Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers, Baby Spinach and Fig Vinaigrette
Imagine biting into a juicy, aromatic piece of grilled chicken, bathed in an exotic marinade of yoghurt, turmeric, paprika, garlic, and nigella seeds. Picture this on a bed of crispy baby spinach and sweet, smoky roasted capsicums adorned with cubes of creamy feta and toasted pine nuts. Now, envision this all tied together by a sweet, tangy, and deeply-flavoured fig vinaigrette. That’s the delightful and hearty Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers, Baby Spinach, and Fig Vinaigrette we’re introducing to you today!
This recipe embodies a delightful harmony of flavours and textures, boasting vibrant colours and a nutrition-packed profile. The chicken, marinated in spices and yoghurt, is succulent and packed with flavour. The roasted peppers bring a wonderful sweetness and smokiness to the dish, while the baby spinach provides a fresh, slightly bitter contrast. The soft feta cheese adds a tangy creaminess that pairs excellently with the nuttiness of the toasted pine nuts.
The dressing is a showstopper in its own right. The fig preserve lends it a subtle fruitiness, while the honey offers a gentle sweetness to balance the acidity of the balsamic vinegar and the sharpness of the mustard.
This Grilled Chicken Salad is not just a meal, it’s an experience — a journey through a world of flavour. It’s perfect for a wholesome lunch, dinner, or even as a deliciously healthy option for potlucks and picnics. The bonus? This salad could easily transform into a sumptuous wrap filling, making it a versatile recipe to keep in your repertoire.
Follow the detailed instructions and tips for a hassle-free preparation process. Enjoy this culinary adventure and savour every bite of this exquisite salad. Bon appétit!
Basic Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Salad
Grilled Chicken:
Chicken breast: Lean and high in protein, it’s the perfect canvas for the flavorful marinade.
Yoghurt: Its acidity helps tenderise the chicken, and it also carries the flavours of the spices.
Spices (Turmeric, Paprika, Garlic, Salt, Black Pepper, Nigella Seeds): These create a flavorful and aromatic marinade with earthy, smoky, and slightly spicy tones.
Dressing:
Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar: The base of the vinaigrette, they create a balance between richness and acidity.
Mustard and Honey: They emulsify the dressing and add a spicy-sweet contrast.
Fig Preserve: This adds a sweet and slightly fruity note to the dressing.
Salad:
Capsicum (Bell Pepper): Its sweet, mild flavour complements the spicy chicken, and roasting enhances its natural sweetness.
Baby Spinach: A nutrient-dense green that adds freshness and a slight bitterness to balance the other flavours.
Feta Cheese: It provides a creamy, tangy contrast to the other ingredients.
Pine Nuts: These add a nutty flavour and a crunch for texture.
Preparation Tips for Grilled Chicken Salad
- Marination Time: The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavourful it will be. If possible, leave it to marinate overnight.
- Roasting Peppers: After roasting, placing the peppers in an airtight container makes it easier to peel them.
- Resting Chicken: Allow the chicken to rest after cooking. This ensures the juices redistribute, yielding a moist and flavourful chicken.
Serving Tips for Grilled Chicken Salad
- Dressing: Dress the salad just before serving to prevent the spinach from wilting.
- Presentation: Assemble the salad on a large platter for an impressive presentation, placing the chicken on top and garnishing it with feta and pine nuts.
storage tips
Salad Components: Store salad components separately to prevent sogginess. Keep the chicken, dressing, and salad ingredients in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Duration: The grilled chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The dressing can last for a week if refrigerated.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat.
Assembly: For the freshest taste and texture, assemble the salad just before serving.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers, Baby Spinach and Fig Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken
- 500 g chicken breast
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 2 tsp nigella seeds
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1-2 tbsp fig preserve or raspberry jam
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 2 orange or red capsicum, quartered
- olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups baby spinach or baby rocket for a spicy flavou, washed and dried
- ¼ cup soft feta cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 200°C.
- To make the grilled chicken, first marinate the chicken in yoghurt, turmeric powder, paprika powder, minced garlic, salt and black pepper powder. Leave for 20 minutes or overnight.
- Meanwhile, prepare the capsicum for the salad. Place the capsicum pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, store in an airtight container until cooled, then peel and cut into thin slices.
- In a medium-sized pan, heat a little olive oil on high heat and cook the chicken for 2 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken breast and cook for an additional minute. Cover the pan, lower the heat and allow the chicken breast to cook for another 10 minutes. Add the nigella seeds and toss to coat the chicken. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then slice and keep aside.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, fig preserve, sea salt and pepper until they have emulsified.
- To assemble the salad, toss the roasted capsicum, baby spinach and feta cheese with a couple of tablespoons of salad dressing. Serve on a large platter, layer the chicken on top and garnish with toasted pine nuts and feta cheese.
Notes
- You can store the extra salad dressing in the fridge for up to a week.
- Alternatively this salad can be used as filling for a wrap. For this, layer some baby spinach, a couple of strips of roasted capsicum, a drizzle of the fig vinaigrette, some chicken strips and little roasted pine nuts in the centre of a tortilla wrap. Fold the base of the wrap a couple of inches up and fold each side over to the centre so that they overlap. The same quantity makes up to 12 small wraps.
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