15 Minute Chicken Salad
This 15 Minute Chicken Salad is a quick and easy main dish salad made with pan-seared chicken, fresh greens, juicy stone fruit, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and a simple hot honey vinaigrette.
It's colorful, fresh, and satisfying-perfect for a warm-weather lunch or light dinner on the patio. I especially love this salad in summer when peaches, nectarines, and plums are at their best, but it's flexible enough to adapt to what you have on hand.
The hot honey vinaigrette adds just the right amount of sweet heat and comes together quickly with pantry ingredients. In fact, it's one of those dressings I sometimes make extra of to drizzle over vegetables, pasta, or simple green salads later in the week.
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Why I Love This Chicken Salad
This is one of those quick meals that feels special without being complicated. Thin-cut chicken breasts cook quickly in a skillet, the salad ingredients are fresh and simple, and the vinaigrette brings everything together.
Here are a few reasons I love and make this salad often, especially in the warm summer months:
- Quick enough for a weeknight dinner
- Fresh and colorful for summer
- Easy to adapt with your favorite greens or stone fruit
- Made with simple ingredients
- Ready in about 15 minutes
For another quick main dish salad, this 15 Minute Chicken Taco Salad is packed with bold flavor and plenty of crunch.
Ingredients You'll Need
This Stone Fruit Chicken Salad is easy to adapt depending on what is fresh in your market or already in your refrigerator. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below, but here's what you'll need:
- Chicken: I like to use thin-cut chicken breasts or cutlets because they cook quickly. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs also work.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, Herbs de Provence, or your favorite chicken seasoning blend.
- Salad greens: Butter lettuce, baby romaine, arugula, spring mix, or a combination.
- Stone fruit: Nectarines, peaches, or plums are all delicious in this salad.
- Avocado: Adds creamy texture and makes the salad more satisfying.
- Cherry tomatoes: Easy to halve and perfect for summer salads.
- Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are my favorite, but English cucumbers work well too.
- Fresh herbs: Basil and chives are especially delicious here.
Hot Honey Vinaigrette Ingredients
This easy vinaigrette is sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy. You'll need:
- Lemon, juiced
- Apple cider vinegar: sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar works too
- Olive oil
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Warmed honey
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make This Chicken Salad
- Season and cook the chicken: Season thin-cut chicken breasts and pan-sear them in a hot skillet until golden and cooked through. Let them rest briefly before slicing.
- Assemble the salad: Arrange greens, sliced stone fruit, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs on a large platter or in shallow bowls.
- Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth and combined.
- Finish and serve: Add the sliced chicken to the salad and drizzle with hot honey vinaigrette just before serving.
Tips for Making This Salad
- Use thin-cut chicken breasts or cutlets so the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing to keep it juicy.
- Choose ripe but firm stone fruit so it slices easily and holds its shape in the salad.
- Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to sliced avocado to help prevent browning.
- Make extra vinaigrette to keep in the refrigerator for salads, vegetables, or grain bowls.
Serving Ideas
This chicken salad is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it's also delicious with warm bread, crackers, pita, or a simple cup of soup. For a heartier meal, serve it with cooked quinoa, couscous, or a slice of focaccia.
For more classic dinner salad ideas, this Chicken Cobb Salad or this Southwest Chicken Salad are hearty, colorful, and delicious.
15 Minute Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 4 thin cut boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning Herbs de Provence (or your favorite Chicken rub)
- 3-4 heads butter lettuce or baby romaine
- 1 bunch fresh chives snipped
- 2 avocados sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 4 Persian cucumbers sliced (or English cucumbers)
- 3 ripe nectarines peaches, plums, or other stone fruit
Hot Honey Vinaigrette
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons honey warmed
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Coat chicken breasts with a bit of olive oil and season both sides with salt, pepper, and seasoning of choice (Italian seasoning, Herbs de Provence, or favorite Chicken rub).
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Cook the chicken breasts for about 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the breasts. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Toss the lettuce, avocado, stone fruit, cucumbers, and snipped chives with the vinaigrette. Serve on a large platter.
- Thinly slice the chicken breasts and lay them on top of the salad (or serve individually on top of salad servings). Add additional Parmesan cheese if needed.
- For the Vinaigrette
- Whisk all ingredients together until emulsified.
Notes
- Chicken: Use thin-cut chicken breasts or cutlets so the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.
- Stone Fruit: Any ripe stone fruit works well in this salad, including peaches, nectarines, or plums.
- Prep Tips: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing to keep it juicy. To help prevent avocado from browning, drizzle slices with a little lemon or lime juice before adding them to the salad.
- Make Ahead: The hot honey vinaigrette can be made ahead and refrigerated. Whisk well before serving.
- Serving: For a heartier meal, serve with warm bread, crackers, quinoa, couscous, or a cup of soup.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
More Recipes You May Also Enjoy
For another chicken-and-avocado dinner idea, try this Sheet Pan Chicken with Avocado Caesar Salad.
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