Name: Baja Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup lemon/lime juice; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 tbsp hot sauce; 1 tsp granulated garlic; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp black sesame seeds; 2 green onions, chopped; 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 4 cups arugula lettuce; 1/2 cup black beans; 4 ears of corn; 1 cup cherry tomatoes; 1 large or 2 small avocados, sliced; 1/2 cup green onions, chopped; 3 tbsp fresh cilantro

Baja Chicken Salad It is April, the weather is getting warm and that means it is traditionally time for salads! I however, am not traditional--I don't know about you, but for me, salads are year around food. For that reason, you will always find fresh and delicious salad recipes on this blog. Today, we are featuring a Baja Chicken Salad with options to cook the chicken on the grill, in the Instant Pot, or in the oven.

It is true, although maybe you can't fire up the grill during the winter or cold months, you can still have a flavorful Baja Chicken Salad by cooking your chicken in the Instant Pot. I can't say it enough--I love the Instant Pot, and the way that it cooks and marinates food to enhance the flavor. This recipe is gluten free and dairy free, and you can make your Baja Salad vegetarian or vegan by omitting the chicken and substituting jackfruit or tofu.

Ingredients For Salad

Here is the shopping list for this Salad

Marinade:

lemon/lime juice
olive oil
white wine vinegar
hot sauce
green onions
granulated garlic
sea salt
black sesame seeds

Salad:

chicken breasts (or tofu or jackfruit for vegan)
arugula lettuce
black beans
ears corn
cherry tomatoes
avocado
green onions
fresh cilantro

Instructions For Salad

: Ingredients for salad

: Add all marinade ingredients to jar and shake well.

: Place chicken breasts in bowl, add 1/2 of marinade (approximately 4 oz) and top with chopped green onions

: Add 1 cup of water to bottom on Instant Pot. Add trivet and place bowl of chicken in Instant Pot

: When pressure is released, remove chicken and slice

: Slice corn off cob

: Add tomatoes and agugula to salad bowl

: Add corn, green onions to salad

: Toss salad to serve

Tips For Alternative Preparation Methods

Grill: If weather permits, this salad is yummy when the chicken is cooked on the grill as well. Prepare marinade, and place chicken in 1/2 marinade (use remaining marinade for salad dressing) for 30 minutes. Cook on grill for 10-12 minutes each side. My absolute favorite grill is the George Foreman Electric Grill, which makes whipping up grilled food easy and quick.

Oven Bake: If not using an Instant Pot, add 1/2 marinade (use remaining marinade for salad dressing) and chicken to a baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, turning chicken at 20 minutes.

Vegan: If you want a vegan salad, replace the chicken with 16 oz of firm tofu. Slice tofu, and add 1/2 marinade and tofu to a dish, and marinade for 30 minutes. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and turn at 15 minutes. Jackfruit option: Drain 14 oz can of organic jackfruit, and add 1/2 marinade and jackfruit to dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Jackfruit can also be grilled, but pieces are small, so it only works on an electric grill like the George Foreman Grill.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Baja Chicken Salad

Baja Chicken Salad is fresh, light and healthy and the perfect salad for lunch or dinner. The super yummy dressing brings just the right amount of zing to enhance the other ingredients. This will be a favorite!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword bajachicken, chickensalad, freshingredients, healthychickensalad

Diet Category Healthy, gluten free

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings

Calories 326kcal

Author greenschemetv

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

Baja Marinade

1/4 cup lemon/lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black sesame seeds
2 green onions, chopped

Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salad

4 cups arugula lettuce
1/2 cup black beans
4 ears of corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 large or 2 small avocados, sliced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
3 tbsp fresh cilantro

Instructions

Baja Marinade

Mix all ingredients except green onions in jar and shake well. Add half of marinade to small bowl with 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Top with chopped green onions. Let marinade for 30 minutes.

Chicken

Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to inner pot of Instant Pot. Place bowl with chicken and marinade on Instant Pot trivet and place into inner pot of Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes; let steam NR, release naturally. After pressure is released, remove chicken and slice.
Oven: Bake chicken at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, turning at 20 minutes.
Grill: Grill chicken on medium heat for 10-12 minutes each side until cooked.

Salad

Cook corn for 2 minutes in microwave, and cut corn off of cob. Add arugula lettuce, corn, cherry tomatoes, green onions and black beans to large salad bowl or salad tray. Slice avocado and add to salad. Add sliced chicken.
Top with cilantro and add additional dressing from marinade as desired. Toss salad and serve.