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By Katie Workman
5 from 1 vote
on Jul 17, 2022, Updated Jun 29, 2023
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A simple summer lunch. Grill extra chicken and vegetables and have these salads all week long!
There is much to love about a grilled chicken salad. And while some can get very ornate, piled with various ingredients, they can also be just perfect made simply, like this one.
You might also want to switch it up with Grilled Shrimp Salad.
Marinade and Dressing for Grilled Chicken Salad
The dressing is very simple and you will use half of it to marinate the chicken before grilling it, then the rest to dress the salad.
You can feel free to swap in lemon juice for the lime, other herbs for the oregano or thyme, and another member of the onion family, like shallots or scallions. You can use halved cherry tomatoes in place of the larger chunks of tomatoes if you wish.
Grilled Chicken Salad: A simple summer lunch. Grill extra chicken and vegetables and have these salads all week long!
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Grilling Chicken for Grilled Chicken Salad
You can grill your chicken on a grill, whether gas, charcoal, or pellet. You can also use a grill pan, or if you have an indoor grill or panini machine, that works perfectly, too. And there is no reason you can’t make this salad with chicken cooked in a regular pan – you won’t have the pretty grill marks, but the chicken will still be moist, flavorful and delicious.
Also see 10 Things to Do To Get Your Grill Ready for Summer!
Grilled Vegetables in Grilled Chicken Salad
Grill the corn alongside the chicken. The corn can also be cooked in a different way if you’re not using live fire. Try and get some nice browning on the kernels, which adds sweetness and eye appeal to this salad.
The jalapenos are optional, but if you have the grill going they will cook at the same time as the corn and chicken. They will blister up and char as you turn them. Then, once they are cool, they can be peeled seeded and diced and minced, then added to the reserved dressing. They add wonderful smoky heat, but with the seeds and removed they won’t blow the roof off spicy-wise. If you love hot pepper heat, leave a bit of the seeds in!
What to Serve With Grilled Chicken Salad
Truly this is a one-dish meal, BUT if you are looking to create a summer menu, then pair this salad with any of the following dishes.
- Asparagus with Scallion Chimichurri Sauce
- Classic Potato Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Grilled Pizzas
More Summer Salad Recipes
- Late Summer Cobb Salad
- Summer Whole Grain and Vegetable Salad
- Grilled Shrimp Salad
- Tomato Panzanella
- Chopped Salad with Chicken
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5 from 1 vote
Grilled Chicken Salad
By: Katie Workman
A simple summer lunch. Grill extra chicken and vegetables and have these salads all week long!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 People
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 medium onion , minced
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 2 ears corn , shucked
- 3 jalapeno peppers (optional)
- 2 large heads bibb lettuce , torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 large ripe tomatoes , cored and cut into chunks
- 1 red onion , halved and very thinly sliced
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 cup diced or sliced feta cheese
- Herbs sprigs to garnish (thyme or oregano)
Instructions
Make the marinade: in a container large enough to hold the chicken breasts, combine the olive oil, lime juice, onion, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Pour half of the marinade into a cup or small container and refrigerate, covered, while you finish the salad. Add the chicken and the jalapeno peppers, turn to coast the chicken and peppers well, and refrigerate, covered, for about 3 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove the chicken and the peppers from the marinade. Add the corn to the grill along with the chicken and peppers, and grill for about 6 to 12 minutes in total (the peppers will take about 6, the corn 8 to 10 minutes the chicken 10 to 12 minutes), turning the corn, chicken and peppers frequently as they develop grill marks. Remove from the grill when until the chicken is cooked through, the corn has nice brown char marks in spots, and the peppers are softened and have char marks all over the outside. Remove the chicken, corn and peppers to a plate and allow to cool to just warm or room temperature.
Peel the jalapeno peppers (if using), discard the core, seeds, and inner ribs and mince the peppers, then add them to the reserved dressing. Stir or shake to combine. Slice the kernels from the corn cobs.
Assemble the salad: Slice the chicken breasts crosswise. In a large bowl toss the lettuce with half of the reserved dressing, then place it on a large shallow serving bowl or platter. Peel and thinly slice the avocados. Arrange the chicken, avocados, tomatoes, corn, onions and feta attractively over the salad. Or, you can divide the ingredients between 6 plates, if you’re going restaurant-style. Drizzle over as much of the rest of the dressing as you like.
Notes
The jalapenos are optional, but if you have the grill going they will cook at the same time as the corn and chicken. They will blister up and char as you turn them. Then, once they are cool, they can be peeled seeded and diced and minced, then added to the reserved dressing. They add wonderful smoky heat, but with the seeds and removed they won’t blow the roof off spicy-wise. If you love hot pepper heat, leave a bit of the seeds in!
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 184mg, Potassium: 1073mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2033IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 55mg, Iron: 2mg
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