This simple Grilled Chicken Salad recipe with Pesto Ranch Dressing is a quick and easy lunch or dinner that’s also super healthy.  The grilled chicken lemon and herb marinade keeps it moist and juicy with delicious flavor.

Included in the recipe is also our pesto ranch dressing which is perfect for this grilled chicken salad or any other green salad that you like. It’s made with mayo, buttermilk, ranch seasoning, and your favorite homemade or store bought pesto.

Healthy grilled chicken salad recipe in a bowl with a side of pesto ranch dressing, grilled chicken breast with salad.

Simple Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe

This grilled chicken salad recipe is just what you need for those summer nights when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen.  It’s easy enough for a weekday meal and fancy enough to entertain guests.

The chicken breast is marinated in lemon juice, oil, and Italian herb seasoning to keep it nice and moist while it grills. From there, it is sliced and added to a green salad, then topped with our fresh and zesty Pesto Ranch Buttermilk Dressing – yum!

If you love chicken salads, be sure to check out my BBQ Chicken Salad, Thai Chicken Chopped Salad, and BLT chicken salad recipe too.  

How to marinate grilled chicken for salad, grilled chicken breast salad.

Key Ingredients

  • Chicken Marinade: There are a few things that make the best chicken marinades.  
  • Oil:  I like to use Avocado Oil for this chicken marinade recipe.  It has a high smoking point and doesn’t add many flavors.   
  • Lemon Juice– Good marinades call for some kind of acidic element- For this recipe, I like to use lemon juice.  White vinegar would be another good option. The acidity in the marinade will help break down the muscle fibers and tenderize the chicken.
  • Spices and/or seasonings.- I like to use the Good Seasonings Zesty Italian dressing packet in this chicken marinade.  It adds a lot of flavor without a lot of calories and is really versatile.
  • Avocados: You can use these sliced or in chunks.  Be sure to cut up your avocados right before you serve them they are fresh and don’t brown.
  • Tomatoes: You can use your favorite tomato here.  I used some halved cherry tomatoes but a large tomato, cut into chunks would work great too. 
  • Pepperjack Cheese: My family loves a little spice but you could certainly use some mozzarella cheese here too. For salads, I like to add fresh mozzarella or just slice a few cheese sticks up.  That works great too. 
  • Lettuce: Romain lettuce, butter lettuce–use your favorite variety of lettuce!
  • Pesto Ranch Dressing: This is hardly a recipe but still worth sharing.  We love this dressing on everything and even just a dip for fresh veggies.  To make the pesto ranch dressing, use a 3/1 ratio.  (1/3 cup pesto sauce to  2/3 cup ranch dressing)  Just mix it up and wa-lah, an incredible ranch dressing variation. 

How to Make Grilled Chicken Salad

  1. Tenderize the chicken. Remove chicken from packaging and place into a large freezer bag. Use a rolling pin, mason jar, or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pound the thickest part of the chicken breast until it is all an even 3/4″ thickness. (Note: This should only take a few good whacks)
  2. Marinate the chicken. Open the freezer bag and add the avocado oil, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning mix. Seal the bag and roll gently to mix all the ingredients together. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours. (If you can let the chicken marinate for up to 24 hours, that’s ideal. The marinate will give the chicken so much flavor and it makes the most tender and juicy grilled chicken.)
  3. Grill the chicken. Remove chicken breasts from the marinade and place onto the hot grill. Place the chicken breasts on the grill over approximately 350 degree heat and cook until golden brown, or about 6-7 minutes. Use tongs to flip the breasts over and grill for another 6-7 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  4. Rest the chicken. Remove chicken from the grill and place it on a platter with foil over it for 5 minutes to redistribute the juices and to keep the chicken warm and juicy.
  5. Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the mayo, buttermilk, Ranch dressing mix, and pesto. Mix well and then set aside. Slice the chicken and prep the rest of your ingredients. Add to a large serving bowl and drizzle with the prepared Pesto Ranch Dressing. Enjoy!
Grilled chicken salad with ranch pesto dressing, showing pepperjack cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep grilled ranch chicken moist?

There are a few things to keep in mind when trying to get really tender, juicy, grilled chicken breasts. Tenderizing your chicken will really make a big difference when grilling your chicken. Don’t over-pound your meat – a few good whacks will do the trick. Your chicken breast will cook a lot more evenly if the meat is a uniform thickness. 

Marinating your chicken is also a great way to keep it moist. The high PH from the vinegar or lemon juice helps break down the muscle fibers in the chicken and the oil will help keep it moist. 

Last but not least, don’t overcook your chicken.  The best way to assure you’re not overcooking your chicken is to use a digital meat thermometer.  Grill the chicken only until it reaches 165 degrees. 

What temperature is chicken breast done?

Chicken breast is done when the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F.  It’s best to take the chicken off the grill when it reaches 162-163 degrees F.
The chicken will continue to cook after it’s take off the grill. You can take the chicken off the grill, then let sit under foil to cook to a safe internal temp.

grilled chicken salad with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and pesto ranch salad dressing.

Tips for Making the Best Grilled Chicken Breast Salad

  • Tenderize your meat.
  • Marinate your Chicken Breast.
  • Cook at a lower heat for longer to keep the chicken breast tender and juicy.
  • Cook your chicken breasts on low/medium heat until golden brown 6-7 minutes. Use tongs to flip the breast over and grill for another 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Use a digital meat thermometer. The chicken breast should register 165 degrees F. 
  • When the chicken is done, place it on a platter with foil over it for 5 minutes to redistribute the juices and to keep the chicken warm and juicy. 
Healthy grilled chicken salad in a bowl with a side of pesto ranch.
5 from 1 vote

Simple Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe

Author The Carefree Kitchen
This grilled ranch chicken salad is so delicious.  It includes a simple grilled chicken marinade recipe that makes a delicious basic chicken salad recipe and a delicious pesto ranch dressing everyone will love.  
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yields6 people

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken Marinade

  • 2¼ pounds chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 0.7-ounce package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

Pesto Ranch Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1-ounce packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
  • 1/2 cup pesto

Ingredients for Chicken Salad

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup pepper jack cheese, cut into 1/2" chunks
  • 1 large avocado, cut into 3/4" chunks

Instructions
 

  • Remove chicken from packaging and place into a large freezer bag. Use a rolling pin, mason jar, or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pound the thickest part of the chicken breast until it is all an even 3/4" thickness.
  • Open the freezer bag and add the avocado oil, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning mix. Seal the bag and roll gently to mix all the ingredients together.
  • Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Grilling the Marinated Chicken

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  • Remove chicken breasts from the marinade and place onto the hot grill over approximately 350 degree heat. Cook until golden brown, or about 6-7 minutes. Use tongs to flip the breasts over and grill for another 6-7 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  • Remove chicken from the grill and place it on a platter with foil over it for about 5 minutes.

Assembling the Grilled Chicken Salad

  • In a large bowl, combine the mayo, buttermilk, Ranch dressing mix, and pesto. Mix well and then set aside. In a separate large serving bowl, add the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, Pepper Jack cheese, and diced avocado. Slice the chicken and arrange it over the top.
  • Drizzle with the prepared Pesto Ranch Dressing and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing instructions: store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Chicken can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 940mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1647IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 268mg | Iron: 2mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
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More of the Best Grilled Chicken Recipes

This Grilled Ranch Chicken Breast Salad is one of the best chicken breast salad recipes. It has a simple grilled chicken marinade recipe that makes a delicious basic chicken salad recipe and a delicious pesto ranch dressing everyone will love.  It’s a wonderful grilled chicken recipe!

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Welcome! I'm so glad you're here!! My name is Jill Baird at The Carefree Kitchen. I love food, nearly all food, and love to celebrate every day with food and the people I love! I love being creative in the kitchen and discovering new ways to switch up old favorites and coming up with new favorites. My hope is that you will find recipes you love on my site and maybe even find some inspiration to create something new! Have fun in the kitchen!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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