Easy Salad with Chicken

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This easy salad with chicken will be your new go-to salad recipe. Tender greens and fresh herbs are topped with flavorful, roasted sun-dried tomato chicken and cauliflower. It doesn’t get any better than than a gorgeous chicken and cauliflower salad recipe!

Chicken and Cauliflower Salad Recipe

I gave myself a goal of adding more salads into my daily lunch routine. I don’t consider myself much of a breakfast or lunch person, opting instead for a big dinner. I’ve been working to have more balanced, smaller meals through the day instead. This easy salad recipe with sun-dried tomato chicken did NOT disappoint.

This chicken and cauliflower salad recipe is so good and so easy to make. Here’s what you need:

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Italian seasoning
  • Paprika
  • Cauliflower
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Salad greens
  • Basil
  • Eggs
  • Croutons
  • Your favorite Italian dressing
Sun-dried tomato chicken salad recipe

How to make this easy chicken and cauliflower salad recipe:

Step 1: Prepare the chicken. You can make this salad with chicken or your favorite plant-based protein, like chickpeas, cannellini beans, or plant-based chicken! Drizzle the chicken with a little oil and season it all over with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika.

Step 2: Cook the cauliflower: Sauté cauliflower for a few minutes until it just begins to brown around the edges. Give it a few good shakes of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika as well.

Step 3: Fry the chicken: Make room in the middle of the skillet for the chicken and throw it right in with the cauliflower. Fry it for 4–5 minutes per side.

Step 4: Bake it up: Throw in some water and the sun-dried tomatoes and chuck the whole thing in the oven until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer.

Step 5: Make the eggs and prepare the salad: While the chicken cooks in the oven, make a few hard-boil eggs and dress the salad greens with a little extra virgin olive oil. Toss the salad with fresh basil and croutons.

Divide the salad between bowls. From there, simply slice up the chicken and slice the hard-boiled eggs. Serve the dressed greens with the chicken, cauliflower, and eggs on top. Serve with more Italian dressing on the side.

Chicken and Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Easy Salad with Chicken

This easy salad with chicken will be your new go-to salad recipe. Tender greens and fresh herbs are topped with flavorful, roasted sun-dried tomato chicken and cauliflower.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 389kcal

Equipment

  • Ovenproof skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided
  • 3 teaspoons paprika, divided
  • 1 pound cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 5 ounces salad greens
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • .5 ounces fresh basil
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 4 tablespoons croutons
  • 3 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  • Drizzle chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the Italian seasoning and half the paprika, and use your hands to coat the chicken in the oil and spices. Set aside.

Sauté the cauliflower:

  • Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the cauliflower florets and season all over with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until they begin to brown. Add the remaining Italian seasoning and the remaining paprika. Taste and add salt if needed.

Cook the chicken:

  • Create a well–large enough for the two chicken breasts–in the middle of the cauliflower.
  • Place the chicken in the middle of the pan and cook for 5 minutes per side. Pour in ¼ cup water and the diced sun-dried tomatoes and stir into the cauliflower. Turn off the heat.
  • Transfer to the oven for 15–20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165ºF.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Prepare the salad:

  • Place the salad greens in a large bowl with the croutons and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt.

Prepare the chicken for serving:

  • Thinly slice the chicken and arrange it in the middle of the skillet with the cauliflower.

To serve:

  • Serve the roasted cauliflower and chicken on top of the dressed salad greens. Arrange a sliced hard-boiled egg on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 408mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin C: 70mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!

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