Grilled Italian Chicken Salad

 

We have had some lovely weather the past couple of days.  Nice and summery weather. Not too hot, and not too cold. Just right as Goldilocks would say.  Summery salad kind of weather.  There is nothing I like more than enjoying a nice salad for my dinner on these warmer days!

Something that is simple to make and yet a little bit more interesting than an ordinary salad.  With loads of texture and flavors.  Also, one that is nice and filling. A dinner type of salad as it were! This Grilled Italian Chicken Salad fit the bill perfectly!

 

 

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are marinated for several hours in a punchy delicious homemade Italian salad dressing.  You can use a bottled dressing if you would rather, but the homemade one is very nice.

Its then grilled to perfection.  Sliced and mixed together with a few other tasty bits. Some minced sun dried tomatoes, tinned artichokes, sliced roasted red peppers and some really good olives.  A bit more of the dressing is mixed into this tasty combo and it is served on a bed of lettuce and topped with a moreish cheese crisp!  (homemade of course!)

This is a salad that has everything going for it!  I hope you will want to give it a go!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GRILLED ITALIAN CHICKEN SALAD

This is kind of a store-cupboard type of meal, using things you probably already have in the house! It looks like a long list of ingredients, but most are seasonings.

For the Italian Dressing:

• 1/2 cup (120ml) light olive oil, or another neutral flavored oil
• 1/4 cup (60ml) white or red wine vinegar
• 2 TBS water
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 3/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and black pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of Italian dressing (see above recipe or use bottled)

For the salad:

• 1 (400g/14oz) tin of artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, skinned and cut into strips
• 6 to 8 sun dried tomatoes
• 12 French green olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise into quarters
• 3 TBS minced fresh parsley
• 4 cups (300g) salad greens
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of Italian Salad dressing to dress the salad

Optional Cheese Crisps:

• 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup (30g) grated cheddar cheese (1/4cup)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Italian Seasoning

  

You can make your own roast peppers if you wish.  Just pop them onto a baking tray and bang them into a really hot oven until they look quite charred.  Remove and set aside. They will deflate and cool. Once cold the skin is really easy to remove, and you can slice them up.  Otherwise, you can use jarred roasted peppers.

I like to grate my own cheeses for this. 

I used a Castelvetrano olive.  They have a lovely buttery flavor. You can use whatever kind of olive you enjoy, but I wouldn't use the cheap brined ones if I had a choice. You want to use a good one.  I had a few Kalamata olives that needed using up and so I chopped them and added them in as well.

I used chopped Romaine lettuce for the salad greens. Any good lettuce will work or even a mix of baby greens.

My chicken breasts were not very large. If yours are quite large, you will only need two. Cut them in half through the middle into two fillets and marinate and grill them that way.

The cheese crisps are very easy to make and, whilst totally optional I highly recommend them.  They add a really nice touch. 

 

HOW TO MAKE GRILLED ITALIAN CHICKEN SALAD

This is really very simple to make. You can use a bottled Italian dressing if you don't wish to make your own from scratch. Use a good quality one.

First make your Italian Dressing (if making your own.) Measure all of the ingredients into a canning jar with a tight-fitting lid. Give it a good shake until everything amalgamates.

Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place into a bowl and cover with the 1/2 cup (120ml) Italian Salad Dressing. Leave to marinate for a couple hours.

   

To make the optional cheese crisps, preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 7.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix the two cheeses in a bowl along with the seasoning mix.

Drop by TBS on the baking paper, leaving at least 2 inches between each for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes until golden brown. (Watch carefully as there is literally seconds between them being brown or being burnt).

Let cool on the sheet or a few minutes, then scoop off onto paper towels to cool completely. (This will also absorb any excess fat.)

  

Drain the chicken well. Discard any marinade left in the bowl. Lightly oil a grill pan, skillet or outdoor grill.

Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

  

Put the sundried tomatoes into a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let rest for about 15 minutes until softened. Drain well and then mince.

Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts. Cut into quarters and pat dry with paper towels.

  

Combine the minced tomatoes, grilled chicken, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, parsley and olives in a bowl. Moisten with the remaining 1/2 cup (120ml) Italian salad dressing, tossing to coat all of the ingredients. (You will need to give the jar a good shake again before using the dressing.)

Place 1/4 of the salad greens on each of four chilled plates. Divide the chicken mixture amongst them, placing it on top. If desired garnish each serving with a couple of cheese crisps. Serve immediately.

   

This was really delicious. It is a salad that I used to make for my boss and her friends sometimes when the ladies came to lunch when I worked at the Manor. I did cut it back to make only one serving for myself today, which was very easily done. 

 

It is delicious and simple to make. Low Carb and Keto friendly as well, except for the honey in the dressing.  I highly recommend!  I am not sure where the recipe came from. Probably one of my boss's Junior League cookbooks. She had a lot of them and used to like me to pick recipes from them to use when she was entertaining, and really just on a regular basis!

 

If, like me, you enjoy having a delicious salad for dinner in the warmer months, you might also enjoy the following tasty options!  Hearty, light, and also quite filling!  

ALMOST FRIED CHICKEN CHOPPED SALAD -This salad proves you can make a salad out of just about anything you have in the house. A fabulous mix of textures and flavors with a tasty dressing drizzled over top. This is a meal salad composed of a delicious mix of bits and bobs.

TARRAGON, CHERVIL & CHIVE DRESSED SALAD - This is like a composed salad, made from fresh ingredients that you have on hand. On this day I used some cooked baby carrots, English Peas, boiled new potatoes, boiled egg, some cooked chicken and baby gem salad leaves. The dressing is what makes this salad so delicious. Rich and creamy and full of flavor! The French would call this a Salad Compose.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Grilled Italian Chicken Salad

This makes a lovely dinner sized salad with bits of sun-dried tomato, roasted peppers, artichokes, olives and grilled marinated chicken. You can use the Italian dressing recipe included, or you can use a bottle of Italian Dressing.

Ingredients

For the Italian Dressing:

• 1/2 cup (120ml) light olive oil, or another neutral flavored oil
• 1/4 cup (60ml) white or red wine vinegar
• 2 TBS water
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 3/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and black pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of Italian dressing (see above recipe or use bottled)

For the salad:

• 1 (400g/14oz) tin of artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, skinned and cut into strips
• 6 to 8 sun dried tomatoes
• 12 French green olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise into quarters
• 3 TBS minced fresh parsley
• 4 cups (300g) salad greens
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of Italian Salad dressing to dress the salad

Optional Cheese Crisps:

• 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup (30g) grated cheddar cheese (1/4cup)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Italian Seasoning

Instructions

1. First make your Italian Dressing (if making your own.) Measure all of the ingredients into a canning jar with a tight fitting lid. Give it a good shake until everything amalgamates.
2. Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place into a bowl and cover with the 1/2 cup (120ml) Italian Salad Dressing. Leave to marinate for a couple hours.
3. To make the optional cheese crisps, preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 7.
4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix the two cheeses in a bowl along with the seasoning mix.
5. Drop by TBS on the baking paper, leaving at least 2 inches between each for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes until golden brown. (Watch carefully as there is literally seconds between them being brown or being burnt).
6. Let cool on the sheet or a few minutes, then scoop off onto paper towels to cool completely. (This will also absorb any excess fat.)
7. Drain the chicken well. Discard any marinade left in the bowl. Lightly oil a grill pan, skillet or outdoor grill.
8. Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
9. Put the sundried tomatoes into a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let rest for about 15 minutes until softened. Drain well and then mince.
10. Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts. Cut into quarters and pat dry with paper towels.
11. Combine the minced tomatoes, grilled chicken, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, parsley and olives in a bowl. Moisten with the remaining 1/2 cup (120ml) Italian salad dressing, tossing to coat all of the ingredients. (You will need to give the jar a good shake again before using the dressing.)
12. Place 1/4 of the salad greens on each of four chilled plates. Divide the chicken mixture amongst them, placing it on top. If desired garnish each serving with a couple of cheese crisps. Serve immediately.

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