You just found your new favorite gluten free chicken salad recipe! The perfect combination of flavors from the balsamic marinade, seared chicken, fresh mozzarella, basil, creamy avocado, and juicy cherry tomatoes. This Chicken Caprese Salad is a great way to incorporate so many good nutrients into your diet while also being completely satisfied after eating!
See below for an easy gluten free chicken salad recipe!
Nutritional Benefits
Chicken: Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle growth, repair, and overall body function. Protein is also satiating, which can help you feel full and satisfied. Additionally, chicken is low in saturated fat, making it a heart-healthy protein!
Tomatoes: Rich in vitamins C and K, potassium, and the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to various health benefits, including reducing the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.
Mozzarella cheese: Provides calcium and protein, which are essential for bone health and muscle function.
Olive oil: The use of olive oil in a caprese salad provides healthy monounsaturated fats, which can be beneficial for heart health and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Basil: Basil is a herb used in caprese salad, and it adds so much flavor. It contains vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, vitamin A, and iron.
Storing Your Gluten Free Chicken Salad
Storing salad properly can help maintain its freshness and prevent wilting or spoilage. Here are some tips on how to best store salad!
Store some ingredients separately: If you plan to have leftovers, I recommend putting the salad dressing on each portion so you do not end up with soggy lettuce! I also tend to separate my avocados when storing my salads because I hate how avocados look when exposed to air!
Airtight containers: A great option for storing is to use an airtight container so that the fresh herbs, romaine lettuce, and other salad ingredients do not spoil.
Refrigerate Properly: Place the sealed container in the refrigerator, ideally in the crisper drawer or at a consistent, slightly cooler temperature. Keep the salad away from items that emit ethylene gas, such as apples, as it can accelerate wilting.
For best practices, do not keep the chicken salad out at room temperature for more than two hours to prevent food-borne illnesses!
Other Chicken Recipes to Try
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Super Easy Chicken & Goat Cheese Tacos
- Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich
- Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
What You'll Need:
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - boneless, skinless
- Romaine Hearts - washed and chopped
- Avocado - ripe and diced
- Cherry Tomatoes - halved
- Mini Mozzarella Balls
- Basil Leaves - fresh and thinly sliced
Kitchen Equipment:
- Whisk
- Knives
- Cutting Board
- Shallow Dish
- Small Bowl (2)
- Large Bowl
- Skillet
- Food Thermometer
The Best Chicken Caprese Salad Recipe (Gluten Free)
Equipment
- Whisk
- Knives
- Cutting Board
- Shallow Dish
- Small Bowl
- Large bowl
- Skillet
- Food Thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 romaine hearts washed and chopped
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¾ cup mini mozzarella balls
- ¼ cup basil leaves thinly sliced
Marinade
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
Salad Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients - ¾ cup balsamic vinegar, 6 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard.
- Cut chicken breasts into thin filets. Place chicken into a shallow dish and pour the marinade onto the chicken. Let chicken marinate for 30 minutes minimum.
- While the chicken is marinating, assemble the rest of the salad - 2 romaine hearts chopped, 1 diced avocado, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, ¾ cup mini mozzarella balls, ¼ cup thinly sliced basil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the salad dressing. Combine all the salad dressing ingredients and whisk until well-mixed.
- Heat about 2 teaspoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and sear each side of the chicken filets until golden brown and cooked through. Internal temp should reach 165℉. Set aside.
- Top the salad with cooked chicken and the salad dressing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Variations/Substitutes
Finding different ways to make a recipe your own is the best part about cooking! Here are some ideas to change up the recipe to either use up ingredients you have or for your taste preferences!
Grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes: You can use grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes.
Mozzarella balls, any size: I prefer the mini-sized mozzarella balls but you can use any size depending on what your store has!
Red onion or green onion: Adding in some red or green onion would taste delicious as well!
Butter lettuce: You could use butter lettuce instead of romaine lettuce.
Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar dressing: Adding some vinegar to the salad dressing would make the flavor a little more tangy if you prefer that!
Rotisserie chicken: Maybe you have some leftover chicken from a meal earlier this week that you want to use! You could use rotisserie chicken and marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes before putting it on your salad so it can soak up some of the bright flavors!
Lettuce wraps: Create the whole recipe but instead of putting the ingredients over romaine lettuce, try putting them in a lettuce wrap! This would make it an easy meal for road trips.
If you have any food allergies feel free to leave a comment below and I can help you figure out a substitute that makes it safe for you to eat!
FAQ
Caprese includes juicy tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinegar.
Yes! The Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish that is very popular here in the US.
Some other great ideas would be caprese bruschetta, grilled chicken caprese, caprese skewers, caprese chicken salad sandwiches, or a hot caprese dip!
Put this easy meal on your meal plan for next week! It is the ultimate chicken salad recipe that includes some of my favorite things! This recipe is one of my favorite ways to incorporate a nutrient-rich meal into my meal plan! It has simple ingredients, is a simple recipe, and is easy to meal prep and make in a big batch for the week! And for all my gluten free people, this is a gluten free chicken salad recipe!
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