Green Goddess Salad
This Green Goddess Salad features perfectly grilled chicken, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and an herby dressing that is absolutely irresistible!
Salads can get a reputation for being boring. I get it, if you are eating the same old garden salad day after day that would get pretty boring. But this green goddess salad recipe is anything but boring! With its grilled chicken, crunchy vegetables and homemade herb dressing this salad is pure magic. You can also meal prep this salad for a healthy lunch option!
If you love this salad recipe, you should also try my buffalo chicken Cobb salad, chicken bacon ranch salad, or this grilled chicken Caesar salad.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- EASY PREP – While this does have a homemade dressing, you can easily make it ahead of time so dinner time is a breeze. This dressing also stores well and it is absolutely delicious! You will love having this around to dip fresh veggies or wraps in.
- HEALTHY – Loaded with protein and vegetables this is a perfect healthy recipe that you will feel great about! It’s also a wonderful opportunity to toss in spare veggies you might have leftover in the fridge to reduce waste.
- CUSTOMIZABLE – Don’t feel like you have to strictly stick to the salad ingredients. If you have extra vegetables that need to be used up you can easily add things like sliced radish, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes or olives!
Ingredients for Green Goddess Salad
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. For the complete list just keep scrolling. To make this healthy salad recipe you will need:
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs work best for this recipe.
- Lettuce: romaine lettuce has a great crunch, but you can use a mix of your favorite varieties or a mixture of lettuce and purple or green cabbage if you wish. If you want more nutrition than crunch, this salad is also fantastic with a base layer of spinach or kale.
- Tomatoes: grape tomatoes are always great in salad, but you can use your favorite variety.
- Cucumbers: regular, English, or mini cucumbers will all work in this recipe.
- Avocado: adds a great creamy flavor and a dose of hearty healthy fat!
- Parmesan: we don’t add a ton of cheese to this recipe, but a nice touch of good-quality parmesan goes a long way! Feta cheese would also be delicious in this recipe.
- Optional ideas to add texture or nutrition: green onions, cashews, walnuts, chips, hard-boiled eggs, broccoli, artichoke hearts, cooked green beans, red onion, shallots, cauliflower, snap peas, shredded carrots, etc.
Green Goddess Salad Dressing Ingredients
A green Goddess Dressing gets it’s signature green flavor from fresh herbs! The ultra-creamy texture comes from full-fat Greek yogurt that is loaded with calcium and protein. To make this dressing you will need Greek yogurt, cilantro, basil, dill, chives, lemon juice, good-quality olive oil, garlic, and of course a pinch of salt.
How to Make Green Goddess Salad
This salad is comprised of three parts: grilled chicken, salad, and salad dressing. Don’t worry, this really is super easy! I’ve documented the entire process so I can walk you through the process.
Make the Dressing
In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients until smooth. Do a taste test. Does it need salt or pepper? Does it have enough lemon for your liking? Adjust if needed and when the dressing is done, set it aside.
TIP: You could use a high-powered blender if you need to. The fresh herbs can make the mixture very thick, though, so I recommend putting the liquids in first, then herbs, then blend.
Season the Chicken
In a large bowl, toss the chicken in garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoning salt and set aside while you prepare the grill or grill pan.
Grill the Chicken
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Set aside on a plate and allow to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, slice the chicken.
Assemble the Salad
Assemble your salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, and any other veggies you might want to throw in! Add the grilled, sliced chicken right on top. Drizzle the dressing over everything, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese shavings.
Serve
Serve the salad right away for the best results, though you can meal prep this salad if you need to. Just scroll down for that information. This salad is truly a complete meal, but if you would like to serve it alongside bread (like this Jalapeno Gouda Bread) or rolls that is a great idea too!
Can I make this vegetarian?
Sure, just skip the chicken! You can easily add drained and rinsed chickpeas to add extra protein if desired!
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. As a whole, you can make the chicken and dressing ahead of time. If you are wanting to meal prep this completely for grab-and-go lunches I suggest going one step further. Make the salad as directed and put the salad in a jar or container, along with the chicken. Store the dressing separately. When ready to serve, add the dressing to the salad.
Tips & Tricks
- The dressing is really creamy, herby and zesty. You can add fresh mint or parsley if desired!
- Vegetable toppings are pretty much endless for this salad!
- The green goddess dressing can be stored for 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It can also be easily doubled and used for other recipes all week.
Healthy Chicken Recipes
- Greek Chicken Power Bowls: grilled chicken, tons of fresh vegetables, hummus, olives, and feta make this bowl an unbeatable meal!
- Chicken Burrito Bowl– An incredibly easy weeknight dinner that makes the most of leftovers or pantry staples. This recipe can be put together in only 5 minutes with our step-by-step instructions.
- Chicken Avocado Wraps – Quick, simple, and delicious! This would be amazing with some of that green goddess dressing, too.
- Chicken Stir Fry: a healthy, one pan recipe that features loads of vegetables and a sesame sauce!
- Chicken Fajitas: Colorful peppers and juicy chicken are loaded onto tortillas for an incredibly flavorful and nutritious meal. Leftovers are even better!
Get the Recipe: Green Goddess Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt full fat
- ¾ cup cilantro , loosely packed
- ¾ cup fresh basil leaves , loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp salt
Salad:
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- Optional: broccoli, artichoke hearts, cooked green beans, red onion, cauliflower, snap peas, shredded carrots
Chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts , butterflied if large
- 2 tbsp oil, olive oil, avocado oil, your preferred cooking oil
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
Equipment
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken in garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoning salt and set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Set aside on a plate and allow to cool. Once cooled, slice the chicken.
- Assemble your salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, any other veggies, and chicken. Drizzle the dressing over everything, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese shavings. Serve!
Notes
- The dressing is really creamy, herby and zesty. You can add fresh mint or parsley if desired!
- Vegetable toppings are pretty much endless for this salad!
- The green goddess dressing can be stored for 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It can also be easily doubled!
- Make the chicken and dressing ahead of time for easy meal prep!
