Paleo Greek Chicken Salad

Spring is here, and what better way to usher in the warmer weather than with a fresh, nutritious salad. This paleo, Whole 30, dairy-free recipe is packed with protein to help fuel you and your family this season.

Ingredients:

Chicken + Marinade/Dressing:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
• 1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about the juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano or Balanced Bites Greek Seasoning Blend
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Salad:

• 2 hearts of romaine washed and roughly chopped
• 2 med/large cucumbers quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
• 1 medium green bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
• 1 large avocado (or 2 small ones) sliced
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together all the marinade/dressing ingredients to blend, then separate out half to use as the dressing. Set the dressing aside until ready to serve the salad. You can put it in a mason jar with a lid so you can shake it to blend.
• Place the chicken in the large bowl with the remaining marinade and turn to coat on all sides. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or longer if you have the time, in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile, prepare the veggies for the salad and arrange them in a large serving bowl, leaving out the avocados until just before serving so it doesn’t brown.
• Once the chicken has marinated, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a little oil, then sprinkle the skillet with a bit of sea salt. Gently shake excess marinade from the chicken, leaving a coating for flavor, and arrange in the hot skillet. Discard any remaining marinade at this time.
• Cook the chicken about 5-6 minutes per side, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You might need to adjust the heat to avoid burning the outside. Once done, remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest while you slice the avocados and arrange in the serving bowl with the rest of the salad. Slice the chicken and arrange it around the salad, then drizzle all over with the saved dressing (shake or mix the dressing first) and toss as desired. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Enjoy!