The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Salad with Gazpacho Dressing
A substantial main course salad featuring grilled chicken and a unique, creamy ‘gazpacho’ dressing. The dressing is made by blending olive oil, vinegar, and half of the salad’s fresh components, including cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and toasted almonds. This flavorful dressing is then tossed with grilled chicken strips, homemade garlic croutons from crusty bread, arugula, chickpeas, and the remaining fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling, Blending
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
- Cooking spray, for the pan
- 1 pound chicken cutlets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 8 cups baby arugula (about 8 ounces)
- 4 slices crusty bread
- 1 clove garlic, halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Preheat a grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Grill the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until well-marked and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Place the bread slices on the grill pan and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until toasted. Transfer the toast to a plate and rub with the cut side of the halved garlic clove.
- Make the Gazpacho Dressing: In a blender, puree the olive oil, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of water, half of the diced cucumber, half of the quartered tomatoes, half of the fresh parsley, half of the toasted almonds, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste until smooth.
- Assemble the Salad: Cut the grilled chicken into strips. Tear the garlic toast into bite-size pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the arugula, chickpeas, chicken strips, bread pieces, and the remaining cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and almonds.
- Add half of the prepared dressing to the salad, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
- Divide the salad among shallow bowls and drizzle with the remaining dressing before serving.
Notes
- This recipe features a unique ‘gazpacho’ dressing made by blending some of the salad’s own fresh ingredients.
- Toasting the bread on the grill pan and rubbing it with garlic creates flavorful, rustic croutons.
- The dressing is added in two stages: half is tossed with the salad, and the rest is drizzled on top for extra flavor.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/grilled-chicken-salad/