get soggy and wilted.

Equipment