This Southern Grilled Chicken Meal Salad is totally satisfying as a meal. Satisfying in the sense of filling, flavor, texture and color variety. It is also satisfying to know that is is a healthy salad. Last but not least it is relatively quick to make; while the chicken is grilling, you have time to clean and cut all the other ingredients.
A salad like this is a healthy meal, any time of year, because all ingredients are basically always available: green lettuce, chicken, avocado, tomatoes, mozzarella, black beans, and pecans. Serve this salad with your favorite corn bread and this Southern Grilled Chicken Meal Salad is more than complete.
My husband and I eat this salad or some variety of it, regularly. It does not become boring, when you mix some thing us. Like a different spice mixture for the chicken, leave out the mozzarella or substitute it with cheddar, add bell peppers. Or change the type of lettuce. I very much like the soft lettuce for this type of salad, a butter lettuce; when I made the picture I used a red and green Boston lettuce, but of course you can us your own mix or even romaine lettuce.
Add a boiled egg, or serve with corn chips. Use pine nuts instead of pecans. The varieties are endless and therefore you salads are endless.
You’ll see, in the recipe below, that this salade is ready in no time. It is a worthy member of your recurring recipes.
Southern Grilled Chicken Meal Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups Boston lettuce butter or bibb lettuce or mixed salad greens
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup pecans
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 drops tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
- fresh cilantro basil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix chili powder, sugar, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and rub it into the chicken on both sides.
- Heat the oil in a grilling pan and grill the chicken on both sides until done. A total of about 8-10 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest before you cut it in thin slices.
- Was the lettuce and cut it into strips. Pit and peal the avocado and slice it. Wash the tomatoes and halve them.
- Rinse and drain the black beans.
- Rinse and drain the mozzarella and cut in half or more, depending on the size of mozzarella balls you have.
- Chop the pecan coarsely.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking oil, lime juice, Tabasco, honey, herbs and salt and pepper together.
- Divide the lettuce over 2 plates and arrange the chicken, avocado, tomatoes, mozzarella and black beans in top of the lettuce
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and garnish with pecans.
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