Grilled Chicken Salad with Homemade Herb Vinaigrette

nibbleboard.com/recipes/grilled-chicken-salad

Prep:20 min

Cook:12 min

Total:32 min

Servings:4

Ingredients

Salad

6 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¾ cup cucumber, chopped
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup cooked crumbled bacon (about 4-5 slices)
½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons finely minced shallot
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons dried parsley
⅔ cup olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions

Whisk together lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, shallot, oregano, parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.
Pour half the dressing into a sealed container and refrigerate — this is your salad dressing for later.
Add the chicken breasts to the bowl with the remaining dressing and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Oil the grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil.
Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Place on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden char marks form and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes — this keeps the juices locked inside. Slice against the grain into ½-inch strips.
Place the chopped romaine in a large bowl. Drizzle half of the reserved dressing over the lettuce and toss lightly to coat.
Arrange the sliced chicken, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, red onion, bacon, blue cheese, and avocado in sections on top of the dressed lettuce. Drizzle the remaining dressing over everything and serve immediately.

Nutrition per Serving

684Calories

18gProtein

26gCarbs

60gFat

Chef Tips

Pound your chicken breasts to an even ¾-inch thickness before marinating — uneven chicken means one end dries out while the other is still raw inside.
If you're short on time, even 20 minutes of marinating makes a noticeable difference, but overnight is the sweet spot for maximum flavor.
Swap blue cheese for crumbled feta or goat cheese if you prefer something milder.
Prep the dressing and chop all the salad toppings while the chicken marinates so assembly takes under 5 minutes once the chicken is off the grill.
Store leftover grilled chicken and salad components separately — dressed salad turns soggy within hours, but undressed components keep well for 3 days.

Storage

Store undressed salad components and grilled chicken separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep dressing in a sealed jar for up to 1 week.