Made with leftover rotisserie chicken, romaine, napa, crispy wonton strips and the best sesame ginger dressing ever!

Whenever I have a bit of rotisserie chicken leftover from this, I repurpose the leftovers to make my favorite Chinese chicken salad. A restaurant-quality salad that actually tastes so much better right at home.

Packed with romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, mandarin oranges, cilantro, green onions, salted cashews, green onions, and of course the crispiest wonton strips. Store-bought is fine, but nothing ever compares to the homemade version.

Not to mention, the perfectly paired sesame ginger dressing that goes so well with this. The dressing can always be made ahead of time, tucked away in the fridge prior to serving. And you can munch on all the wonton strips during prep time.

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Chinese Chicken Salad

Made with leftover rotisserie chicken, romaine, napa, crispy wonton strips and the best sesame ginger dressing ever!

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine shredded
• 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges drained
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• ½ cup roasted salted cashews
• 3 green onions thinly sliced
• 2 cups crispy wonton strips homemade or store-bought
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

for the sesame ginger dressing

• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 2 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with cabbage, chicken, mandarin oranges, cilantro, cashews and green onions. Pour the sesame ginger dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately, topped with wonton strips and sesame seeds.

for the sesame ginger dressing

• In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, orange marmalade, canola oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and sesame seeds; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

The post Chinese Chicken Salad appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Truly THE BEST ever. With crispy, seasoned croutons, grilled chicken and an easy dressing!

This crisp, fresh caesar salad with homemade crispy croutons and perfectly juicy grilled chicken (hello, Spring!) has been getting me through these past few weeks. For starters, it’s finally starting to warm up to use a grill. But when it snows in the middle of April in Chicago, I’ll throw these chicken breasts on a grill pan.

Store-bought croutons or dressing can of course be used here but we all know the store-bought version just does not compare. Nope, nothing compares to those freshly baked, slightly garlicky seasoned croutons, and the homemade dressing is just right – not too rich, not too creamy. It really is just right.

I will also point out that there are no egg yolks or anchovies in this (although you can certainly add those in to your liking if you wish). As for the chicken, if white meat is not your thing, thighs can easily be substituted. And you can prep everything in advance, making this a very quick weeknight meal on those super busy, hectic nights.

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Best Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

Truly THE BEST ever. With crispy, seasoned croutons, grilled chicken and an easy dressing!

Prep Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

for the croutons

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 clove garlic grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups ciabatta bread cubes

for the chicken

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

for the dressing

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 clove garlic grated
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

for the salad

• 2 heads romaine roughly chopped
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

for the croutons

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; set aside.

for the chicken

• In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
• Preheat grill to medium high heat.
• Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

for the dressing

• In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

for the salad

• To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with chicken and croutons. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Top with Parmesan.

The post Best Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons appeared first on Damn Delicious.

The only recipe you need here! So fresh, so zesty, and sure to be a hit with EVERYONE at dinner, potlucks and picnics!

I promise you – this will be the only pasta salad recipe you will ever need this summer, and all the summers to come.

It’s chockfull of so many fresh veggies along with the easiest homemade dressing.

The best part is that you can prep/dice/chop all your veggies and herbs while you cook and cool your pasta so not a minute goes to waste here.

Let chill and serve when desired, tossing in that fresh arugula right before serving. So so good.

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The Best Pasta Salad

The only recipe you need here! So fresh, so zesty, and sure to be a hit with EVERYONE at dinner, potlucks and picnics!

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fusilli pasta
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic finely grated
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup diced Persian cucumber
• 1 cup diced orange bell pepper
• ½ cup diced hard salami
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup sliced red onion
• ⅓ cup torn kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 cups arugula

Instructions

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, garlic and sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Stir in warm pasta; let cool 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, salami, feta, red onion, olives, dill and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Cover and chill, if desired.
• Stir in arugula. Serve immediately.

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Hands down the best, most creamy potato salad EVER! And you can even make this ahead of time! So easy, so good.

Who doesn’t love a good potato salad? Filled with all sorts of creamy-tangy-potato-y-goodness with the freshest herbs and jammy eggs, this potato salad will knock your socks off. And it can even be made 2 days in advance!

Not a soft boiled egg fan? No worries. Hard boiled eggs will also work beautifully here.

And if you’re planning to bring this to a get-together or picnic, I highly recommend cooking the eggs a little longer, coarsely chopping and folding them right into the potato salad.

It will do absolute wonders.

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The Best Potato Salad Ever

Hands down the best, most creamy potato salad EVER! And you can even make this ahead of time! So easy, so good.

Prep Time 4 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds baby red potatoes quartered
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 3 tablespoons capers chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 green onions thinly sliced
• 4 soft boiled eggs quartered

Instructions

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes; drain well and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in celery, capers, parsley, dill, green onions and potatoes until well combined. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours to 2 days.
• Serve, topped with eggs.

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A breakfast worth waking up for! With fresh greens, crispy bacon, jammy eggs, and a zesty, tangy mustard vinaigrette!

Yes, yes, yes.

A breakfast that gets me sprinting out of bed and straight to the kitchen.

Fresh greens, jammy eggs (which can easily be made into hard boiled eggs if runny eggs are not your thing) + crispy bacon slices + fork-tender baby potatoes + ripe avocado slices + nutty, shaved Parmesan sprinkled throughout. All tossed in a zesty, tangy mustard vinaigrette.

Serve with buttered toast and a hot cup of coffee for a complete breakfast.

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Breakfast Salad

A breakfast worth waking up for! With fresh greens, crispy bacon, jammy eggs, and a zesty, tangy mustard vinaigrette!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 ¼ pounds baby gold potatoes halved
• 1 bunch arugula washed, dried, and torn
• 8 soft boiled eggs halved
• 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup shaved Parmesan

For the mustard vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 small shallot diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender, about 7-10 minutes; drain well.
• To assemble the salad, place arugula in a large bowl; top with bacon, potatoes, eggs, avocado and Parmesan. Pour the mustard vinaigrette on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.

for the mustard vinaigrette

• In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard and shallot; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

The post Breakfast Salad appeared first on Damn Delicious.

The crowd favorite! Loaded with baby spinach, fresh strawberries, juicy, tender chicken thighs + the dreamiest poppy seed dressing!

Say hello to my favorite part of summer: all the vibrant, beautiful, colorful salads.

With juicy, grilled chicken thighs seasoned with some salt and pepper, this makes for a hearty meal for any time of the day.

Serve with fresh strawberries for that natural sweetness and pecan halves for that extra crunch. Sometimes I even throw in candied pecans for that extra treat! SO SO GOOD.

And the poppy seed dressing is seriously so creamy, so dreamy.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

A crowd favorite! Loaded with baby spinach, fresh strawberries, juicy, tender chicken thighs + the dreamiest poppy seed dressing!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 5 cups baby spinach
• 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
• 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
• 2 small Persian cucumbers sliced
• ½ cup sliced red onion
• ½ cup toasted pecan halves
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds and Djion; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Preheat grill to medium heat.
• Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
• To assemble the salad, place spinach in a large bowl; top with chicken, strawberries, avocado, cucumbers, onion, pecans and goat cheese. Pour the poppy seed dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

The post Strawberry Spinach Salad appeared first on Damn Delicious.

So hearty with so many feel-good ingredients! Lemon rosemary chicken, brussels sprouts, pear and a honey dijon dressing!

Anyone else still rolling from the holidays? I feel like I have gained 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas with all the stuffing, cream pies, and corgi sugar cookies I have been stuffing down my gullet the last month.

It’s been absolutely glorious. I still have some leftover corgi sugar cookies hoarded away in my purse. SHHHHHH.

But I also need all my veggies now, and then some to make up for the holidays, and this salad makes it almost too easy to get in all my nutrients.

With massaged kale, brussels sprouts, pear, pomegranate, and the juiciest marinated lemon rosemary chicken thighs, I can eat this for the entire month of January. The candied walnuts, crumbled blue cheese and honey Dijon dressing also help tremendously.

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Winter Pear Salad

So hearty with so many feel-good ingredients! Lemon rosemary chicken, brussels sprouts, pear and a honey dijon dressing!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 cups shredded kale
• 3 cups shredded brussels sprouts
• 2 green onions thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 bosc pear sliced
• 3 clementines peeled and segmented
• ½ cup pomegranate arils
• ¾ cup candied walnuts
• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

• In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.* Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
• In a large bowl, combine kale, brussels sprouts and green onions; drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, honey and Dijon. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with pear, clementines, pomegranate, walnuts and blue cheese.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

*If you do not have a cast iron grill pan, you can also use a large cast iron skillet.

The post Winter Pear Salad appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Juicy, tender chicken, crisp bacon, apples, figs and almonds with a honey Dijon vinaigrette. The ultimate, feel-good autumn salad!!

Hello, Fall!

Or should I say hello, Winter? I wore my parka this morning. No joke. It was 50 degrees F, and the highs next week will be 48 degrees F.

But hey, it’s technically Fall so I’m just going to roll with that and make this harvest salad for as long as possible. And yes, I am absolutely grilling my chicken until we have snowfall, which may happen in a few weeks! But don’t worry, guys. A grill pan on the stovetop will work just fine.

Aside from the juicy, tender grilled chicken thighs, we also have crunchy kale, crisp bacon, sliced apples, fresh, sweet figs, chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese with a super bomb honey Dijon vinaigrette.

It’s the absolute must-have, feel-good Fall salad, guys. I promise.

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Chicken Harvest Salad

Juicy, tender chicken, crisp bacon, apples, figs and almonds with a honey Dijon vinaigrette. The ultimate, feel-good autumn salad!!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon cut into thirds
• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large bunch kale stems removed and leaves shredded
• 1 medium apple thinly sliced
• 1 cup quartered fresh figs
• ½ cup sliced celery
• ½ cup roasted salted almonds coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces goat cheese crumbled

For the honey Dijon vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey and thyme; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Preheat grill to medium heat. Season chicken with thyme, onion powder and garlic powder.
• Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
• To assemble the salad, place kale in a large bowl; top with bacon, chicken, apple, figs, celery, almonds and goat cheese. Pour the honey Dijon vinaigrette on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

The post Chicken Harvest Salad appeared first on Damn Delicious.

With perfectly grilled steak, charred corn, tomatoes, blue cheese. Say goodbye to boring salads! SO SO GOOD.

I feel like salads sometimes have that sad reputation as that boring salad. Except nothing about this is boring or mundane at. all.

Hello? We have perfectly grilled steak for starters! All it needs is a simple brush of canola oil, salt and pepper. Nothing fancy here.

And while we have that grill fired up, we can throw some fresh corn right on there for those charred, smoky corn kernels. Grilled corn = bomb.com.

Once your steak and corn are ready to go, you can serve with chopped romaine, fresh Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and crumbled blue cheese, drizzled with my super easy and quick balsamic vinaigrette.

This is so simple yet so so good. And so not boring.

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Grilled Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

With perfectly grilled steak, charred corn, tomatoes, blue cheese. Say goodbye to boring salads! SO SO GOOD.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 ears corn husks and silk removed
• 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ pounds flank steak
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 head romaine roughly chopped
• 6 Campari tomatoes quartered
• ½ small red onion thinly sliced
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

For the balsamic vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon and honey; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
• Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush corn with butter; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add corn to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 10 minutes; let cool before cutting the corn kernels off the cobs.
• Brush steak with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add steak to grill, and cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes; thinly slice against the grain.
• To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with corn, steak, tomatoes, onion and blue cheese. Pour the balsamic vinaigrette on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

The post Grilled Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette appeared first on Damn Delicious.

The BEST Greek salad recipe you will ever have! With perfectly grilled, juicy chicken thighs and the most heavenly tzatziki dressing!

A Greek salad just got so much better in my book.

The secret? Super juicy, perfectly charred chicken thighs seasoned just perfectly with a dry spice rub of oregano, basil, thyme, paprika and garlic powder.

Nope, no hours of marinating here. Simply season your chicken and throw them right onto the grill.

While you do that, you can also throw on some pita bread for serving – might as well while you have the grill all fired up!

Serve with chopped romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, olives and feta along with the creamiest tzatziki dressing ever.

SO SO GOOD.

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Grilled Greek Chicken Salad

The BEST Greek salad you will ever have! With perfectly grilled, juicy chicken thighs and the most heavenly tzatziki dressing!

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 head romaine roughly chopped
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
• ½ small red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
• 4 ounces feta cubed

For the tzatziki dressing

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 5 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, buttermilk, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Season chicken with oregano mixture.
• Preheat grill to medium heat.
• Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
• To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, onion, olives and feta. Pour the tzatziki dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

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