This Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad is an easy copycat recipe that’s so much cheaper to make at home! It’s the perfect sweet and savory combo, featuring juicy peaches, creamy goat cheese and lots of fresh basil. Round it out with some blackened chicken for protein, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette for a salad that’ll become your new summer favorite!
The other day I noticed that Sweetgreen dropped 3 new limited edition summer menu items, one of them being a peach and goat cheese salad. And because I’m absolutely obsessed with juicy, ripe peaches right now, I knew I had to re-create it. But Sweetgreen’s version costs $13.75 without any protein on it, and $17.50 if you add blackened chicken…criminal! By making it at home, we get 4 servings, each with a hefty portion of protein for wayyyy cheaper.
Now if the price differential isn’t enough to convince ya, lemme just talk about the satisfying flavors and textures for a second. Kyle and I both agreed that a simple, loaded salad is one of the best dinners ever — it’s healthy but also filling. And there’s no better time than now to be adding peaches to all your meals…they are just so sweet and juicy! Paired with the soft, crumbly goat cheese and some fresh basil, this salad is screaming summer.
Did I mention this peach and goat cheese salad is incredibly easy too!? The only cooking involved is for the blackened chicken (and you can reduce the time commitment even further by substituting rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken from Trader Joe’s). It’s just a matter of some chopping and tossing. So with a bit of prep time, you can have lunches ready for the next 4 days!
Why You’ll Love this Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
- It’s much cheaper to make at home, AND includes protein!
- This salad feels light and summer-y but also hearty and filling.
- It’s the perfect way to use up your ripe, juicy peaches!
- This peach and goat cheese salad can be meal prepped for lunch all week long.
- You can customize the portions and add-ins to your liking.
What You Need to Make this Copycat Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
For the Blackened Chicken:
- Chicken Breast: Make sure to either buy thinly sliced or cut each breast in half before marinading (should be about 1/4-1/2″ thick). This will help ensure that the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.
- Olive Oil: Or avocado oil – whatever you prefer for marinading!
- Balsamic Vinegar: Sounds odd, but according to some research, Sweetgreen adds a bit of balsamic into their blackened chicken marinade.
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Coriander, Red Pepper Flakes, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: This is not a traditional blackening mix, but seems to be what Sweetgreen actually uses! If you don’t have one of these spices, you can just use a store-bought blackening seasoning instead.
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Olive Oil: The base of this dressing is a good quality olive oil!
- Balsamic Vinegar: For that tangy, sweet flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: This adds depth of flavor and helps the dressing emulsify, but it’s not the end of the world if you omit it.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste.
For the Peach and Goat Cheese Salad:
- Shredded Kale & Spring Mix: The base of this salad is a mix of shredded kale (curly kale, not lacinato) and spring mix but feel free to just do one or the other if you prefer!
- Peaches: Take advantage of stone fruit season and add some juicy chunks of yellow peach into your salad.
- Goat Cheese: A crucial ingredient that pairs so well with the sweet peaches.
- Cucumber: I used 2 mini cucumbers for this, but you could also use about 1/2 of an English cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise and then sliced into half moons.
- Almonds: Raw or roasted, then roughly chopped. This adds a satisfying crunch, as well as some fiber and healthy fats.
- Basil: To make this salad even more summer-y, toss in some fresh chopped basil which tastes so delicious with the peaches.
How To Make this Easy Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
Marinate the Blackened Chicken:
First, whisk together the oil, balsamic and spices in a medium-sized bowl. Then, add chicken and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably up to 4 hours. You can use this time to chop up and prepare all your other ingredients.
Cook and Cube the Blackened Chicken:
Once the chicken is done marinating, bring a grill pan (or large non-stick pan) to medium heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken and let cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temp is just below 165F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before chopping it into cubes.
Prepare Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Then, add all balsamic vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl or jar and shake or stir until combined and emulsified. Taste and adjust the amount of salt and pepper. Feel free to add a bit of honey or maple syrup if you prefer your dressings sweeter!
Assemble Peach and Goat Cheese Salad:
Assemble your salad starting with ¼ of the kale and spring mix, then top it with goat cheese, peaches, cucumber, almonds, basil and blackened chicken. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over top. Enjoy!
How Many Servings does this Copycat Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad Make?
I tried my best to keep the portions as close as possible to Sweetgreen’s, but the best part about making them at home is that you can adjust everything to your liking! I have estimated that this recipes makes 4 substantial peach and goat cheese salads, but you may be able to stretch it to 5 servings depending on your appetite. Either way, making it at home is way more bang for your buck….and actually includes a solid portion of protein, unlike the Sweetgreen one which costs extra!
How Should I Store Leftovers?
This Copycat Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad is a great one to make for meal prep lunches! If you prefer to re-heat your chicken before eating, I would recommend storing it in a separate container from the remaining ingredients. Additionally, if the salad will be prepped more than 1 day in advance, it’s best to store the lettuce separate from the toppings to prevent it from wilting too quickly. When ready to eat, add your balsamic vinaigrette, toss to combine and enjoy!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Copycat Sweetgreen Recipes?
- Copycat Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl
- Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl
- Copycat Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm Bowl
Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
Equipment
- medium bowl
- spoon or whisk
- grill pan or normal pan
- small bowl or jar
Ingredients
For the Blackened Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast butterflied into thin slices (about ¼-½" thick)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 6 tbsp olive oil (¼ cup + 2 tbsp)
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ tbsp dijon mustard
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 4 oz spring mix
- 4 oz shredded kale
- 4 oz goat cheese crumbled
- 2 large peaches cut into chunks
- 2 mini cucumbers cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
- ⅓ cup almonds roughly chopped
- ½ oz fresh basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bow, whisk together the oil, balsamic and spices. Then, add chicken and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1.5 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Once the chicken is done marinating, bring a grill pan (or large non-stick pan) to medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and let cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is just below 165F. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before chopping into cubes.
- While chicken is resting, prepare the balsamic vinaigrette by adding all ingredients to a small bowl or jar and stirring or shaking until combined and emulsified.6 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, ½ tbsp dijon mustard, kosher salt & black pepper
- Assemble your Sweetgreen Peach and Goat Cheese Salad starting with ¼ of the kale and spring mix, then top it with goat cheese, peaches, cucumber, almonds, basil and blackened chicken. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over top. Enjoy!4 oz spring mix, 4 oz shredded kale, 4 oz goat cheese, 2 large peaches, 2 mini cucumbers, ⅓ cup almonds, ½ oz fresh basil leaves
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.