Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken Salad
When it comes to “traditional” salad, it takes quite a lot to impress me. I truly believe I have accumulated that opinion about salads because of my allergy to dairy and the limited options there have been when it comes to dressing a salad (which is the most important part in my opinion). Nowadays, in the age of fad diets and health conscious trends, my options have definitely expanded yet I prefer to make my own dressings from scratch. Homemade dressing is SO simple, yet I never was introduced to that method because growing up it was just normal to buy a pre-made bottle of dressing that was full of empty calories with little nutritional value. And because I was limited as to what I could use to dress my salads, I had Italian Dressing and Balsamic Vinaigrette on constant rotation which just got BORINGGGG.
For this salad in particular, the dressing doubles as a marinade for the chicken as well! This lemony herb dressing/marinade is full of beneficial herbs that are completely underestimated when it comes to their benefits for the body aside from their obvious ability to enhance the flavor of a dish. For example, according to Dr. Josh Axe …
Basil has anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and anti-bacterial properties.
Oregano can reduce inflammation and kill many forms of bacteria in the body including viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Oregano can also help fight allergies.
Parsley can help fight bad breath, inflammation, kidney stones, digestive issues, skin problems, poor immunity, bladder infection, and oxidative stress.
Garlic can help fight diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Food is medicine. By utilizing different herbs and spices in this case, you can easily create a nutrient dense meal that not only keeps you full (from the healthy fats & protein) but will give you that peace of mind that you are doing good for your body. This salad is made up of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, avocado, grilled chicken, red onion, and that super yummy herb dressing/marinade that I can’t stop talking about!
INGREDIENTS:
Marinade/Dressing:
1/3 C Olive Oil
1 Lemon, juiced
2 TBSP Water
2 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
2 TBSP Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 TSP Dried Basil
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 TSP Dried Oregano
1 TSP Sea Salt
Ground Pepper, to taste
1 lb Boneless Chicken Thighs
Salad:
1 head Romaine, washed & Dried
1 Cucumber, quartered
1 C Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 small Red Onion, diced
2 Avocados, sliced
1 can Black Olives, halved (can use Kalamata olives… I am just not a fan of the taste of these)
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small cup/bowl combine all ingredients for dressing/marinade (I tend to eyeball the ratios for this and it turns out fine 💁🏼♀️).
Pour half the marinade in a medium sized bowl where the chicken thighs will marinate for 15-30 minutes (you can marinate for longer if you want a more intense flavor). The other half of the mixture will be used as the dressing.
While the chicken is marinating, wash the head of romaine lettuce and chop. Lay out the wet pieces of lettuce on a couple of paper towels so they can dry (refer to picture above).
Next, chop up the rest of the salad ingredients and place in a larger sized bowl.
Once you have marinated the chicken for the appropriate amount of time, heat up medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil to the pan. Place chicken in the pan and cook both sides for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is fully cooked through. I may have left mine on the skillet for a little longer to really get that nice char on the outside.
When chicken is fully cooked through, take off pan and let rest for about 5 minutes then slice.
Add the dried romaine lettuce to your large bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Place sliced chicken on top along with sliced avocado. Add the remainder of the dressing directly to the salad if you plan to eat it all at once or plate what you are planning to eat on a separate plate and dress your salad that way.
ENJOY!
