Grilled Pineapple Chicken Salad
Nothing says summer cooking like a big delicious and filling salad. This Grilled Pineapple Chicken Salad is the perfect crowd pleaser or easy weeknight meal. Made with perfectly grilled chicken breasts, grilled caramelized pineapples, fresh and crisp romaine, cucumbers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, and creamy avocado. Tossed with a sweet and zesty honey-lime dressing.
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
For Salad:
- 1 Pineapple
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
For Honey-Lime Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Start by cutting off the skin of your pineapple. Remove core and slice into circles. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over pineapple rings and rub on both sides of each. Pat dry chicken breasts and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Mix chicken well making sure it's well coated with oil and seasonings.
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Turn grill on medium-high heat and preheat for about 10 minutes. Place chicken and pineapple slices on grill. Grill chicken for 7 minutes on each side. Grill pineapple rings for 3-4 minutes on each side.
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While pineapple and chicken grill, chop your romaine, thinly slice onion and cucumbers, halve tomatoes, and peel and slice avocado. Set prepped veggies to the side.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine and whisk all the ingredients for the dressing; extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, pink sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
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Once chicken is done grilling, slice into strips. In a large serving bowl, layer all of the ingredients for salad; start with chopped romaine then layer cucumber, onions, tomatoes and avocados over romaine. Then add sliced gilled chicken and grilled pineapple.
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When ready to serve, pour dressing over salad and give it a good toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Use pineapple corer to slice pineapple- They're inexpensive and makes cutting a pineapple so easy. You don't even have to cut the skin off and it slices pineapple into perfect circles.
- Add some spices to chicken breasts before grilling for more flavor- For this recipe I like to use rice vinegar, pink sea salt, garlic powder, paprika, and dried parsley to season my chicken.
- Switch up your bed of lettuce- Use arugula, baby spinach or any other green as a substitute for romaine.