Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad

Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad Recipe

Are you a salad lover? I know I am! I eat my fair share of salads, especially during the summer months. They are light and delicious which makes them perfect for just about any meal. This grilled lemon chicken salad recipe is extremely easy to make, perfect for people with limited time. It can either be served as a main meal or even as a tasty side dish. Often the simplest of dishes are the best dishes.

The best thing about this particular salad is that it exemplifies the importance of using fresh produce and quality ingredients. When using the correct ingredients your food bursts with flavour. Fresh ingredients hold a lot more nutritional value and are generally healthier for your body. Food that contains preservatives and chemicals tends to lose its taste over time.

EASY PEASY, LEMON SQUEEZY

When cooking chicken I often use lots of lemon juice, not just for flavouring! The acid in lemon juice actually breaks down the chicken and creates pathways which allow the marinade to seep in, this process is called denaturation These pathways then seal up which helps to lock in all of the moisture when cooking.

For this grilled lemon chicken salad I also decided to add some lemon zest. Although the zest and juice come from the same fruit, they do have different properties. The juice not only has the lemon flavour, it is also sour taste to it. The zest has much more subtle taste and is generally less tart.

When it comes to chicken I can be quiet picky, I prefer to only eat breast meat. I find that bones can be quiet fiddly, I guess I’m just terrible with cutlery? I do however make an expectation to this rule for spice or BBQ chicken wings. If breast meat isn’t your thing then feel free to replace the cut based on your own preferences.

There are literally thousands of different recipes to make a salad. There are even many different methods and ingredients to create a simple chicken salad. I think this grilled chicken recipe is a great starting point to those who are new in the kitchen. It is also great for those that lead a hectic lifestyle and are often pressed for time, much like myself!

If you like to experiment with different flavours in the kitchen, you can also swap out the olive oil. Sometimes I will marinate the chicken in unrefined organic coconut oil. You need to make sure you choose the correct coconut oil though as they aren’t all created equally.

Refined coconut oil can stand higher cooking temperatures and is normally tasteless and odourless. Unrefined coconut oil is made from raw, fresh coconut without any chemicals and it tends to have a lovely aroma.

If you are a chicken lover like me, you will love this.

Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad Ingredients 

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tomatoes
• Half of a yellow pepper
• 150g mixed arugula (or any green leaf salad)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tsp lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp of sesame seeds
• 1 Tsp of minced garlic
• Sea salt (to your preference)
• Black pepper (to your preference)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO MAKE GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

1. Add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper and salt into a large bowl and mix together to create a paste.
2. Massage the paste into the chicken breasts then leave to marinate in the fridge (at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.)
3. Heat a large none-stick pan and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. Ensuring that it is pipping hot and cooked throughout.
4. While the chicken is left to cool, prepare the vegetables and then mix in the olive oil and sesame seeds.
5. Arrange the plate according to your preference and place the chicken on top. Voila!