Cilantro lime grilled chicken spinach arugula salad

Cilantro lime grilled chicken  salad dressed with a warm coconut balsamic vinaigrette.

Cilantro lime grilled chicken is served over a bed of baby spinach / arugula, topped with sliced radishes, mango , avocado and some crushed roasted peanuts. Quick, easy, wholesome and a whole lotta flavor in one bowl.

Breezing through the salad section of any restaurant menu is something I almost always do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the salads are great (or not) but for some reason, part of me feels like I’m wasting a meal if I go for a salad. Maybe I do that because I’d rather make the salad I want at home. Maybe I do that because paying an extra $$$ to add a piece of chicken , shrimp or salmon is not for my wallet. Ultimately, enjoying  a homemade salad with all my favorite fixings is always the best route to take.

Picked up some boneless, skinless chicken thighs at our local market but chicken breasts will also work. Mangoes (when available) and avocados are usually a nice addition to my salads. That extra sweetness and good fats, we need ’em.

Grab a fresh bunch of cilantro, wash and trim the ends. Combine with garlic, scotch bonnet, ginger , chicken bouillon and salt. Crush or chop. Squeeze in juice from one lime, a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. This is probably one of my favorite chicken marinade. You can also use this marinade for shrimp, which will be a great substitute if you’re pescatarian.

Wash and pad dry chicken, thoroughly mix  with marinade. Use a wooden spoon or wear gloves because of the scotch bonnet pepper. Let chicken sit in marinade for about an hour, rotating about half way through. (refrigerate). Grill in a non stick pan or cast iron skillet until brown on each side and thoroughly cooked.

Think of the marinade, then imagine all the good brown bits stuck at the bottom of the pan. That’s where another highlight of this dish comes from, the warm coconut balsamic vinaigrette. A dash of coconut balsamic, a squeeze of lemon juice and you have yourself one delicious vinaigrette to accompany your salad. Strain to remove any big chunks if you wish but this is optional.

You can build the salad with your favorite greens and other fixings. Top salad with sliced chicken, mangoes, radish and avocado. Drizzle vinaigrette. Even though roasted peanuts  is optional, it adds a nutty crunch that makes an even more delicious bit.

You’ll love this salad. Try, enjoy and share.

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Spicy grilled chicken, spinach, arugula salad

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  

• 3-4 pieces boneless chicken thighs
• 1 Mango sliced ( About a cup and a half
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 cup sliced radishes
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups arugula
• 1 small bunch cilanto
• 1/4-1/2 Tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 small Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
• 1/4 chunk cube ginger
• 1-2 Tbsp coconut balsamic

Instructions

 

• Thoroughly rinse cilantro and trim ends. Combine with garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet, salt, bouillon and crush. I used my molcajete (a mortar and pestel ) but you can also chop in a blender). Add in juice from lime and olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
• Wash chicken and pad dry with a paper or kitchen towel. Transfer to a bowl and scoop marinade over chicken. Thoroughly mix enuring chicken is completely coated. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, rotating half way through.
• Wash peel and slice avocado and mango. Set aside. Combine baby spinach and arugula in a large salad bowl, toss to mix the greens and set aside.
• When ready, remove chicken from the refrigerator. Using a skillet large enough to prevent crowding your pan, heat about 1/2 a tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil). Carefully add chicken (do not overcrowd). Cook for about 5-7 minutes until brown on each side. Center should not be pink!. remove from pan and rest on a clean chopping board.
• Add coconut balsamic and a squeeze of lemon juice into the pan. Season to taste if necessary.Use a sieve to remove bigger bits of chicken or chunks from marinate.
• Build your salad. Slice chicken and place over mixed greens. Add mango, avocado and radishes. Drizzle vinaigrette and finally crushed roasted peanuts. Enjoy.