Lemon Herb Chicken Salad Recipe

Lemon Herb Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe with crispy bacon & creamy feta cheese

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Lemon Herb Chicken Salad Recipe

Lemon Herb Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe with crispy bacon & creamy feta cheese is the ultimate salad recipe! Not just any boring salad, with a dressing that doubles as a marinade!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Best lemon herb marinade for chicken, BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado Salad, Chicken salad with avocado and feta, Easy Chicken Salad Recipe, Grilled Chicken Salad, Healthy chicken salad for weight loss, Healthy Salad with Chicken, High protein salad recipes for dinner, Lemon Herb Chicken Salad, Low carb chicken avocado salad

Servings: people

Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

Marinade/Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice fresh
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
2 teaspoons garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme dried rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper or to taste
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets or chicken breasts

Salad:

4 cups Romaine lettuce leaves washed and dried
1 avocado large, pitted, peeled and sliced
8 ounces feta cheese
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1/4 red onion sliced, optional
1/4 cup diced bacon trimmed of rind and fat
4 lemon wedges to serve

US - Metric

Instructions

Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug. Pour out half of the marinade into a large, shallow dish. Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as the dressing later.
Add the chicken to the marinade in the bowl; marinade chicken for 15-30 minutes (or up to two hours in the refrigerator if time allows). While waiting for the chicken, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix in a large salad bowl.
Once chicken is ready, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on both sides until browned and completely cooked through (about 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness).
Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes; slice and arrange over salad. Drizzle salad with the remaining UNTOUCHED dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Make Ahead You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance—the longer, the better! You can also wash and chop your lettuce and veggies ahead of time, but store them in an airtight container without the dressing to keep them crisp.
Avocado Tip If you are prepping this for lunch the next day, slice the avocado right before eating. If you must slice it early, toss the slices in extra lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
Protein Swaps This lemon herb marinade is magic. It works perfectly with shrimp (prawns) or salmon fillets. If using shrimp, marinate for only 15 minutes to avoid "cooking" them in the acid.
Dairy-Free Option Simply omit the feta or swap it for a dairy-free almond feta alternative. The avocado adds enough creaminess that you won't miss it too much!
Storage Leftover salad without the dressing and avocado keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once dressed, it’s best eaten immediately.
Don't have a Grill? No stress. You can bake the chicken thighs at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and juicy.

Nutrition