Description
A flavorful and refreshing Grilled Chicken Salad featuring tender marinated chicken breasts, charred corn, crisp Romaine lettuce, savory bacon, and a zesty homemade dressing with lemon, garlic, and herbs. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Salad:
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness about 1/2-inch
- 2 ears fresh corn, husked
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce, chopped, rinsed, dried in a salad spinner
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Make Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, dijon mustard, honey, and garlic. Season with 1 tsp black pepper but do not add salt yet.
- Marinate Chicken: Whisk dressing again, then scoop out 1/3 cup of the mixture and pour into a gallon size resealable bag. Add 1 tsp salt to the bag, then add chicken breasts. Seal the bag while pressing out excess air and rub the dressing evenly over the chicken. Refrigerate to marinate for 1 to 4 hours.
- Prepare Remaining Dressing: Season the remaining dressing mixture with salt to taste, transfer to an airtight container, and chill until ready to serve. If olive oil solidifies, let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat Grill: Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grill Chicken: Place the marinated chicken on the grill and cook about 5 to 6 minutes per side with the grill lid closed, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
- Grill Corn: Grill the husked corn for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly charred.
- Cool and Slice: Let the grilled chicken rest and cool for 20 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces. Cut the kernels off the grilled corn cobs.
- Assemble Salad: In a large salad bowl or on 5 individual serving plates, layer Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, corn kernels, chopped bacon, grape tomatoes, red onion slices, avocado slices, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Toss and Serve: Shake the dressing container to recombine ingredients, then pour over the salad. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately.
Notes
- For perfectly crispy bacon, cook it in the oven on a foil or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet at 400°F for 10 to 20 minutes depending on thickness. Cook in a single layer and you can fit pieces close together. Leftover bacon works well for breakfast or sandwiches.
- Marinating the chicken between 1 to 4 hours allows for better absorption of flavors; do not exceed 4 hours to prevent texture changes.
- If the olive oil in the dressing solidifies in the fridge, simply let it sit at room temperature to liquefy before using.
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is safely cooked to 165°F.
- Grilled corn adds a sweet smoky flavor; fresh ears work best, but frozen corn can be substituted and grilled in a grill basket.
Nutrition
- Calories: 651 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 725mg
- Fat: 41g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
