The Salad Of My Dreams

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Sometimes the stomach wants what the stomach wants! I love a good Caprese salad and would eat one every day if I could. It’s so simple and delicious but this time around, my tastebuds were yearning for more. That’s when I stumbled upon this amazing combination that took a basic dish and kicked it up a notch. This Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad was quick, simple, and most of all outrageously delicious! It’s amazing to think with the addition of a couple more ingredients you can make something this satisfying.

The lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are the classic stars of this dish but the real star in this salad is the avocado. It adds a creaminess and flavor that I didn’t realize was missing until I took my first bite. It’s amazing what a little avocado will do. It reminded me of a delicious Ceasar salad I made once upon a time that incorporated the awesome green fruit and it took a simple salad to the next level. That’s how I knew this addition was going to make the meal for me. I love simplicity but I love the ability to level up a dish with just one basic ingredient.

While the ingredients were phenomenal on their own, the dressing/marinade was an amazing addition. Immediately after tasting the balsamic dressing over the salad I wished I had quadrupled it when I mixed it all together. There was a sweet and tangy twang to the marinade that really highlighted the flavor of the chicken but also went well with all the ingredients overall. I was beyond pleasantly surprised. Making salads are super easy and I don’t know why I don’t make them more often. This one was definitely one I highly recommend and would make again!

Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad

What You Need:

Marinade/Dressing:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoon salt

Salad:

3 boneless skinless chicken breast
5 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup mini mozzarella/bocconcini cheese balls
1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to season

Instructions:
Click here to Cook With Me!

Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Place chicken into a shallow dish; pour 8 tablespoons of the dressing/marinade onto the chicken and stir around to evenly coat chicken.
Reserve the untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
Heat about one teaspoon of oil in a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through.
Once the chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest then slice chicken into strips.
Prepare salad with lettuce, avocado slices, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and chicken.
Top with basil strips; drizzle with the remaining dressing; season with salt and pepper.
Serve and enjoy!

Cook With Me:

Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Place chicken into a shallow dish; pour 8 tablespoons of the dressing/marinade onto the chicken and stir around to evenly coat chicken.
Reserve the untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
Heat about one teaspoon of oil in a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through.
Once the chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest then slice chicken into strips.
Prepare salad with lettuce, avocado slices, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and chicken.
Top with basil strips; drizzle with the remaining dressing; season with salt and pepper.
Serve and enjoy!