Description
This Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad bursts with fresh summer flavors. Juicy grilled chicken, charred sweet corn, creamy avocado, vibrant red bell pepper, and sweet multi-colored grape tomatoes are tossed with lime and cilantro for a zesty and satisfying main-course salad. Perfect for outdoor meals or light dinners, this protein-packed dish is as nourishing as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 1.25 to 1.5 pounds thin-sliced or pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Corn
- 5 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Salad
- 2 medium avocados, ripe but not mushy, diced into small pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (multi-colored, or other varieties), halved
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely minced (or to taste)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Place chicken breasts, lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a large ziptop bag. Seal and move the ingredients around until chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, to maximize flavor and tenderness.
- Prepare Corn: Drizzle the corn ears evenly with olive oil and rub to coat all sides completely. This helps the corn char nicely on the grill.
- Grill Chicken and Corn: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the marinated chicken and prepared corn on the grill. Cook chicken for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until cooked through and charred. Rotate corn every couple of minutes by a quarter turn to char all sides evenly, without burning.
- Cut Corn and Dice Chicken: Remove the cooked corn and chicken from the grill. Cut corn kernels off the cobs using a sharp knife and place in a large bowl. Top the corn with unsalted butter and mix until melted and combined. Dice the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the corn.
- Assemble Salad: Add diced avocado, red bell pepper, grape tomatoes, fresh lime juice, minced cilantro, salt, and black pepper to the bowl with corn and chicken. Gently mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, lime juice, or a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Add cayenne pepper for heat if you like.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately as a main dish or side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. Note that avocado will oxidize and turn brown over time, though it remains safe to eat.
- Salad is best served cold or at room temperature; for leftovers, let the salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating to take the chill off.
- The nutritional facts may be slightly high, as calculations often include all marinade and oil, though not all is consumed. Adjust accordingly if tracking nutrition closely.
- Feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat or substitute your favorite fresh herbs for cilantro.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
