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A closeup image of chicken salad in a round dish, on a table.

The Best Grilled Chicken Salad (Video)

40 minutes prep + 25 minutes cook + 1 hour Marinating Time:
6 servings
The best grilled chicken salad recipe for summer, with grilled corn, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, and a creamy, garlicky cilantro dressing.

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

For Grilled Chicken:

  • 2 1/2 to 3 lbs chicken breast, or chicken thigh
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp EACH: smoked paprika, dried garlic, dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried onion powder

For Salad:

  • 3 large whole corn cobs
  • 1 tbsp butter, for corn
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 bunch red radishes, remove leaves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • sea salt
  • 10 to 12 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 4 to 5 small cocktail cucumbers, sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large avocado, cubed
  • 2 small Serrano chili peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 6 oz Queso fresco, crumbled (or grated parmesan cheese)

For Salad Dressing:

  • zest from 2 large lemons
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey, or maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 medium garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ground black pepper

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken:

  • Place the whole chicken breasts/thighs into a large plastic bag or into a casserole tray. Drizzle generously all over with olive oil.
  • Add all the chicken seasonings and spices: salt, pepper, dried onion, dried garlic, smoked or regular paprika, and dried oregano.
  • Use your hands to massage the seasonings into the chicken meat, making sure it’s well-coated. Seal or cover the chicken meat and place it back into the refrigerator.
  • Allow the chicken meat to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Making Salad Dressing:

  • For the salad dressing, start with the lemon zest. Zest 2 large lemons and add the zest into a large measuring cup.
  • Next, squeeze the lemons for fresh juice; you’ll need 1/3 cup. Pour in the olive oil and add honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro.
  • Use a zester or microplaner to finely grate the garlic into the dressing; or, use a garlic press.
  • Whisk everything together vigorously until the salad dressing is creamy and uniform.

Preparing Veggies for Salad:

  • Next, prepare the vegetables. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn cobs into the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from the water, rub butter all over, and season generously with salt. Set the corn aside for now.
  • Cut the bell pepper into large chunks and set onto a tray, along with the radishes. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and season with sea salt. Set aside along with the corn for grilling.
  • Slice and chop the remaining vegetables: halve the tomatoes; cube the avocado and coat with lemon juice to keep from browning; slice the onions and cucumbers; chop and wash the lettuce.

Grilling the Chicken & Veggies:

  • Once the chicken has marinated, preheat your outdoor grill to 500°F to 550°F. Preheat for about 15 minutes, until the grates are extra hot.
  • Add the marinated chicken, corn, bell pepper, and radishes to the grill; keep the vegetables separate from the meat. Space the chicken pieces at least 3 inches apart for even cooking.
  • Keep the lid grill closed for faster cooking. Rotate the vegetables every 5 minutes, until charred all over. Once the radishes are charred, move them from direct to indirect heat to continue cooking.
  • Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until the thickest part of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove the chicken from the grill onto a tray to rest.

Assembling the Salad:

  • Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the corn kernels from the cob. Slice the grilled radishes in half or into quarters, depending on the size; chop the grilled bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.
  • Fill a large salad bowl, casserole, or serving tray with chopped romaine lettuce. Start layering all the ingredients over the top: cucumbers, red onion, grilled corn, grilled radishes, grilled bell pepper, halved tomatoes, cubed avocado, crumbled/grated cheese, sliced chili peppers. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • Once the chicken has rested for 10 minutes, slice the meat into strips or bite-sized pieces and place on top of the salad.
  • Give the salad dressing one last whisk and pour it over the chicken and the salad. Enjoy immediately while the chicken is still warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 747kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 2102mg | Potassium: 1484mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 8470IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 3mg