This arugula and chicken salad with grapes is quick to prep and topped off with a creamy homemade dressing. The salad is delicious, healthy, and easy, as well as being gluten free, dairy free, and paleo.
This recipe is sponsored by the awesome folks at CA Grown.
Arugula and chicken salad with grapes
I am so excited to bring you this delicious recipe. I love prepping the salad and dressing in smaller containers for the week.
The salad is sweet and tangy, light and filling all at the same time.
It can be eaten as a main course since it's loaded with grilled chicken, chopped cashews, and hearty, nutrient-dense greens.
Any variety of California grapes can be used in this salad, and I love using cherry tomatoes.
The grapes and tomatoes go very well together, as they are both bright and vibrant in both flavor and color.
What goes in this chicken salad?
This recipe is made with just a handful of really simple and delicious ingredients. The California grapes are what really make the salad shine though.
Let me tell you why:
They're a delicious and refreshing treat!
Sophie has been loving on grapes lately as a healthy snack. She wants grape-flavored fruit leathers and asks me for grape kombucha daily.
I knew that if I wanted a chance of her eating an arugula salad, I'd have to add in some fabulous grapes inside.
I've been looking out for California grapes ever since finding out that about 99% of our grapes grown in the US are grown here in California.
There are a number of ways to know you're buying California grapes. Look for the grapes from California logo, look for "Grown in California", or look for a California flag on the package.
And since I mentioned that 99% of grapes grown in the US are grown in California, if the package says "Grown in the USA" or has a US flag, it's likely they were grown in California. Thank goodness they're in season for more than half the year.
I know I'll be stocking up weekly now through January with confidence that I will be supporting the economy, our neighbors, our California farms, and our farm workers too.
How to pick out the most delicious grapes
When visiting your local grocery store or market, be sure to ask the grocers for CA grown grapes. Here's a helpful shopping guide to learn how to tell where your food is coming from.
The rest of the ingredients in the salad do a very good job of accentuating the grape flavor. Here is what else you will need:
- Arugula
- Fresh basil
- Fresh mint
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cashews
- Red onions
You are going to need to pickle the red onion or purchase already pickled red onions.
The dressing is made with homemade mayonnaise, but feel free to buy your favorite store-bought mayo instead if that's your jam.
Not your classic chicken salad recipe
I don't think I've ever had a chicken salad like this. The arugula, grapes, and chicken are a lovely trio, and their flavors and textures all pair so well together.
The chicken thighs are grilled to perfection and made with a quick and easy but flavor-forward marinade.
It's just avocado oil or olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and a handful of fabulous spices. It only needs to sit and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
If you have extra time, definitely let the chicken marinade for longer. It will taste great after those 30 minutes though, so don't worry if not! 🙂
How to make arugula and chicken salad
Mix all of the chicken marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs along with the marinade to a large Ziploc bag or into a shallow container so the chicken can be fully submerged. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
Once you are ready to cook the chicken, turn the grill on to preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it has reached temperature, grill chicken thighs on the hot spots (hottest parts of the grill) for about 6-7 minutes per side. Set aside and cut into strips.
Add tomatoes and grapes to a mixing bowl and pour in half of the dressing. Stir well and set aside.
Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl or on a platter. Add in the dressed tomatoes and grapes and mix well.
Serve with extra dressing on the side. Taste for additional salt and pepper. Serve right away and garnish with extra cashews, parsley, and mint.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to store the dressing and salad separately because the salad will begin to break down and get soggy if it's sitting in the dressing for a few days.
- Make homemade mayonnaise if you can… it's a game changer.
- If you aren't into arugula, you can use another one of your favorite greens like fresh spinach, romaine lettuce, etc.
- Chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs. Be sure to cook them until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recommend Read: How to Keep Produce Fresh
Looking for more great salad recipes? Try these:
Easy Arugula Chicken Salad with Grapes
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 6-8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 1 ½ cups California grapes halved
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cups arugula
- ½ cup roasted cashews chopped
- ¼ cup basil leaves chopped
- ¼ cup mint leaves chopped
- ⅓ cup pickled red onions
Dressing
- ¾ cup homemade paleo mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the chicken marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs along with the marinade to a large Ziploc bag or into a shallow container so the chicken can be fully submerged. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Once you are ready to cook the chicken, turn the grill on to preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it has reached temperature, grill chicken thighs on the hot spots (hottest parts of the grill) for about 6-7 minutes per side. Set aside and cut into strips.
- Add tomatoes and grapes to a mixing bowl and pour in half of the dressing. Stir well and set aside.
- Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl or on a platter. Add in the dressed tomatoes and grapes and mix well.
- Serve with extra dressing on the side. Taste for additional salt and pepper. Serve right away and garnish with extra cashews, parsley, and mint.
Notes
- Storage: Be sure to store the salad and dressing separately because the salad will begin to break down and get soggy if it's sitting in the dressing for a few days.
- Mayonnaise: Make homemade mayonnaise if you can… it's a game changer.
- Greens: If you aren't into arugula, you can use another one of your favorite greens like fresh spinach, romaine lettuce, etc.
- Chicken: Chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs. Be sure to cook them until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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