Cajun Avocado Chicken Salad

Cajun spices, tender chicken, crispy lettuce, and avocados offer a quick, easy, and healthy salad. Toss it in a creamy homemade salad dressing to create great meal prep any time of the year!

Course chicken, Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 575kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Cajun Chicken

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt to taste (¾-1 teaspoon per pound)
2 teaspoons (9-10g) Creole Cajun seasoning or more to taste

The Salad

3-4 cups (130-170g) chopped Romaine lettuce
1 large avocado, pitted and sliced
1 cup (245g) cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
½ cup (55g) sliced red onions
crumbled feta cheese to taste

Low-Fat Ranch Salad Dressing

½ cup (112g) low-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup (62g) low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon (5ml) lemon juice (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
2 teaspoons (7g) onion powder
¾ teaspoon (4ml) Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon (2-3g) salt
1-2 teaspoons (7-15g) sriracha
½-¾ cup (120-180ml) buttermilk
2 tablespoons (44g) honey or sugar (optional)
1-2 tablespoons (4-8g) fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cajun Chicken

Salt chicken to taste, then generously sprinkle both sides with Cajun seasoning.
Preheat the grill, and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side.
Alternatively, heat a little oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet. Pan-fry chicken for 8-10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through and the juice from the chicken runs clear. You might have to do this in batches to prevent the chicken from releasing excess liquid.
Remove the chicken from the grill or pan and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place it on a cutting board, and slice it into ¼-inch-thick pieces.

The Salad

Place the Romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl or two smaller bowls. Arrange the avocado, cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, red onions, and crumbled feta cheese.
Top it with the sliced grilled chicken, drizzle with the salad dressing, and enjoy with bread and ranch dressing on the side.

Low-Fat Ranch Salad Dressing

Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sriracha, buttermilk, and sugar until well combined. Stir in the chopped parsley, adjust for seasoning, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

While ¾-1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken is average, feel free to lower the amount for a low-salt version.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition