Grilled Chicken Pesto Salad With Avocado
by This post may contain affiliate links.
Grilled pesto chicken, fresh avocado and cherry tomatoes top this satisfying, easy, gluten free salad recipe. It’s delicious as an entree, or side dish, and it’s perfect for meal prep!
I love topping a delicious bowl of greens with flavorful grilled chicken. And obviously, I’m not the only one! These Bruschetta Grilled Chicken Zoodle Bowls are the most popular gluten free recipe on the blog.
When it comes to my favorite topping for any salad, bowl or basically any meal, it has to be avocados! Creamy avocados are a staple in my pantry and a huge part of my diet. I love that you can add them to everything from smoothies to enchiladas.
This Lean and Green Superfood Smoothie is my go-to in the mornings. And I could eat these Creamy Avocado Corn Enchiladas every week!
This salad is bursting with flavor from creamy sliced avocado, quartered cherry tomatoes, and grilled pesto chicken! It can be served with the chicken hot or cold, as an entree or side dish. You can easily toss the salad together while meal prepping and divide it up for lunches throughout the week.
No boring salads here! This basil pesto chicken salad will become your new favorite. And the great thing is, it’s quick and easy to make in just 29 minutes!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this basil pesto chicken salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts are preferred. However, if you prefer to use boneless chicken thighs, or even turkey breast, feel free.
- Pesto – click the link for my homemade recipe featuring simple ingredients including: fresh basil leaves, garlic, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper! I highly recommend homemade fresh basil pesto. It’s so easy to make and so delicious!
- If you’re limited on time, store-bought will work just fine. I recommend checking around the deli section of your grocery store for packaged fresh pesto in the refrigerated section. These are typically much more delicious than the jarred version in the dry goods section.
- Greens – baby spinach is my choice for this chicken salad, but other greens such as spring mix, romaine lettuce, kale, or arugula for a peppery twist would taste good as well.
- Vegetables – a mix of red onion, cherry tomato, and fresh creamy avocado add so much flavor and texture to this filling salad.
- Balsamic vinaigrette – used as a dressing for the salad.
- Black Pepper – cracked fresh on top for a garnish and added flavor.
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Toss the boneless skinless chicken breasts with basil pesto.
- Cook the chicken. Once the chicken is tossed with the pesto, grill the chicken on an outdoor or indoor grill. After the chicken is grilled, allow it to rest for 10 minutes to retain the juices.
- Don’t have a grill available? No worries, simply sear the chicken on the stove in a cast iron skillet, or the heaviest skillet you have available.
- Make the salad. While the chicken is resting, prepare the salad. Toss spinach leaves and thinly sliced red onion with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Place in a large bowl and top with quartered cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado.
- Garnish and serve. Slice the chicken, or cut into bite size pieces, and place it on top of the salad. Drizzle extra basil pesto sauce on top of the salad and add a little fresh cracked black pepper.
Additions and substitutions
One of my favorite things about salads is how easy they are to mix up for your own tastes or dietary needs. Here are a few of my favorite additions to this salad with pesto chicken!
- Mozzarella pearls – I love adding these fresh little balls of fresh mozzarella to this salad for a spin on a caprese!
- Parmesan cheese – grate a little fresh parmesan cheese on top for an extra salty, cheesy flavor.
- Nuts – candied pecans add a little sweetness to this salad, while sliced almonds or walnuts add a nice crunch! Or even garnish with pine nuts for the classic pesto taste.
- Croutons – this salad is naturally gluten free, but if you’re not on a gluten free diet, sprinkle some crunchy croutons on top!
- Make it dairy free! Use this Vegan Kale Pesto instead of basil pesto to make the recipe dairy free.
Pesto Chicken Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup basil pesto, click link for homemade recipe
- 4 cups spinach leaves
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 California Avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp basil pesto
- ½ tsp black pepper, fresh cracked
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally through the middle.
- Toss the chicken with the basil pesto.
- Place the chicken on an outdoor or indoor grill, or grill pan and grill for 6 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is resting, toss the spinach leaves and red onions with the balsamic vinaigrette.
- Place in a large bowl and top with the cherry tomatoes and avocado.
- Slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad.
- Drizzle the salad with 1 tbsp basil pesto and top with fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
