Chicken Jerk Salad consists of mixed greens topped with mozarella cheese, avocado, grilled green and red peppers, grilled chicken breast and marinated with a slightly spicy jerk sauce. This brightly colored salad is full of a robust flavor bringing out the jerk flavor only after teasing your palate with the avocado and peppers. Even though I used a spring mix of greens a fresh spinach leaf could also be used. The spicy marinade adds a just a touch of flavor and is not heavy. Perfectly balanced in texture, color and flavor, this salad is just the treat for a luncheon or light supper. Give it a try! This salad is well worth the wait.
Want a few more ideas? Try my Navy Bean Salad, Chicken Jerk Salad, Cucumber Tomato and Red Onion Salad, or Cucumbers and Onions.
Chicken Jerk Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 pkg DEL MONTE spring mix salad greens
- 1 Red Pepper cut into strips
- 1 Green Pepper cut into strips
- 1 Avacado pitted, peeled and sliced
- 8 oz of shredded mozarella
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing peppers.
For jerk marinade:
- 3 scallions chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
*Prepare and marinate the night before.*
Make marinade:
- Blend all marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Marinate and grill chicken:
- Divide chicken pieces and marinade between 2 sealable plastic bags. Seal bags, pressing out excess air, then turn bags over several times to distribute marinade. Put bags of chicken in a shallow pan and marinate, chilled, turning once or twice, 1 day.
- Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
To cook chicken using a charcoal grill:
- Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney of charcoal briquettes (about 100) and pour them evenly over 1 side of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of charcoal).
- When charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken in batches on lightly oiled rack over coals until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Move chicken as seared to side of grill with no coals underneath, then cook, covered with lid, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes more.
To cook chicken using a gas grill:
- Preheat burners on high, then adjust heat to moderate. Cook chicken until well browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat to low and cook chicken, covered with lid, until cooked through, about 25 minutes more.
- While chicken is cooking prepare salad.
- Rinse the greens thoroughly.
- In large saucepan sautee the peppers in extra virgin olive oil. About 10 minutes.
- Toss together lettuce, pepper and avacado.
- Add chicken when cooled.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the salad and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
What a hearty and delicious looking salad!
Thank you Amy. I glad you like it. Enjoy a wonderful week.
Wow, that looks amazing! I am always looking for new salad recipes.
Thanks for linking up @LiveLifeWell!
Blessings,
Amy
This is a great summer salad. Enjoy your week Amy.
Hi Marilyn,
Your Chicken Jerk Salad will be a great summer salad! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
This is a great salad to eat out on the deck on a nice summer evening. Thank you Miz Helen! Enjoy your week!
I can see my hubby loving this jerk salad since he likes salads with some oomph to it. Thanks for sharing it on Merry Monday.
I hope he gets to try this. It fits all his requirements. Enjoy!
Marilyn this sounds so good and my husband loves jerk chicken. I have chosen your recipe as one of my features for next weeks OVER THE MOON LINK PARTY which goes live on Sunday evening at 5 pm central. Please stop by to see your feature and link up again!
🙂 gwingal
Thank you Nikki! I am glad you liked it and the feature just made my day!!
Looks delicious Marilyn! Say hi next time you’re lurking! 😀
Jennifer
I sure will. I sometimes am enjoying a post so much I forget to comment. You would think I woudln;t, duh! Enjoy your week.
Sounds delicious! Printed out the recipe to give it a shot! Thank you!
Thank yoy Patricia. Let me know how the salad turn out. Enjoy your week.
Another great sounding recipe Marilyn. Perfect for summer when you don’t want to turn the oven on 🙂 Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Thank you Chas!! Enjoy your vacation. Enjoy your week.
Yummy! This looks perfect for summer. We eat a lot of marinated chicken salads as they are so tasty and I love how a marinade adds so much flavour to the chicken once it’s cooked.
I love all sorts of grilled chicken dishes. This salad is so delicious! Enjoy your week!
What a yummy looking salad! Perfect for the summer 🙂
Thank you Priya. I also love this for summer. Enjoy your week.
What a delightful blend of flavors. This Chicken Jerk Salad sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing at Saturday Shuffle Blog Hop.
Thank you so much! Love the party. Have a great week.
Oh Marilyn – that looks like a wonderful salad! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope your week is fantastic.
Summer salads are the best! I eat better when I have too. Enjoy your week,
‘Hopping over from the “What’s for Dinner” party. I love how the prep is done the night before. Our jobs keep us so busy during the week, this would be wonderful for a Monday evening dinner with prep done on Sunday. Thank you for the recipe! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
I agree Marci. The more I can fix the night before the sooner dinner is ready and the better chance the entire family, including ther cook, can sit down to the table together. Enjoy your week!
oh my goodness this looks tasty! yum xo
Thank you Katherine. I am glad you like the salad. I hope there is some piece of it you are able to eat. Enjoy!
Great recipe! This looks fabulous!
Thanks Jen Much appreciated. Enjoy your day.
I’m not a meat eater, however, I will try this with either oyster mushrooms or portobello mushroom cut into strips. It will be delicious. My mouth is already watering.
That sounds so delicious Yvonne! My kids don’t eat meat either. I will be passing these suggestions on to them. Thank you!
What a adorable blog, love if you share your posts on Fabulous Friday, its every two weeks, hope to see you there!
Ciao Maria
Thank you so much for the visit, the praise and the invitation! I would love to party with you. Please feel free to add your party yo mrcDirectory so others may also find it! Just scroll to the Friday Parties and link up your home page!
This looks so good! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Jessica for stopping by and for letting me know by commenting.