You're going to love all of the amazing flavors in this Blackened Chicken Salad recipe! It's loaded with tomatoes, avocado and THE BEST Spicy Cashew Dressing. It's easy to make in 30 minutes and perfect for those on a keto diet.
If you ever get stuck in the rut of doing the same meal prep over and over again, it's time to switch it up. With this delicious recipe, there is no reason to ever settle for a boring salad again!
This Blackened Chicken Salad recipe is delicious and loaded with protein to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day!
And, since it only takes 27 minutes to make this salad, you can get it on the table for an easy weeknight dinner, or knock out your weekly meal prep in no time!
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Ingredients
- Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are ideal, but chicken thighs will work as well.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil has a nice mild flavor, but you can use any oil you have on hand. Other mild tasting oils such as avocado oil or vegetable oil may also be used if you do not have olive oil.
- Blackened seasoning <--- Click the link to learn how to make your own in minutes, or use your favorite store bought brand. This seasoning blend uses a mix of spices for a flavorful crust on the chicken. You can also use cajun seasoning as a substitution.
- Romaine lettuce - This lettuce has a good crunch while still offering some nutrients. You could also use iceberg lettuce, kale, or butter lettuce.
- Spicy cashew dressing <--- Make your own in just 5 minutes or use the popular Trader Joe's version. This flavorful vegan dressing packs in loads of fresh taste with a spicy kick.
- Avocado - Freshly diced avocado adds the perfect creamy bite to the salad.
- Cherry tomatoes - If you can't find cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes will work as well. Or, you can chop up full sized tomatoes to top the salad.
- Red onion - This will give the best flavor. You can use any other onion, just note that the flavor will change.
Optional additions
- Radish - Thinly slice fresh radishes and add them to the salad. I love to use watermelon radishes, as seen pictured in this post, when I can find them in stores!
- Grilled asparagus - Toss one pound of fresh asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Place the asparagus on the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes, or until charred, turning every 1-2 minutes. Cut the grilled asparagus into one inch sections and add to the salad.
- Grilled corn - Place 2 ears of corn on the grill and grill for 8-10 minutes, rotating every 2-3 minutes. Remove the ears of corn from the grill and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels and add them to the salad.
- Cucumber - Dice fresh cucumbers and add them to the salad.
- Carrots - Add shredded fresh carrots to the salad.
- Celery - Chop up the stalks to add a nice crunch to the salad.
- Bell peppers - Diced bell peppers are a delicious, crisp addition to the salad.
- Black beans - Drained and rinsed from a can is the easiest way to add beans to the salad!
- More greens - Mix in extra greens like arugula, spinach, kale, or spring mix for more nutrients.
- Cheese - Top with shredded sharp cheddar, blue cheese, or feta.
Instructions
- Prepare the blackened chicken.
- Cover the chicken with the blackened seasoning.
- Add the chicken to a preheated cast iron skillet, coated in olive oil, on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for 5 minutes to retain the juices.
- Dice the chicken into cubes.
- Assemble the salad.
- Chop the romaine lettuce and toss it with the spicy cashew dressing in a large bowl.
- Fill four individual bowls with the lettuce then top with the diced chicken.
- Add toppings like sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion and any other optional toppings of your choice.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I grill the chicken? Yes, instead of pan searing the chicken, you can toss it on the grill. Get the grill really hot and coat the grates well with oil before adding the chicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Can you use a different dressing? Yes, you can! Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing and Poblano Ranch Dressing would taste great, or for a sweet finish use a Honey Lime Dressing. You can also use any of your favorite bottled salad dressings.
- What makes chicken blackened? Chicken that has been seasoned with a spicy dry rub and cooked at a high heat to achieve a nice crust is considered blackened.
- Is a blackened chicken salad healthy? This one certainly is! It has loads of protein and fiber, as well as nutrients like vitamin A and potassium, and contains only 399 calories per serving. As long as you don't add a ton of extra unhealthy toppings, this recipe is great for a healthy diet.
Make it vegan
The blackened chicken is the only ingredient in this salad that is not vegan. You can simply leave it out or replace it with a plant based protein to make the salad vegan.
- Substitute tempeh for the chicken.
- Coat the tempeh in the blackened seasoning.
- Sear in a skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Cut the blackened tempeh into bite sized pieces and add to the salad.
Make it low carb
This salad is already low carb at 15 total carbs and 8 net carbs per serving. To reduce the carbohydrates even further, omit the avocado on the salad, which will reduce the total carbs to 11 and the net carbs to 7.
How to meal prep it
- For storage:
- Prepare the blackened chicken as instructed, allow to rest, and dice.
- Load four large individual airtight storage containers with the lettuce, onion and tomatoes.
- Divide the dressing between four small containers.
- Place the chicken and dressing in the large containers with the salad base.
- Wrap ¼ avocado in plastic wrap and add to each container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat and eat
- Eat cold, or remove the chicken from the salad and microwave for 90 seconds.
- Add the chicken to the salad, toss with the dressing, top with the avocado and enjoy!
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Recipe
Blackened Chicken Salad
You're going to love all of the amazing flavors in this Blackened Chicken Salad recipe! It's loaded up with tomatoes, avocado and THE BEST Spicy Cashew Dressing. It's easy to make in 30 minutes and perfect for those on a keto diet.
Servings 4 people
Calories 399kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning click link for recipe
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ cup spicy cashew dressing click link for recipe
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Rub the blackened seasoning evenly over the chicken breasts.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and rest on a cutting board while preparing the salad.
- In a large bowl toss the romaine lettuce with the spicy cashew dressing.
- Divide the dressed greens between four bowls.
- Dice the chicken and divide it between the bowls.
- Top each bowl with sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes and red onion.
- Add any additional toppings of your choice. See suggestions in the notes below.
Notes
- Optional additions: radish, cucumber, carrots, corn or asparagus
- To add grilled asparagus: toss one pound of fresh asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes, or until charred, turning every 1-2 minutes. Cut the grilled asparagus into one inch sections and add to the salad
- To add grilled corn: place ears of corn on the grill and grill for 8-10 minutes, rotating every 2-3 minutes. Remove the ears of corn from the grill and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels and add them to the salad.
- This recipe is low carb at 15 total carbs and 8 net carbs per serving. To reduce the carbs even further, omit the avocado on the salad, which will reduce the total carbs to 11 and the net carbs to 7.
- To make this salad vegan, substitute tempeh for the chicken.
- Coat the tempeh in the blackened seasoning.
- Sear in a skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Cut the blackened tempeh into bite sized pieces and add to the salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 665mg | Potassium: 1083mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8618mg | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
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