This Grilled Chicken Salad is easy to make with tender juicy chicken, fresh greens, avocado, cucumber, crispy bacon, strawberries, blackberries and tomatoes with a tangy, fresh and flavorful lemon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect healthy lunch or dinner and can be prepped ahead for busy weeknights or summer potlucks. Gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, low carb, Whole30 and paleo-friendly.
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An easy Grilled Chicken Salad recipe
Grilled chicken and cobb salads are my go-to for healthy lunches and weeknight dinners – especially during the hot summer months. This Grilled Chicken Salad comes together in no time and is full of mixed greens, sweet summer berries, grilled juicy chicken, crispy bacon, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and buttery avocado. The tangy lemon Dijon dressing adds so much freshness and flavor to this simple and loaded salad.
And the best part? You won’t have to leave your house if you’re a fan of Wendy’s Berry Chicken Salad or Sam’s Club Berry Chicken. All you need is about 30 minutes (or less) to have this delicious salad on your dinner table. It’s also low carb and keto-friendly. Not only is this salad incredibly delicious, it’s super simple to customize. The great thing about making your own salads at home is that you can whip them up using whatever extra vegetables or fruit you have in your fridge.
Feel free to add your favorite toppings like chopped nuts and crumbled cheeses. Or leave out the cheese to keep this berry salad paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Ingredients you need:
For the chicken marinade:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – pounded to even thickness
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Garlic powder
- Olive oil
For the berry salad
- Avocado – peeled, pitted and cut into slices or chopped
- Mixed green lettuce – use your favorites. Baby spinach, arugula or chopped and massaged kale would be delicious in here.
- Bacon – cooked and chopped.
- Fresh berries – we used a mix of strawberries, blackberries and blueberries
- Grape or cherry tomatoes – cut into halves
- Cucumber – sliced in rounds or chopped
Optional:
- Crumbled dairy-free feta – we like Violife. Leave out for Whole30 & paleo
For the vinaigrette:
- Fresh lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make Grilled Chicken Salad
- Marinate chicken: Start off by seasoning the chicken with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil and lemon.
- Cook and crumble bacon: Cook and crumble the bacon. For the crispiest bacon, you can use our recipe for air fryer bacon or cooke your bacon in the oven.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat grill to medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Remove the chicken from the grill and tent with foil. Let it rest and cool a bit for about 10 minutes and then slice or chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the dressing: Add all the ingredient to a jar or bowl. Whisk or shake until combined,
- Prep and assemble salad: Prepare and assemble the remaining salad ingredients starting with the lettuce plus any other greens (spinach, romaine, arugula, kale) you like. Add sliced strawberries, blackberries, grape tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, crumbled bacon and feta.
- Garnish with toppings: Add any other toppings you like then drizzle with the simple dressing right before serving. You can even make this with a healthy blueberry vinaigrette if you prefer.
Salad Variations
- Meatless option: leave out the chicken and bacon
- Quicker prep: use leftover or chopped rotisserie chicken
- Swap in your favorite vegetables or cheese
Make ahead tips
- Marinate the chicken the night before and store in the fridge in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
- Whisk together the dressing the night before and store in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Wash and dry the lettuce and mixed greens and store in a large zip-top bag.
More salads you might like:
Healthy Taco Salad (with Low Carb options)
Asian Zucchini Noodle Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing
This Grilled Chicken Salad is easy to make with tender juicy chicken, fresh greens, avocado, cucumber, crispy bacon, strawberries, blackberries and tomatoes with a tangy, fresh and flavorful lemon vinaigrette. It's the perfect healthy lunch or dinner and can be prepped ahead for busy weeknights or summer potlucks. Gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, low carb, Whole30 and paleo-friendly.
- 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , pounded to even thickness
- salt and black pepper , to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small avocados , peeled pitted and cut into slices or chopped
- 4 cups mixed green lettuce , chopped
- 6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup fresh sliced strawberries ,blackberries or blueberries
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1/2 cucumber , sliced in rounds or chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled dairy-free feta (we like Violife) , optional - leave out for Whole30 or paleo
- 3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a resealable zip-top bag, add chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Remove the chicken from the grill and tent with foil. Let it rest and cool a bit for about 10 minutes and then slice or chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Drizzle 1 teaspoon over the sliced avocado (to prevent from browning).
- In a large bowl, add the lettuce, then top with cooked pasta, eggs, avocado, bacon, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese, if using. Drizzle with dressing right before serving.
