On those days when you want to eat a little lighter, we’ve got something for you. Here is a hearty chicken salad that packs a lot of flavor as well as nutrition. And did we mention it’s gut friendly, too?

It starts with easy grilled chicken, then is sliced and placed on a bed of butter lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and dill fronds. Finally, it is tossed in a delicious and tangy creamy pickle dressing—which also happens to double as a marinade.

Even better, you can be creative with the ingredients. Feel free to add any other veggies you have on hand – carrots, celery, beets to name a few. We use butter lettuce, but romaine works well too. Crispy bacon can make a wonderful garnish. Use whatever you have on hand to create a meal that is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Why We Love These Ingredients

We love pickles for a very good reason: fermentation! Fermented pickles are raw and made in a salt brine rather than vinegar. The fermentation process produces live beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus as well as naturally occurring enzymes and vitamins that are essential for maintaining digestive bliss.

And if that’s not enough, pickles [or rather the cucumbers they’re made of] are packed with beta-carotene, which your body turns into Vitamin A. Beta Carotene is a powerful compound that has been shown to help lower your risk of heart disease, respiratory problems, and other conditions. 

Other research shows pickles may help relieve muscle cramps, too. Some athletes swear by pickle juice after exercise to quickly replace lost electrolytes.

Dill is known to be a rich source of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antiviral properties. Dill can also be effective for keeping your blood sugar healthy, too. One study of patients with type 2 diabetes showed that dill supplementation significantly decreased blood levels of insulin. It also raised good HDL cholesterol and lowered harmful LDL. 

Pro Tips to Get You Started

We suggest using fermented pickles to get the most bang for your digestive health buck but caution: most popular supermarket pickles are not fermented. They are made using vinegar, heat processed to make them shelf stable, and usually contain preservatives.

Fermented pickles are made in a salt brine, not a vinegar base. They also tend to have a slightly softer and more “crunchy” texture compared to non-fermented pickles. The brine will be somewhat bubbly. So when you go pickle shopping, read the label. If the ingredients start with vinegar, chances are it’s not fermented.

You can use either full boneless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets. To tenderize, place 1 breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound the breasts to ½" thick. After pounding, dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel then season with salt, pepper and a dash of garlic powder.

Ready? Let’s do this!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Creamy Pickle Dressing

Total time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

• 1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 large)
• 3–4 heads of butter lettuce cores removed, leaves separated and sliced lengthwise
• 2 mini seedless cucumbers sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup lightly chopped dill fronds, plus more for serving1 1/2 cups Creamy pickle dressing, divided
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground pepper

1. Make the marinade: Stir ¾ cup creamy pickle dressing, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper in a small bowl to combine.
   
   
2. Marinade the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a small, rimmed baking sheet or in a 13x9" glass or ceramic baking dish. Add dressing mixture and turn chicken to coat evenly. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
   
   
3. Prepare for grilling: about 30 minutes before grilling, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.  Set grill to medium high heat, coat the grate with vegetable oil or spray.
   
   
4. Start grilling:  Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into baking sheet; discard marinade. Grill chicken, turning halfway through, until cooked through, an instant-read thermometer registers 165°, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
   
   
5. Prep the salad: toss lettuce, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, feta, dill and the remaining dressing in a bowl. Toss to combine.
   
   
6. Serve: Slice chicken against the grain about ¾ thick and arrange on top of the salad. Drizzle with any remaining dressing, season with a twist or two of freshly ground pepper and garnish with dill fronds.  Enjoy!

Creamy Pickle Dressing

Prep time: 15 minutes

Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

• 2/3 cup pickled vegetables (such as dill pickles, cornichons, cocktail onions, cherry peppers, etc.) chopped
• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) dill fronds
• 2 tsp dill, chopped
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBSP pickle brine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk [or sour cream]
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 4 1/2 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar or 1 tsp maple syrup [to taste]

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
2. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Recipe sources:

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-chicken-salad-with-creamy-any-pickle-dressing

Creamy Any-Pickle Dressing | Punchfork