This easy chopped salad cooks everything together on the grill, chops it all up, and tosses it all in an Italian-style dressing with some cheese and beans to add bulk, protein, and fiber. One serving will give you a whopping 47g protein thanks to the combo of chicken, cheese, and beans. It’s the perfect make-ahead summer salad that keeps well in the fridge, is packable, and will keep you satiated and fueled up for the day!
Ingredient highlight
Chicken! Chicken is a great way to get in high quality protein that’s also packed with selenium, choline, niacin (vitamin B3), and vitamin B6, and B12.
Servings 4 (makes 8 cups)
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ bunch scallions
- 4-5 cups grilled and/or raw veggies*
- 1 (15 oz) can beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (5 oz) crumbled feta cheese, plus more for topping
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *Use any seasonal veggies here – zucchini, peppers, corn, eggplant, cabbage, fennel, etc…. My favorite is a combination of zucchini, corn, and bell peppers. You want to end up with about 4 cups worth of cooked veggies. Grill them or cook them however you want to. You could also lean on canned veggies, like roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, etc…up to you!
- No grill? ~ Pan-fry the chicken! Slice it in half lengthwise so it cooks faster. Throw the veggies in a hot 450F oven until they get some color or cook them however you want.
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high for at least 10 minutes.
- Season the chicken with the spices, sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Use your hands to rub the spices all over the chicken.
- Add the veggies that you want to grill to any vessel (bowl, baking sheet, plate, etc…), drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Use your hands to toss to coat. Add scallions and just rub them with your oily hands.
- Place the chicken, scallions, and veggies on the grill and grill, covered, for about 3-5 minutes or until the chicken and veg have nice grill marks (the scallions will likely be done after 2-3 minutes, you just want a little char on them). Flip and continue to cook until the chicken and veggies are cooked through, about 3-5 more minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. The veggies may be done before the chicken. Transfer everything to a cutting board to let cool off for a few minutes. Chop the scallions, veg and chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- In a glass jar with a lid, add all dressing ingredients and shake vigorously to combine.
- In a large bowl, add the veggies, chicken, beans, and cheese. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat. If you have any herbs laying around, put them on top or mix them into the salad.
- Serve topped with more cheese (feta or parm) and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Season and grill chicken, scallions, and veg
- Make the dressing
- Make the salad
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, leave out the chicken and add in an extra can of beans. If doing this, warm up the beans in the microwave until just warm, then toss them in ½ teaspoon salt, 1-2 tbsp vinegar, and grate a garlic clove in there. This will help season the otherwise bland beans.
- To make vegan, see above + skip the cheese. Instead of cheese, be sure to top with chopped avocado (sprinkled with salt) and toasted nuts.
- You can use any chopped up protein in place of the chicken (steak, pork, etc…).
- Leave out the beans and use ½ lb more chicken (increase the spices/salt by a little bit to compensate).
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Eat it straight out of the fridge or pop it in the microwave to take the chill off. Top with more cheese, any herbs you have, and black pepper.
- Scoop it on top of dressed salad greens or grains.
- Put it in a taco with avocado and cheese.
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