Grilled Chicken Avocado Herb Salad (Printable version)
Tender grilled chicken over mixed greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a creamy avocado herb dressing.
# What you'll need:
→ Grilled Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad Base
07 - 6 cups mixed salad greens
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
10 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
12 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Avocado Herb Dressing
13 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
16 - 1 garlic clove
17 - 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
18 - Juice of 1 lime
19 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
20 - 2 tablespoons water
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
22 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season evenly with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken breasts for 6 to 7 minutes per side or until fully cooked and juices run clear. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
04 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocado, fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, chives, garlic, Greek yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, water, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, adjusting with additional water for desired consistency.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, and bell pepper.
06 - Arrange sliced grilled chicken on top of the salad mixture. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the salad, if using.
07 - Drizzle the avocado herb dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This avocado herb dressing tastes like a shortcut to freshness you won’t believe comes from your own blender.
- It’s the kind of salad even my “where’s the main dish” friends go back for seconds.
02 -
- Once, I sliced into the chicken too soon and lost all its juices—always let it rest before cutting.
- A chunkier avocado made the dressing too gloopy until I learned to add water slowly for the right texture.
03 -
- Salad greens bruise easily—toss them gently when mixing everything together.
- Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes so the flavors really meld before serving.