Chipotle Chicken Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
A vibrant summer salad featuring smoky chipotle grilled chicken, fresh veggies, creamy avocado, and tangy blue cheese, all tossed in a zesty cilantro lime vinaigrette. Perfect for light lunches or healthy dinners.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Chipotle Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
Salad:
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 4 hard-boiled eggs quartered
- ½ cup grilled corn optional
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- 2 tbsp chopped green onions
Cilantro Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix chipotle powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Coat chicken breasts and marinate 15 minutes.
- Grill chicken 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through. Rest and slice.
- Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Blend vinaigrette ingredients until smooth.
- Toss salad with vinaigrette and top with sliced chicken. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust spice level by increasing or decreasing chipotle powder.
- Prepare vinaigrette a day ahead for deeper flavor.
- Add toasted nuts for extra texture if desired.