Grilled Chicken Salad with Fresh Vegetables and Parmesan Recipe
A fresh and flavorful Grilled Chicken Salad featuring juicy, marinated chicken breasts grilled to perfection and served atop a bed of crisp mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and optional avocado. Topped with pepperoncini, Parmesan shavings, and fresh herbs, this salad is dressed with a zesty homemade Italian dressing, making it a perfect healthy and satisfying meal for lunch or dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes (including 30-minute minimum marinating time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ pounds, organic if possible)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 1 romaine heart (about 3 cups)
- 5 cups leafy lettuce, such as butter (Bibb) lettuce or other varieties
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes and drained
- 1 English cucumber (about 2 cups chopped)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
- ½ cup jarred sliced pepperoncini
- ¼ cup Parmesan shavings or shreds
- Fresh basil or dill, for garnish (optional)
Italian Dressing
- See separate recipe for Italian Dressing
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. If not already butterflied, place your hand over each breast and carefully slice horizontally with a sharp knife, leaving one edge intact so it can open like a book. Unfold the breast and cut along the fold to separate into two halves.
- Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken in a container and add olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, dried dill, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix by hand until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to marinate.
- Preheat the Grill: Heat your grill to high, approximately 450 to 550°F, to ensure a nice sear and grill marks.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients and Dressing: While the grill heats, prepare the Italian dressing (if making from scratch). Chop and wash the romaine, lettuce, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and slice the avocado if using.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the marinated chicken on the grill. Cook the first side until grill marks appear and the chicken releases easily from the grates, about 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to retain juiciness.
- Assemble the Salad: On a serving plate, arrange the mixed greens. Top with cucumber, tomatoes, soaked onion slices, sliced avocado, and grilled chicken slices. Scatter pepperoncini and Parmesan shavings over the top. Garnish with fresh basil or dill if desired.
- Dress and Serve: Drizzle the prepared Italian dressing over the salad to taste and serve immediately. If preparing ahead, keep components separate and refrigerate; bring the dressing to room temperature before serving. Store leftover grilled chicken refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Marinate chicken up to 24 hours ahead for enhanced flavor.
- If you prefer, cook chicken on a stovetop grill pan or skillet if a grill is unavailable.
- Soaking red onions in cold water removes pungency and adds crispness.
- Use fresh herbs such as basil or dill to enhance the salad’s aroma.
- For a dairy-free option, omit Parmesan shavings.
- Leftover grilled chicken can be added to wraps or sandwiches.
Keywords: grilled chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, summer salad, grilled chicken recipe, fresh salad with chicken
