blackened chicken salad

This blackened chicken salad is packed with flavor and crunch. We start with crispy romaine, baby kale, a scattering of juicy tomatoes and corn, and creamy bits of avocado. 

Top it with blackened chicken breasts that are sweet, spicy, and smoky, then toss the whole thing with homemade buttermilk ranch.

For even more heat, try it with our jalapeño ranch!

why I love it:

We could snack on blackened chicken breasts all day. The mix of spices, sweet brown sugar, garlicky herby magic, and smoky char from the grill is my idea of perfect chicken. 

You can use it everywhere-- on top of sweet corn risotto, over handmade fettuccine alfredo, or in a warm pita with some cucumbers and spicy sauce. It’s super versatile and keeps chicken dinners interesting.

I especially love the combination of blackening spices with ranch, and that was the inspiration for this blackened chicken salad. It's a delicious mix of crunchy and hearty greens, summery vegetables, and plenty of tangy ranch. 

If you can get your hands on corn on the cob, throw it on the grill with the chicken for sweet, smoky, crisp tender kernels.

And make this salad yours: toss in chopped bell peppers, cucumbers, spiralized carrots for even more crunch and color (I share a ton more ideas in the post below).

Just make sure to tuck away the chicken part of this recipe for immediate weeknight help with Boring Chicken Syndrome!

blackened chicken salad ingredients:

how to make blackened chicken salad recipe:

• Stir up the blackening spice mix.
• Halve the chicken breasts and coat with blackening spice.
• Grill, let rest, and slice.
• Toss romaine, kale, parsley, corn, tomatoes with buttermilk ranch dressing.
• Arrange chicken and avocado on top.
• Enjoy!

how to make this recipe for two:

Everything in this recipe can be easily halved. You can also use store-bought ranch to simplify the meal.

I suggest making the full amount of blackened chicken and repurposing it throughout the week.

here are some ways to use leftover blackened chicken:

• Chop it and toss in on nachos, tacos, or quesadillas.
• Make a blackened chicken caesar salad wrap (or toss on this caesar chicken salad)
• Serve it over your favorite rice pilaf or lemon risotto.
• Make it into a rice or grain bowl (sautéed veggies, sour cream, salsa).
• Blackened chicken alfredo.
• Make a blackened chicken pasta salad (add cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, Italian dressing).
• Toss in a grilled chicken pita.
• Chopped and placed on pizza (with caramelized onions and pickled jalapenos!).
• Mix it into spicy chicken tortilla soup.

make this blackened chicken salad yours:

Here are some more ingredients to add to this salad to make it yours!

• grilled and chopped zucchini
• chopped bell peppers
• sliced cucumbers
• blanched and chopped green beans
• sliced snap peas
• spiralized carrots
• thinly sliced radishes
• baby spinach
• baby arugula
• pickled jalapeños
• crumbled blue cheese
• tiny cubes of smoked cheddar
• queso fresco
• crumbed feta 

more leafy chicken salad recipes to try:

grilled chicken caesar salad

buffalo chicken salad

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