Go Back
+ servings
overhead view of a bowl of pesto Chicken salad
Print

Pesto Chicken Salad Recipe

This pesto chicken salad is delicious and nutritious! It’s loaded with leafy greens, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, spicy red onion, feta and creamy avocado slices. Top everything off with a simple, bright, homemade lemon dressing.
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword gluten-free, low-carb, lunch, salads, side dish, spring
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 254kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 5 cups green leaves any kind of lettuce or spinach
  • ½ small red onion sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 cup cucumber diced
  • ½ avocado sliced
  • 1 tsp feta cheese
  • 1 tsp fresh parsley chopped

For the dressing

Instructions

For the chicken

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  • Place chicken breast on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes. The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Remove from the oven and let it cool down/rest for 10 minutes.

 For the salad

  • While chicken rests, arrange green leaves, red onions, cherry tomatoes and cucumber in a large salad bowl.
  • Slice avocado and place on the salad.
  • On a cutting board, dice the chicken breast and transfer to a small bowl. Add pesto and stir well, then place chicken atop salad.
  • In a mason jar, pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper and whisk everything together.
  • Taste to check the seasoning levels and add more salt/pepper if desired, then pour over the salad.
  • Top with feta cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • If you prefer chicken thighs, feel free to swap them.
  • Let chicken rest 10 minutes after baking to prevent dryness.
  • Feel free to bake extra chicken for meal-prep purposes.
  • I prefer homemade pesto in this recipe, but you can use store-bought.
  • You can soak the red onions in cold water to remove some of the bite from them.
  • For even more protein add a hard-boiled egg to your salad.
  • To store: If this salad will be your lunch at work, bring the dressing in a separate container to avoid soggy lettuce. Everything will keep well (when stored separately from dressing) for up to 4 days.
  • To freeze: I don't recommend freezing the salad, but you can freeze the chicken for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1445mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g