Turn simple ingredients and leftovers into complete and tasty meals with these easy salad recipes with chicken!
When you crave a healthy, light dish that is also satisfying, a salad with chicken can become a terrific meal for weeknight dinners and office lunches.
Best Salads with Chicken
Chicken is a busy mom’s best friend. You can quickly cook breasts and thighs for dinner and then use leftovers to assemble healthy and nutritious salads with chicken the entire family will love.
Dressing Ideas for Salads with Chicken
A delicious dressing takes salads with chicken to a whole new level of goodness. While store-bought sauces are convenient, once you try these homemade dressings for salads, you’ll want to make your own every time.
These ideas are quick, easy, and delicious:
- Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Ranch Dressing
- Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
- Thai Peanut Dressing
- Citrus Vinaigrette
How to Cook Chicken for Salad
You can cook chicken from scratch to assemble a salad or use leftovers. One way or the other, there are different methods, like grilling, pan-searing, roasting, and poaching chicken.
What’s the best way to cook chicken for chicken salad? The poaching method is easy, and the meat turns out super juicy. If you have very little time, pan-searing chicken is the quickest option.
You can also bake chicken to perfection in the oven. The chicken will be flavorful and easy to shred. In case you roast chicken breasts, pay attention to the cooking time and temperature because they can dry out easily!
14 Epic Salad Ideas with Chicken
Ingredients
Mediterranean Salad with Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts, about a pound
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large head of green lettuce, washed and chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cucumbers, chopped
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ red onion, sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken breasts in a gallon-sized zip bag with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, add the chicken breasts into the skillet, and cook for 7 minutes, flip and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes until the internal temperature has reached 165. Discard marinade. Remove chicken from pan and wait 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, make a bed of lettuce in 4 individual bowls or one large salad bowl.
- When the chicken is ready, top the salad with sliced chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce (if using).
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