My
Shop Sugar-Free
Wholesome Yum
Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook
Get It NowThis post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (Full disclosure)
When I’m grilling chicken breast, one of my favorite ways to use it is for this grilled chicken salad recipe. With a medley of vibrant, fresh vegetables, juicy marinated chicken, and simple lemon vinaigrette, it makes the ultimate healthy lunch (or light dinner). It’s packed with flavor, it’s super easy, and it comes together in just 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe
- Tender, juicy, charred chicken
- Crisp, fresh veggies
- Zesty, slightly sweet lemon vinaigrette
- Simple ingredients
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Packed with protein, naturally low carb, and gluten free
- Perfect for a light dinner or easy lunch
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for salad with grilled chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Grilled Chicken – Use boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can use any kind of grilled chicken for salad, but follow my grilled chicken breast recipe for juicy results every time. The marinade is quick and uses simple ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, honey (or sugar-free honey), garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, and dried oregano. If you prefer chicken thighs, follow my grilled chicken thighs recipe instead, using boneless skinless chicken thighs so that you can easily slice them over the grilled chicken salad.
- Lemon Vinaigrette – This quick 5-minute dressing is made with olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Romaine Lettuce – I use romaine, but you can use any leafy greens you like, such as spinach, arugula, or kale. Chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Slice them in half. You can also do the same using grape tomatoes, or cut larger tomatoes into chunks.
- Cucumbers – Cut them into half moons, or quarter moons if they are large. You can use any kind of cucumber here. English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or seedless cucumbers are all excellent choices.
- Red Onion – Slice them thinly. For a differenf lavor, you can substitute white onions or green onions (scallions).
- Avocado – The perfect creamy addition to any grilled chicken salad! Make sure it’s soft and ripe. You can slice it thinly or dice it into chunks.
How To Make Grilled Chicken Salad
This section shows how to make salad with grilled chicken, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Grill the chicken. Make grilled chicken breast like this, over medium-high heat. The recipe includes a quick chicken marinade. When grilling, make sure to use a meat thermometer so that it’s cooked to perfection.
- Make the dressing. While the chicken marinates, make this lemon vinaigrette recipe. Simply whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the grilled chicken salad. On a large platter or in a large salad bowl, arrange the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and avocado. Slice chicken against the grain and place it over the salad.
- Add the dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss, and serve.
Grilled Chicken Salad Variations
There are lots of ways to customize this grilled chicken salad recipe! Here are some components you can adjust or add to your liking:
- Dressing – The lightly sweet lemon vinaigrette pairs perfectly with the marinated chicken, but just about any dressing works! Ranch dressing or green goddess dressing are my favorites when I want something creamy, or sugar-free honey mustard for a sweeter dressing.
- Cheese – Crumbled cheeses, such as feta, goat cheese, or blue cheese, work well for this healthy grilled chicken salad. You can also try shaved parmesan.
- Bacon – Add even more flavor with crumbled or chopped cooked bacon, or for a shortcut, store-bought bacon bits.
- Crunch – If you want a crunchy contrast, try adding some nuts, such as almonds or pecans, or seeds, such as sunflower seeds.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days, with the dressing stored separately. The dressing will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. If you already added the dressing to the salad, it might last 1 day.
- Meal prep: Grill the chicken, chop the vegetables (but not the avocado), and make the vinaigrette in advance. Store in separate containers in the fridge. Just before serving, warm up the chicken and assemble the salad. (See the best ways to heat the chicken without drying out in my grilled chicken breast post.)
More Grilled Chicken Salad Recipes
There are lots of different ways to make a grilled chicken salad! Try these other salad recipes with chicken, and just use grilled chicken breast in them:
Grilled Chicken Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad (Easy In 30 Minutes!)
Make this grilled chicken salad recipe with juicy chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, and lemon dressing. An easy, healthy meal!
Go Ad-Free
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
Make the grilled chicken breasts according to the instructions here. (The recipe includes a 30-minute marinating time for the chicken.)
-
While the chicken marinates, make the lemon vinaigrette recipe here.
-
On a large platter or in a large bowl, arrange the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and avocado.
-
When the chicken is ready, slice against the grain and arrange over the salad.
-
Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve right away.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram – I’d love to see it!
Related Easy Recipes
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 cups
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Want to save this recipe?
Create a free account to save your favorite recipes!
Sign Up To Save Recipes© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
4 Comments
butterbean
0The marinade for the chicken is so good. It gives the chicken just enough flavor without overpowering the salad dressing.
Sharina
0This grilled chicken salad is on point! It was full of flavors and super pleasing. Craving satisfied!
Natasha
0It’s super easy to make and very healthy too! One of the best salads that I’ve made and tried.
jess
0This is the best chicken salad, the thicker pieces of chicken, the avocado, and the lemon vinaigrette made this incredible. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe.