Chicken and Pineapple Salad with Avocado
Mixing a fresh salad is a great way to enjoy a healthy lunch. But why eat another boring salad when you can take your meal to the next level by adding a few unconventional ingredients? This chicken and pineapple salad is full of Hawaiian flavor, thanks to the mix of sweetly caramelized fruit, light greens, creamy avocado, and a zesty homemade dressing. It's a great way to break up the monotony of healthy eating!
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What Do I Need to Make Chicken and Pineapple Salad?
The delicious combination of fresh greens, sweet pineapple, and grilled chicken creates a refreshing treat to enjoy during your lunch break. And the best part is that it can be prepared with just a few simple ingredients! To make your own chicken and pineapple salad with homemade vinaigrette, you'll need:
- Mixed greens
- Avocado
- Grilled chicken
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red cabbage
- Pineapple chunks
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
Looking for more delicious salad recipe ideas? Give these reader favorites a try!
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How Do I Make Chicken and Pineapple Salad?
It couldn't be easier to prepare this flavorful and healthy meal! Taking the time to caramelize your pineapple is the most difficult part of this recipe. And that step only takes a few minutes! Just follow these three easy instructions for making this fruit and veggie-loaded salad:
Step One: Prepare the Salad
Start by prepping all of your ingredients. Chop the lettuce greens, if needed, and thinly slice the avocado. Then, cut the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces and each cherry tomato in half. Finish by shredding the red cabbage. Then, combine the mixed greens, avocado slices, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and red cabbage in a large serving bowl.
Step Two: Caramelize the Pineapple
Stir together the pineapple chunks, brown sugar, and honey in a small bowl. Toss to coat the pineapple, then heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add the pineapple to the hot pan and cook until caramelized. Remove the pan from heat and allow the pineapple pieces to cool completely, then add them to the bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients.
Step Three: Mix the Dressing
Whisk together the lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and toss to coat all the ingredients in the dressing before serving.
How Do You Store Chicken and Pineapple Salad?
This fresh salad tastes best right after it's prepared. But you can store it in the refrigerator for up to five days without the dressing. If you think you'll have leftovers, preparing the salad without the dressing and adding the dressing when serving is best. That way, you can keep the dressing and salad separate, which prevents the greens from becoming soggy in the fridge.
The salad ingredients can be stored together in an airtight container. And the dressing can be kept in a jar or small container until you're ready to use it again. Just mix the dressing with a fork or whisk before adding it to the salad.
Chicken and Pineapple Salad Recipe Ideas
Making a fresh salad at home is a great option because it's so easy to customize! Try these recipe additions to create a delicious lunch or dinner that everyone in the family can enjoy.
- Add some crunch with nuts. Nuts always make a great addition to salads, and this pineapple salad is no exception! Unsalted nuts, like pecans and almonds, are perfect for adding extra flavor and texture to each bite.
- Stir in more veggies. When it comes to salads, you can't go wrong with more vegetables! There are many great vegetable options to add to this salad, including shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, chopped red onion, baby spinach leaves, chopped kale, cooked corn, or sliced cucumber.
- Use fresh fruit. In addition to using canned pineapple chunks, you can also prepare your caramelized pineapple topping with fresh fruit. After slicing the fresh pineapple, cut it into bite-sized pieces, then follow the instructions in the recipe to create a delicious caramelized coating on each bite.
- Mix in some cheese. Salad always tastes better with cheese! To add some cheese to your pineapple salad, try sticking with neutral flavors, like feta, goat cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, or Monterrey jack.
- Make it with any leftover chicken. While grilled chicken is a great option for adding some smokey flavor to your meal, it's not the only way to whip up this salad. Any cooked chicken will work to add some protein to the mix. You can use leftover chicken breasts or thighs or shred up some rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Add some more protein. Chicken is always a delicious salad addition to give it a kick of protein. And if you want even more protein in your meal, you're in luck because chicken pairs well with a variety of other proteins. Try adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, cooked bacon, or diced ham to the mix to round out your healthy meal.
Chicken and Pineapple Salad with Avocado
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 1 avocado sliced
- 2 cups grilled chicken
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup red cabbage sliced
Caramelized Pineapple
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Lime Honey Dressing
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Salad:
- Start by taking the time to prep all of your ingredients. Chop the lettuce greens, then thinly slice the avocado. After that, cut the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces and cut each cherry tomato in half. Finish by shredding the red cabbage. Then, combine the mixed greens, avocado slices, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and red cabbage in a large serving bowl.
Caramelize the Pineapple:
- Stir together the pineapple chunks, brown sugar, and honey in a small bowl. Toss to coat the pineapple, then heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add the pineapple to the hot pan and cook until caramelized. Remove the pan from heat and allow the pineapple pieces to cool completely, then add them to the bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients.
Prepare the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and toss to coat all the ingredients in the dressing before serving.
