Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, grease your loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter. Set aside.
Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a separate large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until fully combined and no dry spots remain. Be careful not to overmix.
Prep the berries. Pat dry the chopped strawberries thoroughly to remove any excess moisture and prevent the bread from becoming too soggy. Set aside 2-3 tablespoons of strawberries for topping the loaf. Toss these reserved strawberries with 1½ tablespoons of flour, gently mixing to coat evenly.
Add the berries. Fold the remaining strawberries and the optional white chocolate chips into the batter. Be gentle to avoid overmixing and breaking up the strawberries.
Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Evenly distribute the floured strawberries over the top of the batter, pressing them in slightly. Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. After about 40 minutes, cover the loaf loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf; it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Once baked, allow the loaf to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before gently turning it out onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer, slowly adding the milk until the glaze reaches a very thick consistency—thick enough that it’s almost too thick to pour. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar until it thickens. Once the loaf has cooled completely, spoon the glaze over the top or put it in a piping bag and drizzle it back and forth over the loaf.