Summer Blackened Chicken Salad with Feta and Watermelon
This Blackened Chicken Salad is summer in a bowl! Start with chicken seasoned in blackening spices that's seared in a cast iron skillet. Then, toss it with the salad ingredients: think watermelon, cucumbers, feta and everything else we love about summer. Top it off with a lime balsamic vinaigrette!
Calories: 603kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Blackened Chicken Salad:
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning notes
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ¼ pound boneless skinless chicken breast (sliced into ½ inch thickness)
- 1 5-ounce container mixed green (baby spinach etc.)
- 2 cups watermelon cubed
- 4 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1-2 jalapeños thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves chopped
Lime Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1-2 tablespoons agave or honey or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- VINAIGRETTE: In a small bowl (or glass jar if blending), whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, agave, dijon, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Whisk as you pour in the olive oil to emulsify the dressing, alternately, you can add the ingredients to a glass jar and use an immersion blender to combine.
- CHICKEN: Pat the chicken breasts dry using paper towels on a clean work surface. Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken generously on both sides.
- COOK: Drizzle the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, lay the chicken away from you in the pan. Let cook for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the chicken cooks through to 160ºF. Carry over cooking will cook it to 165ºF. Remove the chicken to a plate; cover loosely with a piece of foil while you prepare the rest of the salad. Cube the chicken once it has had 10 minutes to rest.
- SALAD: Add the greens to individual bowls or a large salad bowl. Top with the watermelon, cucumbers, jalapeño sliced, crumbled feta, and mint leaves. Add the chicken to the salad.
- DRESS AND SERVE: Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
- Homemade blackened seasoning: combine: 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 35g | Fiber: 2g
