Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad
on Jun 14, 2016, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad is a meal that is easy, quick, and full of amazing nutrients! This dish is a great go-to for lunch or dinner.
Doesn’t the name just say it all? Rainbow grilled chicken salad is the perfect dish for warm months! It is full of fresh and bright veggies that add flavor, texture, and color to the salad. I love how quickly this salad can come together. All you have to do is prepare the veggies, use some leftover chicken, and find your favorite dressing! It really is that simple.
This dish is not only stunning, but it is also filled with lots of nutrients that will keep your body feeling satisfied and energized. Any dressing tastes great on this salad, but I always use a homemade ranch to bring out the flavors of the salad and keep things classy. This salad will definitely become one of your new go-to meals!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The colors are vibrant and bright which draws you right to the salad.
- There is a nice variety of flavors from each of the veggies and the grilled chicken.
- You can use any salad dressing you have on hand!
- It is easy and quick to throw together for a hearty meal.
Recipe Ingredients
- Grilled chicken— You can season it however you’d like, or use any leftover chicken.
- Romaine hearts— Shredded. This is the base of the salad.
- Cucumber— Peeled and sliced. For a fresh and crisp taste.
- Yellow bell pepper— Sliced. Any color bell pepper works but we like the sweet hint yellow adds.
- Grape tomatoes— Halved. This will add a bright, tangy flavor.
- Avocado— Sliced. To add a healthy fat.
- Salad dressing— Any kind will work! Pick what you like best.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad
Step #1. Place the shredded Romaine in a salad bowl. Top with additional vegetables, avocado, and sliced grilled chicken.
Step #2. Serve with your favorite dressing and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
There is a classic phrase called “eat the rainbow” which essentially is a reminder to get in a wide variety of nutrients in your daily meals! Because different colored fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients, you should try to get in as many as you can. With this salad, you are getting an array of colors which looks amazing, but it is also providing a lot of key nutrients all in one dish! You will be getting lean protein, fiber, healthy fats, and so much more. This salad is a great place to start if you are looking to up your veggie intake.
One of the secrets to the moist tender and juicy grilled chicken is to marinate it! Any type of marinade is great, but a base to start with is lemon juice with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you would like. Place it all in a plastic bag with the chicken and even if you marinate it for 20 minutes, it will still make a difference. You can cook it on your grill, or if you don’t have one just use your stovetop and cook on both sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with any dressing you choose! It is up to you and your preferences. You can have a variety of dressings on the side of this salad as an option so everyone can choose their favorite! Some dressings we typically use include honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, roasted garlic dressing, or Asian sesame dressing. Pick a specific flavor profile you are going for and use that type of dressing!
How to Serve and Store Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad
This rainbow salad can be served as a main meal or side dish! If you are planning on serving it as a side, it will feed about 4 people, whereas it will feed about 2 as a main dish so plan accordingly. You can serve this salad with any side such as macaroni and cheese, simple bread, or potato chips.
The assembled salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days. If the salad already has dressing, it will affect the texture so I recommend keeping the dressing on the side and adding it individually. This is also a great meal to prepare ahead of time, if you want to wash and slice your veggies and keep everything separate so all you have to do is put it together when you’re ready. You can have this salad for lunch or dinner!
Expert Tips
- As long as the chicken was previously fully cooked, you can serve it cold or warm it up before adding it to the salad.
- To bring out the best flavors of your salad, keep your dressing in the fridge until you are ready to serve the salad. Chilled dressing is more appetizing and flavorful than if it is sitting at room temperature.
- If you want to make this salad a little bit on the sweeter side and add more color, you can throw in some blueberries and halved red grapes!
- You can grill your own fresh chicken or use pre cooked chicken in this recipe.
- Feel free to use your favorite salad dressing!
More Salad Recipes To Consider
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Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 grilled chicken breasts, directions for cooking the perfect chicken breast
- 4 cups shredded Romain hearts
- 1/2 large cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Salad dressing, here are 9 of my favorite Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes,
Instructions
- Place the shredded Romain in a salad bowl. Top with additional vegetables, avocado, and sliced grilled chicken. Serve with your favorite dressing.
- I had like this with honey mustard, ranch, or blue cheese dressing (all recipe linked to because homemade is so good!).
- This is the perfect lunch or dinner. It serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main dish.
Notes
- As long as the chicken was previously fully cooked, you can serve it cold or warm it up before adding it to the salad.
- To bring out the best flavors of your salad, keep your dressing in the fridge until you are ready to serve the salad.
- Chilled dressing is more appetizing and flavorful than if it is sitting at room temperature.
- If you want to make this salad a little bit on the sweeter side and add more color, you can throw in some blueberries and halved red grapes!
- You can grill your own fresh chicken or use pre cooked chicken in this recipe.
- Feel free to use your favorite salad dressing!
Auntsue
Wow this looks good. Wish I was eating at your house! I love this and will send it to my daughters. Thanks for your great ideas.