It is hot out there, folks – we’re talking triple digits! And you can bet that when summer heats up like that, the last thing I wanna do is heat up my kitchen by turning on the stove or oven. Instead, you can find me at the grill sipping an ice-cold Red Stripe while I grill up my jerk chicken for this recipe. 🌞 This recipe is all kinds of goodness flavor-wise – it’s basically Jamaica in a salad. 😆 Plus, it comes together so fast that it will probably take you more time to eat this salad than it will to prepare it. Win-win!
Recipe Ingredients
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
Tips and Tricks
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.
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
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.
title: “Jerk Chicken Salad” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-28” author: “Minnie Bernier”
Why We Love This Spicy Jerk Chicken Salad
Whether we’re at home or off exploring, I want to feel like I’m on vacation from June through August. I do things all summer long to convince myself I’m on an extended holiday… I listen to reggae music, sip tiki drinks, wear my swimsuit under my clothes all day, and even cook meals that remind me of trips past. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this. It helps ease the pain of constant adult responsibilities as I watch my kids run free on their break from school. I try not to be jealous. Cooking meals that remind the whole family of vacations we’ve taken together always creates smiles around the dinner table. I often make dishes that remind us of our trip to Italy last summer or our trip to Mexico last fall. Yet best of all, I like to make summer dishes that remind us of island life. Fresh, healthy dishes loaded with tropical ingredients and spice.
Ingredients You Need
Chicken Thighs – or chicken breast Jamaican Jerk Marinade – habanero peppers, fresh thyme, red onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, ground allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper Romaine Lettuce – or your favorite crisp green Red Bell Peppers – cut into rings Avocados – adds creaminess and a bit of fat Cucumber – I prefer English cucumber Pineapple – goes great with the jerk chicken! Dressing – I used a honey mustard!
Our “Summer of Salads” continues today with an island-inspired dinner salad, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.
Jerk Chicken Salad
This easy Jerk Chicken Salad is piled high with fresh greens, grilled red bell peppers, tangy sweet pineapple, cucumbers, and avocado. Then it’s topped with grilled jerk chicken marinated in a blend of island spices and smoky habanero peppers. Finally, the salad is drizzled with a zippy Newman’s Own Honey Mustard Lite Dressing that everybody loves! Newman’s Own has a special contest going on this summer called “Greens for Good” Salad Recipe Contest and you can participate! Since Paul Newman started his “All Profits To Charity” company Newman’s Own, the Newman’s Own Foundation have given more than $430 million to thousands of charities. Paul Newman believed that “From salad dressing, all blessings flow.” Newman’s Own Green For Good Salad Recipe Contest invites you to showcase your favorite salad, using Newman’s Own Dressing, for an opportunity to direct a $35,000 donation to their charity of choice. The Greens of Good Salad Recipe Contest is a perfect way to get your daily dose of healthy greens and make a huge impact on a charity you feel passionate about! Entries for this year’s Greens for Good Salad Recipe Contest run from June 23, 2015 to August 21, 2015. You can pop over today and submit a recipe! On October 21, 2015, Newman’s Own will announce the $35,000 grand prize winner and charity, as well as nine runners-up, who will each direct $1,000 donations to their selected nonprofits. The top ten finalists will be posted online at NewmansOwn.com/GreensforGood for public voting to help determine the top nine finalists and the Grand Prize winners. Want to enter your best salad? Click Here to Submit Your Recipe. Then stay tuned for updates! Celebrate the season with salad. Start with our Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad and then make your own summer-inspired salad for Newman’s Own Greens for Good Salad Recipe Contest!
Tips & Variations
If you prefer no spice in this chicken salad, omit the habanero peppers completely! They are quite spicy, so keep that in mind when adjusting the recipe if you want just a little spice. I love honey mustard with this salad, but you can also use any dressing you prefer! Try your favorite ranch or balsamic instead. When grilling chicken, make sure that you don’t over cook it! Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer!
Looking for More Salad Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Crunchy Apple Slaw Mexican Chicken Salad Thai Quinoa Salad Chinese Chicken Salad Chicken Fajita Salad
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Newman’s Own All opinions are my own. Share This Recipe With Friends!
