Description
This Grilled Chicken Salad is a vibrant and healthy dish featuring juicy marinated grilled chicken breast served over crisp romaine lettuce with fresh cherry tomatoes, corn, cucumber, red onion, crumbled bacon, blue cheese, and creamy avocado. Tossed in a tangy lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, this salad combines bold flavors and textures perfect for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely minced shallot
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (fresh, thawed from frozen or canned)
- 3/4 cup cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Place the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, minced shallot, dried oregano, dried parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Divide the dressing: Pour half of the dressing into a separate container and set it aside for later use as salad dressing.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the bowl with the remaining half of the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Cover and marinate the chicken for at least one hour or up to eight hours to infuse flavor.
- Preheat the grill: Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill to medium-high heat, preparing it for cooking the chicken breasts.
- Grill the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and place them on the hot grill. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Rest and slice chicken: Transfer the grilled chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to retain juices, then slice the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble the salad base: Place the chopped romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl. Drizzle half of the reserved dressing over the lettuce and toss gently to coat.
- Add toppings: Arrange the grilled chicken slices, cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, chopped cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled bacon, blue cheese, and sliced avocado artfully on top of the lettuce.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle the remaining dressing evenly over the salad toppings. Serve immediately for the freshest taste and texture.
Notes
- For best results, marinate the chicken for at least one hour but no longer than eight hours to avoid overpowering the chicken with acid.
- You can substitute grilled chicken with leftover rotisserie chicken if short on time.
- Use fresh corn when in season; canned or thawed frozen corn also works well.
- Adjust the sugar in the dressing according to your taste preference for sweetness.
- To make it gluten-free, verify that the Dijon mustard and vinegar do not contain additives with gluten.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
