A Grilled chicken salad is the perfect summer dinner, and this recipe is my favorite! Tender chicken is paired with crisp veggies, feta, strawberries, avocado, and cherry tomatoes, all tied together with a tangy honey-mustard dressing.
Anyone else want to give up their kitchen for the summer? Close shop and come back in September when the weather is cooler?
Okay, not exactly an option if you’re a food blogger, but if I can avoid standing over the stove or turning on the oven when it’s warm, that’s a win for me.
This Grilled Chicken Salad is the perfect meal for my kitchen avoiders. Grill the chicken outside, mix up the salad and dressing in the kitchen, then have dinner on the patio so you can enjoy the cool evening breeze.
Oh, and make yourself a Skinny Margarita or St. Germain cocktail, too. You can’t have dinner on the terrace without a fancy drink. (I made this rule up, but it’s a good one.)
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Salad
With so many grilled chicken salads in this wonderful world of ours, what makes this one a standout salad? Well I’m glad you asked!
- It starts with the best chicken. My reader-favorite grilled chicken recipe, to be precise, with your choice of marinade. Always tender, always juicy and perfectly charred for maximum flavor.
- It’s full of contrasting textures and flavors. Crunchy Almonds! Juicy strawberries and tomatoes! Crunchy green! Creamy Avocado! Sweet, savory, salty, umami – all together make a very delicious salad.
- However, this dressing. With honey, Dijon and bright, citrusy lemon, it’s spoonful and perfect for bringing it all together. So a lot of taste!
How to make grilled chicken salad
Like most salads, this one is very adaptable.
I’m sharing some ideas below, or you can use my BBQ Chicken Salad or Caribbean Chicken Salad recipes for inspiration.
Top!
Make sure the greens are up complete dry before assembling the salad. This will make the lettuce tastier and prevent it from becoming soggy.
The ingredients
For the salad
- grilled chicken breast. I like to make them for dinner one night and then set aside two breasts to make this grilled chicken salad the next night. Cook once, eat twice!
- Sliced ​​Almonds. Feel free to swap out walnuts or even cashews.
- Red onion or shallot. These add a bit of punch to the salad, but I have a secret way to tone down their flavor to make them palatable, even if you’re not usually a fan of raw onions.
- Romaine lettuce and baby spinach. The green base of the salad.
- strawberries. Strawberries don’t look so hot in the supermarket? Swap blueberries.
- cherry tomatoes. Adds colour, flavor and juicy acidity.
- avocados. These add a creamy texture and some healthy fats to your salad.
- Kosher salt. Don’t forget to season your salads!
- feta cheese. Goat cheese is also delicious in this grilled chicken salad.
For the dressing
- lemon juice. Freshly squeezed, not out of the bottle!
- Extra virgin olive oil. Our dressing basis.
- Honey. Adds a touch of sweetness.
- Dijon mustard. This adds a nice depth to the dressing and makes it a lot tastier than a simple lemon vinaigrette.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. Classic.
The directions
- toasting almonds. This brings out their taste.
- Soak the red onion. This will remove the hard bite.
- Make the dressing. A liquid measuring cup is a simple vessel.
- throw everything together. ENJOY!
recipe variations
- Salad with grilled shrimp. Swap out the grilled chicken for grilled shrimp – I have a great recipe for grilled shrimp spices!
- Grilled chicken salad with whole grains. Add cooked quinoa or farro to your salad for extra texture and protein.
- Fruity grilled chicken salad. Substitute a balsamic vinaigrette for the honey Dijon dressing, then use sliced ​​ripe peaches in place of the tomatoes.
- Veggie-Packed Grilled Chicken Salad. Instead of strawberries, add cucumber slices and corn freshly cut from the cob.
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad. No time for a barbecue? This salad recipe works with rotisserie chicken or even leftover baked chicken breasts.
storage tips
- To store. It is best to store lettuce, dressing and chicken separately. The chicken and salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, while the dressing will keep for a week. Once assembled, the salad will keep in the fridge for about a day.
- To warm up. Reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through.
- Freeze. With so many fresh ingredients, this is not a recipe that freezes well.
Meal prep tip
Prepare the chicken ahead of time and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can assemble the salad ahead of time, but don’t arrange it until you’re ready to serve to avoid the vegetables becoming soggy.
remnants of ideas
Turn your grilled chicken salad into a wrap! Pop the ingredients into a tortilla, roll it up like a burrito, and you’ve turned your salad into a portable lunch. Or take inspiration from Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad and mix it up with cooked pasta.
What to serve with grilled chicken salad
- Non-slip cutting board. I like this cutting board because it doesn’t absorb smells and flavors – meaning no more fruit tasting like onions!
- mixing bowls. Yes, it’s glass, but they’re absolutely indestructible because they’re Duralex.
- citrus press. I love this lemon squeezer because it also has a lime insert. Comfortable!
Get out and enjoy an al fresco dinner tonight with this summery grilled chicken salad.
frequently asked Questions
Grilled chicken salad is a great way to pack in protein and veggies. The combination of lean protein, fresh produce, healthy fats and fiber makes it a super nutritious meal.
Yes, you can make grilled chicken salad ahead of time, but I recommend keeping the chicken, dressing, and remaining ingredients separate and assembling just before serving.
A light vinaigrette goes best with grilled chicken salad; a creamy, heavier dressing takes some of the lightness and freshness away from this recipe. I make a dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon, but a balsamic vinaigrette or red wine vinegar vinaigrette works well too.
For the salad
- 2 medium grilled chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 Cup sliced ​​almonds
- ½ small red onion or 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce about 1 big heart
- 4 cups baby spinach about 4 ounces
- 8th ounces strawberries peeled and quartered (about 1/2 pint)
- 1 Cup cherry tomatoes halved (about 6 ounces)
- 2 ripe avocados diced, shared
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ Cup feta cheese
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Roast Almonds: Place almonds in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so that nothing burns. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking and stirring until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. Immediately transfer to a plate or bowl to cool.
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Place the sliced ​​onion in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad (this will keep the flavor but remove the onion bite).
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Make the dressing: In a medium bowl or spouted measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk together until combined.
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Place the romaine and spinach in a large bowl. Add the strawberries, tomatoes and 1 of the avocados. Sprinkle with salt. Drain the red onion, pat dry and add as well. Add the chicken. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat (I find clean hands are an ideal tossing tool). Estimate the amount of dressing. You want the leaves to be nice and moist but not swimming in the dressing. Add a little more if needed to suit your preferences.
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Add the remaining avocado, feta and almonds. Swirl gently again to combine. Serve immediately, with additional dressing on the side if you like.
Portion: 2GCalories: 630kcalCarbohydrates: 32GProtein: 38GFat: 42GSaturated Fatty Acids: 9GPolyunsaturated fat: 6GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 24GTrans fats: 0.003GCholesterol: 98mgPotassium: 1320mgFiber: 12GSugar: 15GVitamin A: 7382ieVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 264mgIron: 4mg
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