Easy Grilled Chicken Salad Recipes
When it comes to a healthy green salad, adding grilled chicken can make your meal be more filling with very few extra calories. Here are 9 different healthy recipe ideas for your next easy grilled chicken salad.
While Im no expert in grilling chicken, I can definitely assemble a colorful and delicious green salad. Ive been working on my grilling though and I think my grilled chicken is getting much better!
May Be High In Calories
Mayonnaise is often the chosen binder for chicken salad. Though it provides a creamy, rich texture, it may also add a significant number of calories.
Though many of the nuts and dried fruits added to chicken salad are plenty nutritious rich in fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals they also tend to be higher in calories than other fruits and vegetables.
In addition to the ingredients in the chicken salad itself, what you serve your chicken salad with will affect the calorie content of the dish.
Serving a chicken salad sandwich on a buttery croissant or another refined grain product, such as white bread, adds more calories without a lot of nutrition. Serving your chicken with nutrient-rich vegetables might be a better option.
Why This Healthy Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe Works
- This grilled chicken salad is super fresh and bright its like summer in a bowl!
- The entire salad is wonderfully balanced with soft, tender, creamy, and crunchy textures and consistencies!
- Its also a very balanced meal nutritionally with a combination of protein, greens, healthy fats, and fruit.
- This recipe is super versatile as long as you follow my formula for the best grilled chicken salad below, then there are tons of ways to customize it to your liking based on what you have available!
- Its also packed with protein with the combination of grilled chicken and toasted nuts.
- Prepare this salad fresh or meal-prep it in advance!
- Weather not playing ball? This leafy green salad with grilled chicken and fruit is just as enjoyable with other types of chicken .
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Recipe Notes Tips And Substitutes
- Chicken: we prefer using chicken breast since they are leaner. But you can use boneless chicken thighs. If you dont like chicken, use shrimp.
- We used romaine lettuce to make this salad but any other lettuce will do.
- Greek yogurt: this can be replaced with plain whole milk yogurt.
- You can use Avocado oil in place of olive oil
- Make sure the avocado you use is firm and not overripe.
- Do allow the chicken to sit for 5 minutes before cutting them.
- Do not overcook the chicken, it will come out dry and rubbery.
Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe
Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe perfect juicy grilled chicken, grilled corn off the cob, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and onion make for a delicious summer salad! Simple oil and vinegar dressing is the perfect finishing touch.
If you want to add more crunch, you need to try my Homemade Croutons. They are perfect for this salad! Next time you make grilled chicken, make more for this salad.
While barbecue chicken, baked beans, burgers and franks rule summer backyard cookouts, I also find myself craving light and fresh meals. Salad is simply the perfect choice!
This salad is a summer in a bowl! Its colorful and full of flavor. Grilled chicken and corn on the cob are the star ingredients here. This is my favorite way to use any leftovers from my grilled chicken and complement it with corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and red onion.
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More Chicken Salads To Try
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How To Cook The Chicken Fast And Evenly
First, you need to pick the right piece of meat.
Keep in mind that large cuts take longer to cook so if you want to make a healthy grilled chicken salad in just 30 minutes, its best to pick small pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast.
The pieces should be thin and similar sized to cook evenly. If they are thick youll have to pound them to make them thinner.
If they are too large you can cut them into smaller pieces.
This will decrease the cooking time considerably and will get the chicken cooked evenly.
Picking skinless chicken cuts will not only decrease the prep time, but it will also help you lose weight because the skin contains fat.
Hence, this is the best choice if youre on a diet.
One piece of advice that I keep repeating throughout my recipes is that you should bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking.
Otherwise, it will dry out on the outside quicker than it cooks on the inside.
I am sure we all know how dry, crusty chicken breast tastes like, right?
So after taking it out of the fridge, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before cooking.
You could use this as an opportunity to marinate it and I am going to explain to you how in the next step.
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Move Over Boring Saladsthis Pesto Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad Is Here And Will Become Your New Favourite Meal
With another one of my USE THE DRESSING AS A MARINADE type of deal, grilled chicken fillets sit on top of this loaded salad, filled with cucumber pieces, sweet and juicy grape tomatoes, red onion slices, and crumbled up feta cheese! Plus added avocados because WHO doesnt love avocados? Especially in this Pesto Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad!
People, let me tell you about my week. Not only have I had paper work coming out of my ears and have had to count figures and numbers on my fingers more than Id like to care to admit throw in one panic attack , along with moments I forget to BREATHE , and add that we have now expanded Entice Films to 8 team members, WHO all need daily lunches , MY LIFE IS OFFICIALLY HECTIC! Oh, and a recipe book deal. YES! A CAFE DELITES RECIPE BOOK DEAL!
BUT THATS NOT ALL. We are now videoing blogger baking videos. BAKING. Do you understand what this means? This means, GOODBYE DIET, NO WILL POWER, drowning in a never-ending ocean of cookies/brownies/pastries/cakes/slices/pies , and everything else dessert you can imagine.
Start a food blog, they said. Itll be fun, THEY SAID.
So, the moral of this long-winded story is we all NEEDED a salad, like we need oxygen. It was one of those moments wed had enough. Enough sugar. Enough butter. Just enough.
Now, as with all of my recipes, I give you the option of using either store bought OR homemade pesto. The choice is always yours.
Ahhhh, GREEN, parmesan, basil pesto goodness.
Keep Your Protein Lean
Chicken and other types of poultry, like turkey, are naturally lean, or lower in fat.
Using chicken that has been poached, broiled, baked, grilled, microwaved, or steamed helps keep calories lower since these cooking methods typically do not require much added fat.
On the other hand, fried, breaded, canned, and processed types of chicken tend to be higher in fat, salt, and calories per serving.
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Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad
Chicken salad just dont get any better than this one! This delicious Mediterranean salad is loaded with the most amazing ingredients: marinated and grilled chicken breast antipasti olives and peppers tomatoes kale and lets not forget the avocado! This easy salad is dressed with a homemade dressing, too! I love to serve this salad with a side of toasted baguette, too. I can go on and on about how much I love this recipe but you need to try it for yourself!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Quick To Make! Simply grill the chicken, combine the salad ingredients, and top with the creamy homemade dressing!
- Health Benefits! This salad is loaded with protein from the chicken! As well as essential vitamins and minerals from the arugula, greek yogurt-based dressing, and NatureSweet Cherubs!
- Filling Yet Light! I love a meal that fills you up without sitting heavily in your stomach! this Grilled Chicken Salad does just that!
- Big OnFlavor! This easy recipe delivers big on taste! Bright yet earthy flavors are found in the Green Goddess Dressing while the pickled beets offer up a sweet, slightly sour, flavor. Pair that with the tangy, fresh flavor that bursts out of every NatureSweet Cherub, and youre left with a salad that pleases your palate!
- Homemade Dressing! As always, anything homemade beats the taste of store bought every single time!
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Ingredients For Grilled Chicken Salad
Chicken I love chicken thighs, but for this recipe chicken breasts make a beautiful presentation. And I have a couple of tips that will result in juicy chicken breasts.
Lettuce because we will be serving the chicken warm over the salad greens, I like to use romaine for its sturdiness. And its crisp, crunchy texture compliments the warm, grilled chicken perfectly.
Tomatoes grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half are perfect for this salad. Their sweet, juicy flavor is a great counterpoint to the chicken.
Onions the red onion variety is my choice for this recipe. Not only do these onions add a gorgeous pop of color to the salad, their crunchy and spicy characteristics create another layer of texture and flavor.
Avocado speaking of textures, this ingredient brings a smooth, creamy quality with a buttery flavor to the party.
Vinaigrette every salad needs to be dressed or its just a lot of veggies hanging out together in my humble opinion. An added bonus, the vinaigrette can double as a marinade for the chicken.
The Best Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
August 15, 2016 by Kari
This recipe for The Best Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is the recipe we make the most often! We make it for company and for date night because its so easy and we never get tired of it. Its gluten free and I love using pine nuts here in place of the usual croutons. The dressing is ultra creamy. And theres a touch of parmesan in there as well which makes for the best flavor.
I have several versions of Caesar Salad on the blog, including one buried so far back in the archives, I even forgot about it. But somehow, my favorite of all favorites hasnt been on the blog until now! While I know using the word best seems like a bit or a reach, I think I can explain.
So just to clarify, this is the best chicken caesar salad Ive ever made or eaten anywhere ever. And since everyone else I know loves it too, I figured you wouldnt mind if I told you it was the best.
My husband loves Caesar Salad even more than I do. And sometimes where we go out to dinner is entirely based off whether or not they have Caesar Salad on the menu. But after years of taste testing so many Caesar Salads, hes kinda given up because most of the time theyre a disappointment.
And even in the best case scenario where he actually likes it, when I ask him how his salad is hell say, its alright, but not nearly as good as yours. Talk about a great compliment right!?!
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Ingredients You Will Need
grilled chicken juicy and flavorful grilled chicken breast that was marinated and cooked on the grill. Once done and it had time to rest , slice the chicken breast thinly and arrange on top of the salad.
grilled corn on the cob easy way to prepare corn on the cob for a summer dinner, is to pull the husks away from the corn, but dont cut them off. Brush corn with garlic butter and place on grill. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning as needed so all sides are cooked. No aluminum foil needed! I recommend cooking the corn first, then the chicken. While chicken is cooking, you will have enough time to cool the corn so its safe to handle, cut off the kernels and place in a salad bowl.
lettuce, tomatoes, onion, avocado classic salad ingredients is all we need here. Avocado is a plus, but feel free to skip it and add a vegetable of your choice.
The Perfect Formula For Best Salad With Grilled Chicken:
- Leafy greens: I used mixed baby greens as the base of my summer chicken salad. They are a staple in our fridge because they are pre-washed, organic, cheap, and every store carries them. Chopped romaine, kale, or arugula would also be delicious! Basically, choose whatever greens you prefer.
- Juicy fruit: If youre not a sweet and savory salad type of person, dont panic. Tomatoes and avocados are two options in this category. What youre looking for are soft and juicy ingredients that pack in a ton of flavor. For those who want a super summer chicken salad, then the addition of fruit like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries is recommended! Other fruit options include apple, peach, mango, or clementine.
Top tip: You can toss them in raw or grill them up alongside the grilled chicken particularly with tomatoes and strawberries.
Using a delicious chicken marinade?Why not double it up and use the leftovers as a salad dressing .
This green salad with grilled chicken combination just never fails. The main thing is to make sure not to omit any of the above categories entirely. However, you can add in bonus extras. Keep reading below for more information on recipe add-ins and variations!
What did I use? This time I combined the grilled chicken with baby greens, raspberries, tomatoes, feta, mixed nuts, and thinly sliced red onion. Topped off with my creamy poppy seed dressing to finish.
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Fast And Easy Grilled Chicken Bbq Salad
Delicious, high protein meal idea for lunch or dinner! This grilled chicken BBQ salad is fast, filling, and can support any weight loss goals.
Green Salads, topped with protein have been critical to helping me with weight loss.
Green salads are low in calories and filing at the same time. You can add a lot of veggies, some low calorie dressings, and it can keep you satiated for hours if you are trying to not eat between meals.
I also decided to get better at using our grill! Even though its the end of summer, and we have an old grill, I havent used it much at all. But I uncovered it this weekend to find that I did pretty good! My chicken breasts came out juicy and the flavor was so much better than an oven baked chicken breast.
So, Ill definitely be giving the grill some more time so I can continue to improve.
For the BBQ sauce, I mentioned in my Grilled Chicken Chick-fil-a post that I found some sugar free BBQ sauce that was amazing! I found it at Walmart, but its the same as this . Its the G Hughes brand, and there are only 10 calories per 2 tablespoons.
I also always use a low calorie salad dressing for Grilled chicken salads. Between the Bolthouse family of dressings , and the Olive Garden Light Italian, I could eat salads three times per day!
Fresh And Summery Grilled Chicken Salad
When the sun comes out, for our family, that means its grilling weather! We get to spend time as a family outdoors, eat great food, and step away from our digital devices for a while what could be better? When the grill is ready, along with grill classics, you can never have enough summery salad ideas like this grilled chicken salad.
Not to sound shameless, but Im a bit of a salad queen theres no reason for them to be anything other than delicious , like this, Italian chopped salad, asparagus dijon salad, and white bean salad. Thats certainly the case with this grilled chicken salad recipe packing in tons of flavor, its like summer in a bowl. Even better, its still packed with nutrition, is protein-dense, and will leave you fully satisfied- perfect for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, gatherings, or just a mid-week meal!
This grilled chicken breast salad idea is a treat for your tastebuds too with a delicious combination of protein, healthy fats, leafy greens, crunchy nuts, and savory-sweet fruit and veg. Whether you are firing up the grill fresh, have leftover grilled chicken from the night before, or have spent a weekend testing chicken marinades , learning how to make the best grilled chicken salad recipe is a must-do for all!
Best of all, this recipe is super versatile. Follow my outlined formula below for the perfect ratio of flavors and textures. Grilled chicken salad has never looked as good!
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How To Make Grilled Chicken Salad
As I mentioned above, prepping the veggies ahead of time and storing them in the refrigerator until assembly makes getting this salad on the table a breeze. The only vegetable that you shouldnt prep before hand is the avocado as many varieties tend to oxidize, turning brown once theyre cut.
I did say that I had a couple of tricks to ensure that the chicken breasts stay juicy and flavorful. If youd like, you can brine the chicken the night before following these instructions. Or as indicated in the recipe, use a portion of the vinaigrette as a marinade.
Much like the Grilled Chicken Kebobs, marinating the chicken breasts only takes 30 minutes. So if you dont have 4 8 hours to brine, this is the perfect option. Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag, drizzle 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over, massage to distribute the marinade, and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
The last tip that I have for you for juicy, tender chicken breasts is use an instant read thermometer. The temperature should read 155F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
And the bonus tip. Make sure that you allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before you slice it. This will allow the juices to redistribute through the breast.
The last time I made this recipe, one of the chicken breasts was done after 10 minutes total cooking time while the other took 15 minutes total. I like to check every 5 minutes to ensure that I dont overcook them.
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