Best Beyond Grilled Chicken Salad Recipes

BEYOND GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• DRESSING: In a small container with a lid, combine dressing ingredients; cover and shake well; set aside for about 1 hour.
• SALAD: Sprinkle breasts with steak sauce; let rest for 15-30 minutes.
• Toast the pine nuts in a cast-iron skillet or in the oven--to golden brown; set aside.
• Grill or broil chicken breasts (12-15 minutes) until tender and no longer pink--turning once; cool slightly.
• Arrange greens on four plates, top with grapes, cheese and nuts.
• Slice each breast width-wise, arrange on each salad.
• Shake dressing agrain and drizzle over each salad.
• SUBSTITUTIONS: Other nuts will do fine for the pine-nuts. Try Bleu cheese instead of the Feta--it's a whole different salad then!

BACON-WRAPPED GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND LIME

Steps:

• Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge to come to room temperature. Soak wooden toothpicks or skewers in water while you ready your grill. Clean the grate thoroughly and build a hot fire. This chicken needs to be cooked over intense, direct heat.
• While the coals heat, butterfly the chicken breasts: On a chopping board, place one hand on top of the breast, and slice into its side, starting at the thick end and moving toward the thin point. Make sure not to cut all the way through. Then, open up the breast, cover with plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll the chicken to an even thickness of 1/2 inch; set aside.
• Prepare the dressing: Crush the herbs, salt and garlic in a pestle until you have a thick, bright-green paste (or finely chop them); stir in the lime juice. Scoop the avocados into the pestle and crush, then stir in the oil, pepper and half the jalapeños. Prepare the salad components so they're ready to be assembled when the chicken is cooked.
• When the coals are burning red and the grill hisses when you drop water on it, salt and pepper the chicken breasts on both sides. Lay 4 slices of bacon flat on each breast crosswise, then turn the chicken over and fold the bacon ends over like you're wrapping a parcel. Secure the ends of the bacon with toothpicks or skewers.
• Place the bacon-wrapped breasts on the grill, with the side without the toothpicks facing down. There will be some flare-ups as the bacon fat hits the coals; if it's burning, pull the parcels off the grill and give the coals a few minutes to cool. Otherwise, when the parcels have nice color on the first side, after about 3 or 4 minutes, flip them over. Cook on the second side until cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes more; transfer to a cutting board to rest.
• Assemble the salad: Toss the leaves with about 1/3 of the avocado dressing and some additional olive oil to thin it. Use your hands to toss until coated and season to taste with salt.
• Pull the toothpicks or skewers out of the bacon-wrapped breasts and slice them into strips. Dollop 1/3 of the avocado dressing onto the serving platter, then arrange the leaves, chicken and eggs on top. Dollop with the remaining avocado dressing to taste. Finish with more herbs, remaining jalapeños, lime wedges and some extra olive oil for gloss.

GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat until juices run clear, 5-8 minutes on each side. Remove from grill to a rimmed platter. Sprinkle with lemon juice; let stand 10 minutes. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water., Remove chicken from platter to a cutting board and cut into strips; pour juices into a large bowl. To the juices, add vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper; whisk well. Gradually whisk in oil. Add pasta, celery, onion, red pepper and dill; toss to coat. Arrange pasta over lettuce-lined plates. Top with chicken. If desired, sprinkle with dill.