This easy marinated Grilled Chicken Salad is everything you want is a quick and healthy Whole30 dinner! It’s topped with avocado, pickled red onions, bean free sunflower seed Whole30 hummus, and savory sun-dried tomatoes. You’ll be making this recipe again and again!
Sunny days call for salad! Especially in the middle of winter (it’s January as I write this), there’s just something about the sun finally shining a bit that makes me want to enjoy a big crunchy salad.
And this salad does NOT disappoint. It’s full of the best, brightest flavors, plus it’s super family friendly and awesome for meal prep! It’s inspired by my Greek Salad with Chicken, but pared down a bit to be extra simple and easy AND Whole30 compatible!
Ingredients
- Marinated Chicken Breasts. The marinade is made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lots of garlic, and oregano. Alternately, you could use my Lemon Garlic marinade recipe.
- Avocado
- Hummus made with sunflower seeds, NOT chick peas, so it’s Whole30 and Paleo friendly.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes, preferably packed in oil
- Pickled Onions, but I was a little too impatient to let them sit for this photo. You still get the idea, right?
You might notice what’s not in the salad: Salad Dressing! Between the hummus, the oil in the sundried tomatoes, and the vinegar on the onions, I find you don’t even need salad dressing!
But if you’re using sun-dried tomatoes that aren’t in oil or you just like a salad dressing on top, that’s great, too! I think an Italian vinaigrette would work nicely or just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and oil.
Pickled Red Onions (no sugar added!)
Pickled onions are probably definitely my all-time favorite condiment. I always have a jar in my fridge because I literally eat them on everything! My recipe has no sugar added and they’re absolutely delicious. Check out all the recipe variations on my Pickled Onions post!
Sunflower Seed (Bean Free) Hummus that’s Paleo and Whole30
Can you make hummus without chicken peas? Of course! There are a lot of wats to do it, like substituting cauliflower, but my favorite way to make Paleo and Whole30 friendly hummus is with soaked raw sunflower seeds.
Tahini is the only ingredient you shouldn’t skip when making bean-free hummus. It’s made from ground sesame seeds, and it’s what gives it that hummus-y flavor.
Adding hummus to this salad is really wonderful, but also check out how I use it with my Hummus & Romesco Crudites Snack Board!
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More healthy recipes
- Orange Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
- Asian Grilled Chicken Salad
- Air Fryer Burger Bites
- Healthy Tuscan Chicken
- Tomato-Basil Turkey Breast Salad
Like this recipe? Let me know!
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Quick Grilled Chicken Salad with Hummus & Sun Dried Tomatoes (Whole30, Paleo)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2-3 cloves garlic smashed
Salad Ingredients
- 6 cups romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup pickled onions
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes preferably in oil
- 1 avocado
Sunflower Seed Hummus
- 1 cup sunflower seeds raw, unsalted
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 3 cloves garlic blanched
- 4 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoons pepper
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar, oregano, and garlic cloves.
- Trim the chicken breasts and gently pound them to uniform thickness.
- Place the chicken in a dish that's at least 2 inches thick (I use an oval baking dish), and pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat it. Cover and allow to marinate for 2 hours or up to 2 days in the fridge.
Make the Hummus
- While the chicken marinates, make the hummus. Soak the sunflower seeds in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If need be, thin by blending in a little extra oil until it's the desired consistency. It should be creamy and spreadable but not too thick.
Cook the Chicken
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, and add them to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning once (10 minutes total). Remove them from the skillet and allow to rest a few minutes before cutting.
Assemble the Salad
- Divide the lettuce between four bowls. Top with sliced chicken, hummus, pickled onions, and sun dried tomatoes, and a sprinkle of oregano and salt and pepper, and serve.
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