Blackened Chicken Salad

No ratings yet
Share Print
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 45 minutes
The process of blackening the chicken really brings out the flavor of the spices and brings the chicken to the front and center. Paired with a crunchy corn salsa and fresh vegetables this salad is hard to beat! At just $2.15 per serving and $8.60 for the whole recipe it is a great meal that won’t break the bank!
Servings 4
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings4

Ingredients

Blackened Chicken
  • 1 lb Chicken Breast
  • .5 cup Butter
  • 2 tbsp Paprika
  • 1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
Salad
  • 1 Green Leaf Lettuce Head
  • .5 Red Onion
  • 1 can Canned Corn
  • .5 Cilantro Bunch Chopped
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 2 Tomatoes
  • Ranch Dressing

Method

  1. Preparing Blackened Chicken: Filet chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness by using a chef knife and cutting the chicken breast in half with the knife parallel to the cutting board. Melt butter and set aside. Mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, black pepper, thyme and oregano in a small bowl and set aside. Pour butter over chicken and stir to coat each breast. One by one, coat each breast in seasoning making sure the entire breast is covered. Lay each seasoned chicken breast flat on a cutting board or sheet pan to prepare to cook.
  2. Cook Blackened Chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle on high heat until it is extremely hot (cast iron is important in this step as heating a regular skillet may warp and ruin the pan). Once the pan is hot, add a small amount of oil and immediately add 1-2 chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the seasoning begins to blacken and the chicken has cooked to 165°. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts while allowing the pan to reheat for 1-2 minutes between each batch of breasts to ensure it is extremely hot. Set aside cooked chicken breasts to cool for several minutes. Once cool, slice each breast into thin slices.
  3. Prepare Salad: Slice red onion into thin strips and place in a bowl of cold water for 4-5 minutes to soak. Chop lettuce into bite sized pieces. Drain corn and mix in cilantro and juice of one lime. Season corn mixture with salt to taste. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and cut into half moons. Dice tomatoes.
  4. Serve: Divide lettuce evenly between four bowls. Top with corn mixture, onion, cucumber and tomatoes and finally blackened chicken. Serve with ranch or another of your favorite dressing.
  5. Meal Prep Tip: This salad keeps well for up to two days. Assemble the salad except for the dressing and store in an airtight container.