Grilled chicken salad is one of the healthiest dishes you can have with lean protein from the chicken and vitamins and fiber from the salad greens. Being healthy doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice flavor. With a few key toppings and a light citrus dressing, this salad is loaded with tantalizing flavors and textures.
On a bed of mixed greens and juicy, seared grilled chicken, go nuts with candied pecans, dried cranberries, and blue cheese. All the toppings work together in this salad to add sweetness, creaminess, and crunchiness. In addition to these delicious, autumnal toppings, a refreshing citrus dressing ties together all the ingredients into a grilled chicken salad you will really look forward to.
What makes this grilled chicken salad even better is its super simple preparation; you can make the salad with all fixings in less than 30 minutes! Scroll down to see how you can make this light, yet satisfying grilled chicken salad.
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast halves
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1/4 cup Dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup Blue cheese
- 1/3 cup Spiced candied pecans
- 8 cups Spring mix os baby spinach salad
- 1/4 cup Citrus Dressing
Spiced Candied Pecans
- 8 oz Pecans halves
- 1/2 cup Dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Water
Citrus Dressing
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Orange juice
- 1/2 Lemon or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Honey or maple syrup
Instructions
Start by grilling the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place cutlets on a grill preheated on medium heat to 425–450°F. Grill the chicken for 10 minutes, then flip and grill for 10 additional minutes. Remove from heat and let the cutlets rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. Resting the chicken breasts will complete the cooking process, redistribute the moisture within the meat, and ensure that the chicken stays moist when cut.
If you do not have access to a grill, you can alternatively pan-cook the chicken on the stove. If cooking in a pan, cut the chicken in half lengthwise, so the cutlets are only half as thick. Having thinner chicken breast pieces will help the chicken to cook through without over-cooking the outside of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 25 minutes over medium heat in a lightly greased pan, flipping it over halfway through the cooking process.
Once the chicken is cooked, slice it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare other toppings for the grilled chicken salad. Spiced, candied pecans are quick and easy to make. While some oven-roasted candied pecan recipes require more than 30 minutes to cook, this pan-cooked pecans takes only 5 minutes to make, including prep time.
Start by mixing dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, salt, and water in a bowl. Then, toast the pecan halves in a pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the spiced sugar mixture to the pecans and gently coat the pecans with the sugar mixture. It takes only a minute or two before all the water from the spiced sugar mixture evaporates. Remove from heat and spread the candied pecans on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, making sure they stay separated as the cool. Once the candied pecans are cool enough to handle, they are done!
Making the citrus dressing is even simpler. Mix extra virgin olive oil, orange juice, juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and honey in a small bowl. The citrus dressing is now ready.
Once all the topping ingredients are ready, it’s time to assemble the grilled chicken salad. On a bed of greens, such as spring mix or spinach, add 1 cup of grilled chicken pieces, 1/3 cup of candied pecans, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, and 1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles. Pour 1/4 cup of citrus dressing. The Grilled Chicken Salad with Candied Pecans, Cranberries, and Citrus Dressing is now complete. Enjoy this healthy yet delicious meal and feel good about what you put in your body!
If you like this recipe, you might also like Hearty Warm Roasted Kale Salad or Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing. Subscribe via email or follow on Instagram to be sure you hear about my latest recipes!
Grilled Chicken Salad with Candied Pecans and Citrus Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast halves
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ¼ cup Dried cranberries
- ¼ cup Blue cheese
- ⅓ cup Spiced, candied pecans
- 8 cups Spring mix or Baby spinach
- ¼ cup Citrus dressing
Spiced, Candied Pecans
- 8 oz Pecan halves
- ½ cup Dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Paprika
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1½ Tbsp Water
Citrus Dressing
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Orange juice
- ½ Lemon or 2 Tbsp Lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken breasts. Place them on a preheated 425–450°F grill and cook for 20 minutes, flipping them over once halfway through. Remove from heat and rest the chicken breasts for 5 minutes. Slice them into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the spiced, candied pecans. Toast the pecans on a pan for 2 minutes. Then, add the rest of the Spiced, Candied Pecan ingredients to the pan and gently stir to coat the pecans with the spiced sugar mixture. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the pecans are coated. Pour the pecans onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and separate each piece. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Make the citrus dressing by mixing all the citrus dressing ingredients.
- Once all the toppings and dressing are ready, put 4 cups of spring mix or baby spinach in a salad bowl or a plate. Top the salad with 1 cup chicken, ⅓ cup candied pecans, ¼ cup dried cranberries, and ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles. Pour ¼ cup of dressing over the salad.
Notes
- On my grill, 425–450°F corresponds to medium heat.
- Chicken can alternatively be cooked on a stove.
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