Roasted Corn & Chicken Chopped Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant salad with smoky roasted corn, grilled chicken, creamy avocado, and crisp radishes in zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.6 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 ears fresh corn or 1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed
03 - 1 large avocado, diced
04 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced (about 8 radishes)
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
14 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
03 - Place corn directly on the grill with husks removed. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool slightly, then slice kernels off the cob.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, grilled corn kernels, diced chicken, avocado, radishes, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
06 - Drizzle with lime dressing and toss gently to combine.
07 - Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The corn gets this smoky char that tastes nothing like raw corn, completely changing how you think about the vegetable.
  • One salad genuinely fills you up without that heavy feeling that makes you want to nap afterward.
  • The lime dressing is so simple it takes five minutes, but tastes like you fussed for hours.
02 -
  • Don't slice the avocado until you're ready to serve; even five minutes of exposure to air will turn it an unappetizing gray-brown.
  • If your grill isn't hot enough when the chicken hits it, you'll get steamed chicken instead of grilled chicken—the difference is everything, so wait for it to be truly hot.
03 -
  • If you don't have access to a grill, a cast iron skillet heated until it's nearly smoking will give you those char marks and bring out the same flavors.
  • Prep all your vegetables the morning of if you're serving this at lunch—just keep the avocado separate and slice it right before assembly, and store the dressing covered in the fridge.
Go Back