Jerk Chicken Salad – Immaculate Bites

Why Jerk Chicken Salad is the Perfect Salad

Besides being downright delicious, jerk chicken salad is super nutritious and works with just about any diet. There are fresh fruits and veggies along with plenty of lean protein and very few calories. Another thing, it’s gluten and dairy-free if you have any food sensitivities. Plus, this recipe can be Whole30, paleo, and keto-friendly with little or no adjustments.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Chicken Breast – This lean protein is so good fresh off the grill, especially when covered in jerk seasoning.
2. Jerk Seasoning – A spice mix that gives this dish its Caribbean flavor.
3. Fresh Fruit and Veggies – Greens, pineapple, mango, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado all come together for a tasty mix of flavors and textures.
4. Lime Vinaigrette – Olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and honey add just the right amount of savory tang to this already awesome salad.

How to Make Jerk Chicken Salad

Prepare the Ingredients

• Prep Chicken – Place chicken breasts on a plate, season with salt, and then with jerk seasoning. Set aside and let them marinate for about 1-2 hours. (Photo 1)
• Grillin’ Time – Preheat a grill on medium-high heat. Once the grill is heated, place chicken breasts onto the grill and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side, or at least until they reach an internal temperature of 165℉/74℃ and juices run clear. Set aside.
• The Dressing – In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add olive oil, lime juice, zest, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. Set aside. (Photos )

Assemble the Salad

• The Fruit and Veggies – Prepare the pineapple, mango, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro. Place in a bowl and toss together. (Photos )
• Finish the Salad – Place mixed salad greens on a serving plate and top with fruit and veggie mixture. Next, add sliced avocado, followed by the sliced chicken breast. (Photos 6-7)
• Final Touches – Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette dressing. Finally, garnish with more cilantro, and serve! (Photo 8)

Recipe Variations

1. Since you are already at the grill, try replacing diced pineapple with pineapple rings and grilling those too. If you’ve got the time for the extra step, it really takes this salad up a notch.
2. Try a different protein if you’d like. Grilled fish or shrimp with jerk seasoning would also taste amazing here. Honestly, you can customize this salad any way you’d like. Switch out the fruits and veggies for your favorite combos – just about anything is going to taste amazing with jerk chicken and this lime vinaigrette. 😋

Tips and Tricks

1. A meat thermometer will help grill your chicken breast to perfection. By using the thermometer, you can rest assured you won’t undercook or overcook the chicken, and it will be perfectly juicy and tender.
2. Spray your grill with cooking spray while it’s heating up to keep the chicken from sticking when you flip it.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Making this salad ahead of time is totally doable. Grill and slice your chicken, make the vinaigrette, cut up, and toss the veggies, fruit, and cilantro. Store each salad element separately in airtight containers in the fridge up to two days ahead. When you’re ready to eat, simply combine mixed greens with the chopped fruits and veggies, put the chicken on top, slice up an avocado and add that too, then drizzle the dressing, and you are good to go. 👌

Serving and Storage Instructions

You can serve this salad with the chicken still warm off the grill or wait until it’s cooled to room temperature. You can even serve the chicken sliced and chilled if you prefer.

Try to store the fruits and veggies, salad greens, chicken, and vinaigrette all separately in airtight containers in the fridge. This way, the salad will still taste fresh 3-5 days later, and nothing will get wilted or soggy.

FAQs

What to Serve with Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad

This salad will fill you up all by itself, but you could make it part of an entire Jamaican meal. Serve it with Caribbean rice and beans and yuca fries for a couple of delicious pairings. And how about some mango fool for dessert? So yummy!

More Incredible Jerk Recipes to Try

1. Jerk Sauce
2. Jerk Marinade
3. Easy Jerk Chicken Recipes
4. Grilled Jerk Chicken Tacos
5. Jamaican Jerk Salmon
6. Jerk Shrimp

Conclusion

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s delicious, which means there’s no reason you shouldn’t whip up a Jerk chicken salad today. Go ahead and make yourself a refreshing plate of this feel-good salad reminiscent of a tropical escape. How did it turn out for you? Let me know in the comments. ❤️

This blog post was originally published in December 2014 and has been updated with a new recipe, additional tips, and new photos.