Quick Pan-Seared Chicken Salad (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts seared and served warm over fresh mixed greens with a tangy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.6 oz total)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Salad Greens

07 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, romaine)
08 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
10 - ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
11 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Dressing

12 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - ½ teaspoon honey
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
02 - Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove from heat and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - While chicken rests, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Combine mixed salad greens, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, cucumber slices, and crumbled feta cheese in a large salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss gently to coat.
05 - Slice rested chicken breasts thinly. Arrange the slices over the dressed greens and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 25 minutes, which means you can go from hungry to eating something actually good without much fuss.
  • The warm chicken against the cool, crisp greens hits that perfect balance of satisfying without making you feel sluggish.
  • You can swap out almost any ingredient based on what's hiding in your crisper drawer, so it never gets boring.
02 -
  • If you pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking, they'll finish at the same time and you won't end up with one side overcooked while you're waiting for the thicker part to cook through.
  • Don't skip the resting step, as tempting as it is to cut into a beautiful piece of chicken right away. Those few minutes make the difference between juicy and dry.
03 -
  • Invest in a instant-read thermometer if you don't have one, since checking for doneness by cutting into the chicken guarantees you'll lose all those beautiful juices you worked to preserve.
  • Let your dressing ingredients come to room temperature before whisking if you can remember to do it, since cold oil and vinegar don't emulsify as readily as room temperature ones.
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