Summer Chicken Salad
Perfect for meal prep or as a delicious addition to any gathering, this Summer Chicken Salad is INCREDIBLE. The chicken is lightly marinated and grilled to perfection. It’s slightly crispy on the outside and juicy in the center. It tastes amazing with the crunchy fresh cucumber, sweet grilled corn, creamy avocado and fresh chives. All tossed in a light and delicious white wine vinaigrette, you’re going to love this easy and delicious recipe.
There are so many ways you can enjoy this recipe. Serve this summer chicken salad in a bun, tucked inside of a wrap or over a bed of your favorite lettuce. It’s light, healthy and super versatile. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a hard time not eating it straight out of the bowl!
If you love chicken salad, then try my Southwest Shredded Chicken Salad or try my Chimichurri Grilled Chicken Thighs.
Ingredients Needed for Summer Chicken Salad
Marinated Chicken Tenderloin – You’ll need about one pound of chicken tenderloin for this recipe. Add the chicken to a non-reactive glass bowl, toss it with avocado oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Once well coated, cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
White Wine Vinaigrette – Combine extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon, garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Other Ingredients – You’ll need diced English cucumber, grilled corn kernels, diced avocado, freshly chopped chives, kosher salt and cracked black pepper for this recipe. Be sure to carefully remove the corn kernels from the cob. Option to use canned corn instead. If you opt for canned corn, be sure it’s well drained and dried before adding it to the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s
What is a non-reactive bowl? Glass, ceramic, plastic or stainless steel are all considered “non-reactive” and are safe to marinate your food in. Cover your bowl with saran wrap or a lid while marinating. Metal, aluminum or cast iron will impart a metallic flavor in your food, making it very unpleasant to eat. Here are some of my favorite marinating essentials for food.
Can you marinate for too long? Yes! Longer isn’t always better. When using acid in your marinade (citrus, vinegar, etc) it can quickly break down the protein in chicken. So, if you marinate for too long the chicken will be soggy and mushy, versus tender and juicy. It is best to marinate chicken for UNDER 4 hours when using an acid based marinade. Here is a handy citrus juicer.
Frequently Asked Questions continued
How do you grill chicken so it is juicy? Preheat the grill to 400-450 degrees and be sure to brush the grates with avocado oil right before you add the marinated chicken. This will prevent the meat from sticking to the grates.
When marinating the chicken, be sure to use a glass bowl that you can seal or cover with saran wrap. Or you can use a sturdy Ziplock bag. DO NOT use a metal, aluminum or cast-iron bowl. These materials are considered “reactive” and can alter the flavor of the food as it marinates over time.
Marinate this recipe for 15-20 minutes. Since this recipe has fresh squeezed lemon juice (acid) in the marinade, the protein in the chicken will break down quickly. If you marinate for too long the chicken could get mushy. So, it’s best to marinate for under 4 hours. Here are some of my favorite grilling essentials.
How should I dice the vegetables and chicken? Make sure to dice everything roughly the same size. That way you get a taste of everything in each bite. The cucumber, avocado, and diced chicken should all be the same size. Medium dice or about the size of a quarter is great. The corn kernels are the only exception to this.
How to Make Summer Chicken Salad
MARINATE THE CHICKEN
Add the chicken tenderloins to a glass bowl. Add the avocado oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Toss the chicken tenderloins until they are well coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes.
GRILL THE CHICKEN and CORN
Preheat the grill to 400-450 degrees. Brush the grates with avocado oil and add the marinated chicken and corn on the cob. Make sure the corn doesn’t touch the raw chicken. Grill the chicken for 7-8 minutes flipping halfway. Grill the corn on the cob for 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes so each side gets charred.
You’ll want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove everything from the grill. Let the chicken rest before dicing. And make sure the corn is cool to touch before removing the kernels from the cob.
**Grilling time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken tenderloins.**
MAKE THE DRESSING
Combine extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
MAKE THE SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD
Add the diced English cucumber, grilled corn kernels, diced avocado, finely sliced chives, and cubed chicken to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with as much or as little dressing as you desire. Taste and season accordingly. Option to add a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper if needed. Gently toss the ingredients together with a spatula. Serve and enjoy.
How to Store Sumer Chicken Salad
Dressed chicken salad is best enjoyed immediately. Leftover chicken salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Just be aware that the avocado might oxidize and brown as time goes on.
Extra dressing can be stored in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. Mix well before using again. Looking for more recipes?
Summer Chicken Salad
Ingredients
White Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 – 1.5 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced, about 1-2 cloves
- pinch kosher salt, to taste
- few turns cracked black pepper, to taste
Marinated Chicken Tenderloins
- 1 pound chicken tenderloin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Vegetables and Other Ingredients
- 2 cups corn, grilled, about 3 ears
- 2 cups English cucumber, diced medium
- 2 medium avocados, remove pit and cube
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely diced
- pinch kosher salt, to taste
- few turns cracked black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 grill
Instructions
How to Make Summer Chicken Salad
MARINATE THE CHICKEN
- Add the chicken tenderloins to a glass bowl. Add the avocado oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Toss until the chicken is well coated. Cover and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes.
GRILL THE CHICKEN and CORN
- Preheat the grill to 400-450 degrees. Brush the grates with avocado oil and add the marinated chicken and corn on the cob. Make sure the corn doesn’t touch the raw chicken. Grill the chicken for 7-8 minutes flipping halfway. Grill the corn on the cob for 8 minutes turning it every 2 minutes so each side gets charred.You’ll want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove everything from the grill. Let the chicken rest before dicing. And make sure the corn is cool to touch before removing the kernels from the cob. **Grilling time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken tenderloins.**
MAKE THE DRESSING
- Combine extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
MAKE THE SALAD
- Add the diced English cucumber, grilled corn kernels, diced avocado, finely sliced chives, and cubed chicken to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with as much or as little dressing as you desire. Taste and season accordingly. Option to add a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper if needed. Gently toss the ingredients together. Serve and enjoy.
8 Comments on “Summer Chicken Salad”
This recipe is a winner! I made it last night for dinner and it checked all the boxes: quick and easy to put together, full of flavor, healthy, it didn’t require lots of hard to find ingredients, in fact many of the ingredients were home grown or from our local farmers market, and best of all – the whole family loved it! I served it with white rice for the kids and over a bed of greens for the adults. This will definitely be on repeat this summer.
Absolutely amazing recipe! I made it exactly as the recipe calls for, and had watermelon on the side. Perfect summer dinner when you don’t want a hot kitchen!
Seriously one of my favorites!! It’s so refreshing and I can’t stop making it. I’ve already recommended this to 3 other friends and they all absolutely love it!
I made this last night and it was even better than I imagined! I could not stop eating it. I am making it again tonight! It’s the perfect summer meal.
10 out of 10.
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was amazing! So elegant and delicious.
So much so, I brought it to a potluck luncheon and only brought home the bowl!
This is so easy to prepare. Thank you Sarah
Thank you for the review, Suzie! Glad you enjoyed!
This was absolutely delicious! I’ve made it twice in this last week! Followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly. Thank you for sharing this!
I am so glad you enjoy it! thank you for the review!