This Grilled Cajun Chicken Salad with Creamy Cajun Dressing is one of my all-time favorite main dish dinner salads! It’s got plenty of protein from the spicy grilled Cajun chicken, and a homemade creamy Cajun dressing to help tone down the heat just a bit. And the crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and creamy avocado are just the thing for a warm summer evening meal!
Heaven knows I am not much of a salad person. I wish I was, truly I do, but usually I’m all about meat and the carbs. So when I find a salad that can satisfy my comfort food lovin’ heart while attempting to eat a little healthier, you know I’m going to share it with you. And oh baby, this Grilled Cajun Chicken Salad with Creamy Cajun Dressing definitely delivers.
Granted, the dressing is on the naughtier side since it is made with sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk, but a little can go a long way with a salad like this where there is so much other flavor and goodness that you don’t want to smother it in too much dressing anyway.
For starters, you are going to want to make my favorite homemade Cajun seasoning spice blend. You could always just buy a Cajun spice blend from the store, but why bother when you’ve already got all the herbs and spices you need in your pantry and can control the amount of heat & salt by making it yourself at home?
A single batch is just right for four chicken breasts, but you need a teaspoon or two of Cajun seasoning in the creamy Cajun dressing, so go ahead and make a double batch. Any leftovers are delicious sprinkled over potatoes before roasting them or added to an amazing aioli to add some pep to sandwiches or use for dipping. Just store any extra seasoning mix in an airtight container.
Serve this salad with your chicken still hot off the grill, or make the chicken in advance and chill it for a nice, cool summer dinner. It’s delicious either way. I like to make sure to have extra chicken leftover so I can make myself a salad for lunch the next day too.
And if you are looking for other soul-satisfying dinner salads, check out this BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad or my Tex-Mex Doritos Taco Salad. Both are also phenomenal and good for times when you are cutting back on carbs and maybe trying to get just a little more green in your diet.
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- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 4teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 4-6cups mixed lettuce greens
- 2cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/2 of a red onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 English cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers), sliced into thin discs
- 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1cup buttermilk
- 3/4cup mayonnaise
- 1/2cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 1/4cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 1tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1-2teaspoons Cajun seasoning (depending on how spicy you want your dressing!)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Prepare the salad components by washing and drying the vegetables, then slicing the cucumbers into thin discs, cutting the grape tomatoes in half, and slicing the onion into thin strips. Wait to peel and slice the avocado until just before serving.
- Prepare the creamy Cajun salad dressing by processing all of the dressing ingredients together in a blender or food processor until completely combined. I would recommend starting with 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and increasing the amount until you reach your desired level of heat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.
- Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet or large dish and pat dry. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and rub the chicken to coat evenly. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning over the top of each chicken breast, turn the chicken over and sprinkle each chicken breast with another 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning so the chicken is evenly coated on both sides.
- Place the chicken breasts directly over the heated side of the grill and grill for about 5-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your chicken, until the internal temperature of the breasts reach 160 degrees using an instant read meat thermometer. You can also check whether the chicken is done by making a small cut into the thickest part to see if it is opaque in the center, or pressing on the thickest end of the chicken with your finger to see if there is any resistance. If there is no resistance, the chicken is done. Remove from the grill and rest for 5 minutes.
- Prepare each salad plate by dividing the lettuce between four large plates. Arrange the tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and avocado on top of the lettuce, then slice each chicken breast into strips and arrange on top of each salad. Serve with Creamy Cajun Dressing.
You can either use a Cajun seasoning blend from the store or make a double batch of my favorite homemade Cajun seasoning spice blend with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
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