Easy, Quick, Summer Dinner; Blackened Chicken Salad
This is a delicious, healthy, refreshing, light but satisfying and easy meal for those hot summer nights. If your kids don’t eat salad, no worries, you can serve a compartmentalized dinner for them using the same ingredients minus the lettuce. Whether it’s a laid-back weekend or a busy weeknight, this meal has become a staple in our house.
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Blackened chicken salad with chimichurri sauce.
To make the chicken:
I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs but you could also use chicken breasts (even steak works well with this rub!) I don't add any oil or anything to the chicken, I just spread the rub on a plate and lay both sides of the chicken down to coat both sides.
Don’t be shy with the rub. The other night I made almost 4lb of meat so we could have leftovers for lunches and other meals. Hint - this chicken goes really well in quesadillas!
To cook the meat you can either grill the meat (way easier clean-up!) or use a cast iron grill pan on the stove top, which is less desirable when it’s a hot summer night in the kitchen or even bake it in the oven on parchment paper.
When the chicken is done either serve it warm on the salad or cool it down and serve room temperature. Personally, I like to cook it ahead of time because we are usually out-and-about for the hours right before dinner. Then you come home and dinner is already ready to be served. #winning
Tip: Make extra meat for leftovers! Throw it on salads, in tortillas with cheese and guacamole, over rice for burrito bowls or just have as a snack.
The rest of the salad:
Chopped romaine lettuce, spring greens, arugula or any other green lettuce can work with this salad. For the added veggies, I usually use tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and avocado into bite-size pieces. But you can use any other vegetable if you want, there is no rule!
For the dressing, you could use a basic dressing made of avocado oil or olive oil with chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. If you are feeling more adventurous I definitely recommend trying out my FAVORITE chimichurri sauce recipe, by GimmeSomeOven.com. It’s healthy and so easy and DELISH and works really well as a dressing. If you are in the mood for something creamier try this 5 Minute Avocado Cilantro Dressing.
Mix it all together and enjoy!
TIP: When I make chimichurri sauce I double the recipe and freeze half in a freezer safe mason jar, saves me time next time I make this meal or another of my favorite recipes that uses chimichurri sauce.
These are the jars I use.
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Blackened chicken salad with avocado oil + chopped cilantro + sea salt + black pepper dressing.
Easy Blackened Chicken Summer Salad
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
Rub for chicken
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin powder
2 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
Salad Ingredients
8 cups lettuce greens (Romaine, spring greens, arugula or any other type of lettuce)
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 avocados, cut into bite-size pieces
Salad Dressing
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 lime juice only
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
To Prep the chicken:
Coat the chicken with a homemade rub consisting of equal parts chili powder, cumin and paprika with salt and pepper to taste. For 2 pounds of meat, I usually use start with the amounts listed and make a second round if needed depending on how much meat I make. Don’t be shy with the rub.
To Cook the chicken:
You have 3 options.
Grill the meat (way easier clean-up!)
OR use a cast iron grill pan on the stove top (cook for about 5-7 minutes each side). This option is less desirable when it’s a hot summer night in the kitchen.
OR bake the chicken on parchment paper in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 425℉.
When the chicken is done either serve it warm on the salad or cool it down and serve room temperature. Cut the chicken into strips or bite-size pieces before adding to the salad.
To make the dressing
Mix all the salad dressing ingredients together in a glass container.
To Assemble the Salad
Add the greens to a large salad bowl.
Add the other chopped vegetables to the greens.
Add the chicken to the top of the greens and veggies.
Pour the salad dressing over the salad ingredients and toss together (optional - sometimes it looks prettier if you serve the bowl of salad untossed!)
Enjoy!
Other options to consider instead of the simple cilantro lime dressing are: 5 Minute Avodaco Cilantro Dressing or my FAVORITE chimichurri sauce/dressing
Add this recipe to
Blackened chicken salad with avocado oil + chopped cilantro + sea salt + black pepper dressing.
My seven and three-year-old eat this same dinner except like most young children, they don't like everything mixed together. We just separate everything on these plates with separated areas (and they don't really eat lettuce yet so we leave that out.)
That’s it, super easy!!! Why not make it a weekly meal and save yourself some of the hassles of always having to come up with new ideas for dinner?
I would love to know how you like this recipe, please leave a comment below!
