This mouthwatering Lemon Chicken Salad makes a substantial meal or terrific for sharing at gatherings! A bright lemon dressing with a touch of honey does double duty as a quick marinade for the chicken. Nutritious, filling and fabulous!
The very first feature I did for Super Food Ideas magazine was called “Double Duty” where I shared recipes where one base mixture was used for two purposes. So for example, I did a Garlic Lime Marinated Prawns (Shrimp) with Green Rice where one lime and garlic mixture was used to marinate the prawns and as the flavour base for a green spinach rice.
Using a salad dressing as a marinade for chicken is Double Duty in its simplest form and this Lemon Chicken Salad is a terrific example where the Lemon Dressing works as a fantastic marinade to infuse chicken with flavour – quickly!
THE LEMON DRESSING
The Lemon Dressing is made with both lemon zest and lemon juice. That way, it actually tastes of lemon. Which might sound strange I know. But actually, lemon juice is just sour. All the lemon flavour is in the skin.
So if you want lemon flavoured anything, you need to use the zest!
CHICKEN BREAST OR THIGH!
If I post a chicken thigh recipe, I absolutely guarantee someone will ask if it can be made with breast. If I post a chicken breast recipe, someone always asks if it can be made with thigh.
So nowadays, I just make sure I cover that off in every single chicken recipe I do.
YES you can make this with chicken breast. YES you can make it with chicken thighs!
I had a bit of a shocker filming and photographing this recipe. I kept forgetting a key ingredient and had to make it over and over again. Which, actually, is not the worst thing in the world because I would scoff it down for lunch within seconds of the last click of the camera.
The last time I filmed it, I was patting myself on the back for remembering everything for the salad – then wailed in frustration when I realised I forgot the bacon.
Hence why some photos have bacon – and some do not.
The video does not. 😤
But in all honesty, it’s an optional extra. Bacon makes everything better. But this Lemon Chicken Salad is terrific even without it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Lemon Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Dressing/Marinade:
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper
Chicken:
- 1 large chicken breast , halved horizontally* OR 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp lemon juice , extra
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Salad:
- 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 8 cups cos/romaine lettuce , chopped (or other lettuce of choice, Note 2)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1 medium avocado , quartered and sliced thickly
- 1/2 red onion , small, finely sliced
- 3/4 cup corn kernels , fresh or canned drained
- 120g/ 4 oz bacon , cooked then chopped (optional)
Instructions
Dressing:
- Place Dressing ingredients in a jar. Shake well.
Chicken:
- Place chicken in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp Dressing, 1 tbsp extra lemon juice, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. Marinate minimum 20 minutes up to 24 hours.
- Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat (or use bacon fat if you use bacon in this!). Add chicken and cook. Halved breasts: 2 minutes each side. Thigh: 4 minutes each side.
- Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil for 3 minutes. Slice.
Salad:
- Add dill into remaining dressing. Shake.
- Place remaining salad ingredients in a bowl. Top with chicken.
- Drizzle dressing all over. Crumble over bacon if using. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
MORE CHICKEN SALADS YOU’LL LOVE
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More giant Salads for Meals
Life of Dozer
If he gets any closer to the heater, we might be having roasted Dozer for dinner tonight….
I almost skipped this recipe, Nagi, until I saw the comment about the staple in the comments for your mom’s cheesecake. Then I had to see what that was all about! This looks delightful and a nice variation on the usual mayo-based chicken salads. I’m not a mayo fan so can’t wait to try this. It’s perfect for sumer, and really, all year.
PS: Yes to more double-duty recipes!
I ATE A STAPLE ACCIDENTLY!!! Food styling fail 😂
Hi Nagi, thanks for your weather update and Dozer in front of the heater..we are currently having 29 degree celcius in Toronto Canada..keeping fingers crossed that the AC does not CONK out😈😈..so the chicken salad is very welcomimg today july 13th xo .
BTW the conjunctivitis that Luca has is clearing. .so we are not using the CONE OF SHAME needless to say he is so happy xi Gillian and hello from luca 🐕👍
I’m so glad to hear that! Please give Luca a big hug from me! N x
Good day mom how can I get your recipes I love your cooking
Thank you so much.Planning to make this for my boss as he is on diet..That’s i asked what kind of Dijon Mustard you use as he is using sugar free..
Hi Nosipho! Did you join my free email list? That way you get all my recipes emailed to you for free! 🙂 N x
PS frgot to tell YOU Love, Love Your Mums Japanese Cheese cake, SOOOO DELISH, LIGHT, FANTASTIC. ALWAYS LOVED CHEESE CAKES. THANKS TO YOUR MUM!
OMG it is totally amazing! I’ve been trying all her versions and have loved them all – but her final version is perfect! N x
Wow, DOZER is 100% comfortable !! WHAT a LIFE ! And AS for Mother NOT sure WHAT is going on( swalow staple) …. HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU.? Ok, YOU ARE for given THIS time BECAUSE IT WAS YOU and no one ELSE. AS for salad THATS no ONE ALWAYS. SOOOO EASY AND ANYTHING GOES. AM HAVING BIG ROAST CHOOK ( supermarket ) , avocado, and home GROWN lemones, YUMI ! PLEASE BEHIND Your SELF OVER the w/End . Sat AM temp WILL BE 03 C, from Mon 05 days rain and Montani AREAS Snow 05 days, WINTER…Ok, Ciao for now.
That’s pretty much the same temps we’re having too!! Stay warm Vera 🙂 N x
Yummy recipe Nagi. Got to find me some avacados 😂
Noooooooo! No roasted Dozer 😂 He looks quite comfy! Hugs
Enjoy the weekend.
Ha! He’s Self Roasting!!😂
Made this salad for dinner last night and it was amazing! Added a bit of goat cheese ( because why not) and my husband and I finished it off. Delicious! Printing the recipe as I type.
Wow, that was fast! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this Carol! Thank you for letting me know – N x
Nice salad Nagi. By now, I hope everything has worked out regarding the staple. You know, I for one, believe your food images are fine without a lot of food styling tricks and a lot safer.
Dozer is just trying to keep his tummy warm.
I don’t do many tricks Ron 🙂 I’m pretty focussed on plonk and shoot work flow!!! N xx PS Dozer’s tummy should be warm from the warm bowl of food he just had!
Hi nagi – greetings from a sweltering England – I have just started to make my way through your giant salads – what can I say they have been amazing. Love the double duty dressing/marinade it saves so much time. They are super tasty even the salad haters in my family were impressed. Looking forward to trying this salad too.
I LOVE hearing that Salad Haters approve too!! Enjoy the heat – I’m jealous 😖
Healthy to the Max , and beautifully photographed also. Must try this one.
Best wishes from the English lake district.
Thanks for the compliment Alan! N x
Hello Susie, with regards to your first question, it’s also known here in Australia as Romaine lettuce which I think is what it’s called in the US. I’ll let Nagi answer question 2 but I think it’s the latter.
You’re absolutely right! Thanks Sharon 😘 N x
Just checking up on you. Swallowing a staple?! Hope it doesn’t do any harm. Take care Nagi!
I’m alive! I’m alive!! 😂
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it, thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Pat! 🙂 N x
OK: I’ll be happier to read the next few posts and find you have not had your appendix out if that staple did go down your gullet! Since my Meyer lemon is being nicely prolific this year and I just love to cook with such, this is a great variation to try – thanks ! And. with my mild winter climate, salads are on the menu all year 🙂 ! Dozer: bet you don’t even know when Mommy made that shot: simply too comfy . . . . a quiet back rub from me also: nope, you did not notice!
I’m still with us! 😂 You have Meyer lemons! I’ve been wanting to try them for ages!
Sweeter, juicier! Get a couple of baby trees, put them in pots either side of the door out to the veranda – almost no work , , , , mine are 25 years old and only a couple of metres high and, yes, they will grow on the Northern Beaches . . . and they look very elegant . . .
What a laugh. I read the start of your email and saw you swallowed a staple. That is definitely something I would do . When you love salad and the photos are finished you tend to dig in straight away. Can’t let a salad go to waste now, can we?. I am also heartened to know that you also forget ingredients and have to redo photos. Its very frustrating and time consuming. The results look delicious though Nagi
Gosh Tania, I scrap so many photos!! The light in my house is really hard to work with 🙂 thank you for the compliment! N x
Oh Nagi, the things you do for us!!!! …. I hope it all works out ok and you stay well. Thank you for all your great recipes.
I’m sure it will be fine! It was stapled so it’s pretty small – no sharp bits hanging out! 😂
Been in Advertising for many years, very familiar with ruining food for photo shoots, dulling spray, glue, glycerin, etc.
Once shot an airbrushed turkey that was only cooked for a half hour. Maybe try push pins or thumb tacks?
Your photos are excellent! You have a real talent. Maybe you didn’t swallow the staple? Did you look on the floor.
Hope everything is okay!
Right now in the middle of a heatwave! Can’t imagine sitting by a heater! LOL!
You would know ALL the tricks of the trade!!! I’ve heard the roast turkey/chicken trick before, every time I see the big photos in supermarkets, I always think to myself – THAT’S RAW INSIDE!! 😂
Was in marketing/PR in a number of family firms . . . at the moment laughing my head off at the ‘aibrushed turkey’ at 30 mins !!! yep: can see push pins and thumbtacks working . . . OMG, Sheri, perchance one should not give all the ‘secrets’ away . . . 🙂 !!
Yummm! yes to double duty also. By the way…ummmm…you aren’t the only one who has swallowed a staple – I swallowed one of those really large ones, as I have Crohn’s they actually sent me for an X-Ray – had the staff giggling over doing an X-Ray for a staple. Mind you – I drank mine….now I use keep cups – so the lid is always on (plus saves wastage). Love your recipes and Dozer looks so cozy – his fur would be lovely to warm your feet on. 🙂
NO!!!! OMG – that sounds like a nightmare! What happened???
Love your site, and the ease of printing your yummy recipes. 2 really basic questions: 1) does “cos” lettuce have another name in the US (maybe it’s the same here, but I don’t recognize it)?; 2) trying to visualize cutting the chicken breast “horizontally” – if it starts as a sort of thick triangle, does it end up as a trapezoid and a smaller triangle, or as 2 thinner triangles of the original shape?
Ahh yes it’s also called romaine lettuce! As for the chicken breast, lay it flat and put your hand on the top of it, then slice through it so you end up with two thinner pieces of the original shape 🙂 Thanks for the questions, I will add these in the notes! N x
Thanks for clarifying. I made the marinated chicken part yesterday, substituting limes for the lemons because I had so many of them. In place of the salad part, I served it with Ina Garten’s Roasted Vegetable and Orzo side dish dressed with the leftover marinade. Did everything on the gas grill as it’s most definitely summer here. Family declared it delicious (I’m looking forward to eating solid food in another month or two.)
Love hearing that Susie! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤
Sorry Susie, forgot to hit the reply button when I answered your questions. Scroll about 8 questions up to find my answer. Long day, very tired.
I’m confused, do you cook the chicken in bacon fat if you’re using bacon?