Name: Coconut Grilled Chicken Salad
Prep time: 125 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 1 pound (450g) skinless chicken thighs (or breasts; cut into bite size cubes); 1/4 cup (60ml) tamari soy sauce (or regular if not gluten free); 2 Tablespoons coconut milk; 1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice; 1 1/2 Tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger; 4 cups (300g) lettuce (or salad greens); 1 medium cucumber (sliced); 2 cups (300g) grape tomatoes (halved); 6 radishes (sliced); 1/3 cup (58g) pomegranate seeds; 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 1/2 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce (or regular if not gluten-free); 1 Tablespoon sesame oil; 1 Tablespoon grapeseed canola oil; 1/2-1 teaspoon honey to your taste; 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste; Pinch of chili flakes

a top down view of grilled chicken salad served on a white plate

Peeps, this Grilled Chicken Salad is a perfect summertime backyard meal. Grilling is always popular in the summer, I mean who doesn’t love a fresh, grilled burger or a nice grilled barbeque meal. But sometimes, I just want a light and healthy meal and this Grilled Chicken Salad recipe hits the spot every time.

Picture how easy it is to throw this healthy salad together and then finish it off by grilling these Asian chicken skewers and tossing them on the salad to bring a nice tasty dose of protein to the mix. It’s light, it’s fresh, it’s filling and it’s oh soooooo delicious.

No need to grab takeout tonight folks, just grab these fixins to make your salad and get some chicken ready to grill. Marinade the chicken early in the afternoon and by the time you’re ready for dinner, it’s just a few minutes on the grill and you’ll have dinner on the table.

grilled chicken salad served on a white platter

Why You’ll ♡ This

Light and healthy meal that’s perfect for hot weather.
Flavorful Asian inspired salad with tangy Asian salad dressing.
Super simple to make!
Grilling means easier cleanup and no oven heating up the kitchen.

Tools You Need

Mixing bowls.
Measuring cups and spoons.
Bamboo skewers or metal ones
A grill.
An Air Fryer if preferred.
Quick read digital thermometer.

Readty to gather up your ingredients so I can show you…..

image collage showing the first four steps for making grilled chicken skewers

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

How To Make Grilled Chicken Salad

Mix together tamari soy sauce, coconut milk, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a mixing bowl.
Add chicken and let marinate for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).
Soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes and then thread chicken onto skewers.
Oil the grill grates, then preheat the grill (or griddle pan) to medium-high (direct heat).
Grill chicken for 10-15 minutes, turning them a couple of times, and brushing on more marinade until golden and cooked through. (Make sure to use your meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F/74C )
You can reduce the remaining marinade in a saucepan over low heat until it thickens, and brush it over the cooked chicken for extra flavor.
Mix together your salad. Take grilled chicken off skewers and place on top of salad.
Make your salad dressing as shown below and add salad dressing to your taste.

image collage showing the final steps for making grilled chicken skewers

And your salad is complete.

How To Make Chicken Salad Dressing

Making this Asian Coconut Grilled Chicken Salad Dressing is literally the easiest thing ever.

Place all the ingredients into a small bowl, and mix for a few seconds until combined.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week.

a bowl of grilled chicken salad dressing

Recipe Tips

To reduce calories, you can use lite or half-fat coconut milk.
The longer you marinate the chicken, the more time it has to absorb the flavors. The flavors may seem strong in the marinade bowl, but don’t be alarmed, they’re perfect once they’re done grilling.
Don’t forget to cut chicken in evenly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
I recommend oiling the grill grates to help prevent the chicken from sticking to the grates, prior to turning on the grill, so you don’t get burned. Alternatively, you can preheat the grill and then oil it, just be very careful.
You can even use metal skewers which transmit heat well for grilling.
Wait to toss the salad in the dressing until you’re ready to eat so the lettuce doesn’t start to wilt or get soggy.

the completed grilled chicken salad recipe on a white platter

Recipe Variations

This Coconut Lime Grilled Chicken Salad recipe is easily adaptable.

Change out the chicken: I use skinless chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breasts. You just have to make sure you don’t overcook it and dry it out. You can even try shrimp, salmon or pork.
Change out the vegetables: try zucchini, onion or peppers in this salad too.
Change out the crunch: try sesame seeds, chia seeds or chopped almonds.

Meal Prep And Prep Ahead

Prep Ahead – This chicken is so simple to make on the grill. And the salad takes just a few minutes to whip up.

Store – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I’d recommend separating the chicken and dressing from the salad unless you’re okay with the salad mix getting soggy.

Freeze – You can freeze the uncooked chicken in the marinade. Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this.

Transfer chicken and marinade into these convenient Ziploc freezer bags.
Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
Store in the freezer for three months.

FAQs

What Kind Of Chicken Should I Use?

I like to use chicken thighs for this salad recipe since they always keep their juiciness while cooking on the grill. But peeps, if you only have chicken breasts, you can absolutely use them instead. Just make sure to keep an eye on the grill so they don’t dry out.

Why Should You Marinade The Chicken?

Marinating the chicken really helps bring out the flavors. And this grilled chicken is super tasty all because of the amazing and exciting chicken marinade. The secret to the best marinade is coconut milk. It helps tenderize the chicken as it absorbs the flavor.

The coconut can seem like a sharp flavor, but the sesame oil in the marinade weakens it a bit while bringing out a slightly nutty flavor.

Make sure to reduce the extra marinade in a saucepan and brush it over the chicken skewers once they’re cooked. You can even keep a small amount to dip the chicken in or use it as the salad dressing.

the finished grilled chicken salad recipe ready to be served

Why Do You Soak Bamboo Skewers?

Make sure you soak your bamboo skewers in warm water for at least 30 minutes prior to using them. Soaking the bamboo skewers helps prevent them from catching fire as you’re grilling the chicken. You may even want to soak them overnight if you’re marinating your chicken overnight.

close up of grilled chicken salad recipe

Serving Suggestions

Beat the summer heat and pair your grilled chicken salad with these refreshing recipes:

More Chicken Recipes

Weight Watchers Points

There are 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Asian Grilled Chicken Salad recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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5 from 5 votes