Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
This fresh and crunchy Dill Pickle Chicken Salad is made with juicy chicken, crisp lettuce, dill pickles, cheese, fresh dill, and a creamy dill pickle dressing. An easy high-protein lunch or dinner recipe for pickle lovers!
Ingredients
Dill Pickle Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream regular or dairy-free
- 2 pickle spears chopped with seeds removed
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill weed
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Grilled Pickle Brine Chicken Thighs & Pickles:
- 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup pickle juice* enough to cover the chicken to marinate
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 8 pickle spears
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Other Salad Ingredients:
- 4-6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup carrots sliced and quartered
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 4 oz feta cheese crumbled (regular or dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 cup croutons crushed
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Put all of the Dill Pickle Dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
- Marinate Chicken: Place 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a large bowl or storage bag, pour in the pickle juice (enough to cover the chicken), and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Prep Grill: Bring the outdoor grill to a medium-high heat and make sure the grill grates are clean.
- Grill Chicken: Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, allowing the excess liquid to drip off. Place the chicken thighs directly on the hot grill grates for 3-4 minutes per side (or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F - use a meat thermometer). Remove chicken, let rest for 5 minutes, & then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Grill Pickles: While the chicken rests, keep the grill at a medium high heat and brush 8 pickle spears with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Place them directly on the hot grill grates for 1 minute on each side. Remove and chop.
- Assemble Salads: Divide the lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, green onions, feta cheese, fresh dill, croutons, cooked chicken, and grilled pickles between individual salad bowls.
- Serve: Drizzle the Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing on top and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- *Pickle Juice: Highly recommend using the juice from a jar of our homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles but you can also use the juice from a jar of store-bought pickles (we love Claussen pickles).
- Pickles: you don't have to grill the pickle spears, but we highly recommend giving them a quick char for that added flavor.
- Gluten Free: simply omit the croutons or use a gluten-free version.
- Storage: feel free to keep the pieces of this salad, each in an individual container, in the fridge for 3-4 days. Assemble when ready to eat.
- Alternative Chicken Options: if you don't feel like grilling you could make stove top chicken thighs instead or just shred up a rotisserie chicken to really make things easy!
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 2371mg | Potassium: 893mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10624IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 319mg | Iron: 3mg
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