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Tender, juicy, cajun chicken salad with a tangy garlic dressing. Spicy, bold flavors that will fill you up and please the pallet.
Table of Contents
Why Make This Cajun Chicken Salad
Cajun chicken salad has a wonderful cajun style seasoning on the juicy tender chicken breasts. There is a cooling, zesty avocado salad mixed in offering a creamy texture. Quinoa is sprinkled throughout giving protein and fiber and the zesty sour cream based garlic dressing takes it to the top. This meal is easy to make, a big crowd pleaser and it keeps well if you have some leftovers just like my Santa Fe Salad.
If you love spiced chicken recipes, try my Blackened Chicken some time for a stand up kick in flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Chicken Breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the main source of protein on this salad. Chicken thighs will also work.
Oil. Olive oil or avocado oil for pan frying the chicken.
Seasonings. This is what does the heavy lifting with flavors. Cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, salt, paprika, garlic, oregano are the seasonings needed.
Quinoa. This is to add some extra texture to the salad. Use tri color or whatever you prefer. Quinoa also has some protein in it.
Romaine Lettuce. This is one of my favorite greens, you can also use mixed greens.
Avocado Salad
Avocado. You will need two firm (not too firm but not overly ripe) avocados.
Tomatoes. Any will work, I prefer cherry tomatoes.
Red Onion. This adds a peppery onion flavor to the avocado salad.
Lime. Fresh limes to be juiced for the avocados.
Seasoning. A pinch of salt and pepper.
Olive Oil. Just a little to help “dress” the avocados for the salad.
Creamy Garlic Dressing
Garlic. This dressing is full of garlic flavors. I like to use fresh garlic clove, it offers the best flavor.
Sour Cream. This is the base of the dressing. You can also use plain greek yogurt or dairy free sour cream.
Cilantro. This just brings the flavors together in the dressing.
Seasoning. A pinch of salt, pepper and paprika.
Recipe Variations
Chicken Breasts. Chicken thighs will also work.
Romaine. Mixed greens will also work great.
Sour Cream. Plain greek yogurt is a good substitute, you can use mayonnaise but skip the excess salt if you go with mayo.
Lime. Lemon will work just fine.
Make it vegan. Don’t use chicken and sub the sour cream for a vegan sour cream.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. Start with the chicken. In a small bowl mix all the seasonings together. Clean and pat chicken dry with a paper towel. If the chicken breasts are large, cut them in half to ensure an even cook. Heat oil in a large pan or skillet on medium heat.
Step Two. Rub chicken both front and back with the seasoning mix. Add the breasts to the heated skillet, cook each side for about 8-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and 165º internally. Start quinoa, this should take 15-20 minutes.
Step Three. While chicken is cooking, prepare the avocado salad. Slice avocados thinly (discard the skin and pit) or you can dice them up if needed. Slice tomatoes, red onion and add in lime, seasoning and oil. Gently mix together and set aside.
Step Four. Chop up washed and dried romaine and add to a big bowl. Mix up creamy garlic dressing.
Step Five. Add all garlic dressing ingredients to a small bowl (seasoning, sour cream, cilantro, minced garlic and water, mix well with a whisk).
Step Six. Once chicken is finished cooking, let it rest for a bit and then slice it up. Add quinoa to the large salad bowl with romaine, add in avocado salad, chicken and half the dressing. Gently mix together, serve and add more dressing as needed. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ’s
This recipe is about a medium spice. You can easily cool down the cajun seasoning by adjusting cayenne and pepper.
No, it’s not needed but it adds a nice creamy texture component. You can also just top the salad with preferred veggies.
Recipe Pairings
This cajun chicken salad is great on it’s own, but I love to make my Garlic Butter Rolls with it as a side, especially if I am entertaining and serving this to guests.
Other Delicious Salad Recipes To Try
If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.
Cajun Chicken Salad
Equipment
- large skillet or frying pan
- whisk
- bowls for mixing
Ingredients
Cajun Chicken
- .75 -1 lb chicken breasts
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup raw quinoa
- 2 heads of romaine, about 8 cups
Avocado Salad
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced
- 2 firm avocados , *see notes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice , *about 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Garlic Dressing
- ⅓ cup sour cream , *see notes
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 3 Tbsp water, *more as needed to thin the dressing.
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. In a small bowl mix all the seasonings together. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. If the chicken breasts are large, cut them in half to ensure an even cook. Heat oil in a large pan or skillet on medium heat.
- Rub chicken both front and back with the seasoning mix. Add the breasts to the heated skillet, cook each side for about 8-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and 165º internally. Start quinoa, this should take 15-20 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking, prepare the avocado salad. Slice avocados thinly (discard the skin and pit) or you can dice them up if needed. Slice tomatoes, red onion and add in lime, seasoning and oil. Gently mix together and set aside
- Chop up washed and dried romaine and add to a big bowl. Mix up creamy garlic dressing.
- Add all garlic dressing ingredients to a small bowl (seasoning, sour cream, cilantro, minced garlic and water, mix well with a whisk). Add more water as needed to thin dressing to desired amount.
- Once chicken is finished cooking, let it rest for a bit and then slice it up. Add quinoa to the large salad bowl with romaine, add in avocado salad, chicken and half the dressing. Gently mix together, serve and add more dressing as needed. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was great. The garlic sauce blew me away really.
This was such a delicious salad. I saw it on TikTok and I never made a TikTok Recipe before and boy am I glad this is what my first. YUM! The garlic dressing is just addicting.
I’ve been really trying to clean up my diet to finally reveal my six pack. The struggles were real until I discovered this page. This chicken gives my meal plan more depths of flavor and makes it easier to stick to my macros. Will be using more and more of these healthy and delicious recipes!
Super yummy meal, everyone loved it.