Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad

Get set to savor the goodness of The Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad recipe! Loaded with juicy lemon pepper chicken, crunchy kale, and flavorful herb-roasted tomatoes, it's a salad that's sure to satisfy your taste buds. Drizzled with a delightfuly tangy creamy ginger carrot dressing. This salad is a burst of fresh flavors + textures, every forkful promises the perfect bite! Totally Gluten-free + Dairy-free. Vegan Option.

This chopped salad is basically a compilation of all my favorite things, from tender chicken with homemade lemon pepper seasoning to juicy herb-roasted tomatoes, plus that delightful punch of greens from the kale. And let's not forget the star of the show: my tangy dairy-free carrot ginger dressing!

Can you believe I used to despise salads? When I stumbled upon chopped salads, it completely changed my salad game--- Every forkful is like hitting the jackpot—a total game-changer in the world of salads! The best thing about this chicken chopped salad is that it's hearty + dairy-free, making it perfect for the whole family to enjoy. And the best part? You can easily mix and match ingredients to suit everyone's preferences.

Y'all now, I take pride in the salads I whip up for my family, and let me tell you, despite all the components, they're simply amazing! Trust me, it's worth every bit of effort! If you're a salad lover, you've got to give these a try next --- Ultimate Summer BBQ Chopped Kale Salad Roasted Cauliflower Green Goddess Salad, Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Chopped Salad, Chicken Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons, and Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad

Jump to:

• What is Chopped Salad?
• Why You Will LOVE This Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad
• How To Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad
• Ingredients
• How To Make Creamy Carrot Ginger Dressing
• Ingredients
• How to Make Herb-Roasted Tomatoes
• Why + How to Massage Kale
• What Can Be Used Instead of Kale in this Salad?
• How to Make Chopped Salad with a Food Processor
• Can I Add More More Ingredients to this Salad?
• Can I Swap Any Ingredients in this Chopped Salad?
• What to Eat With This Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad
• Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad Q + A's
• More Healthy Lunch + Dinner Recipes
• MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
• Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad

What is Chopped Salad?

OK, so if this is your first time hearing about chopped salad, then I've got you covered. Basically, the difference between chopped salad and regular salad is that all of the ingredients are chopped and incorporated versus it being layered. It definitely creates the perfect bite that makes a real difference when eating it.

Why You Will LOVE This Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad

• An epic explosion of taste with every forkful!
• Incredibly versatile--- customize it with your favorite veggies + protein options, making it a hit for everyone.
• Packed with vitamins + antioxidants
• Super delicious + colorful
• Works as a main meal OR side with + vegan/vegetarian options.
• Perfectly creamy thanks to the carrot ginger dressing!

How To Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad

Ready to make this tasty chopped chicken salad? First things first, let's gather and prep our ingredients! While there are a few steps involved, trust me, it's totally worth it, and you can even use some of these ingredients for meal prep.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this chicken salad recipe are simple and easy to customize based on what’s in your kitchen:

LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN:

• Organic chicken breasts.
• Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning. You can use either store-bought or learn how to make your own easy 5-minute lemon peper seasoning HERE!
• Extra virgin olive oil. Used to coat the chicken for cooking and adds a rich, fruity flavor while preventing the chicken from sticking.

SALAD:

• Organic kale. De-stemmed + roughly chopped.
• Red onion. Adds an element of sweetness.
• Roasted herb tomatoes. See recipe HERE or scroll down.
• Cucumber. Peeled + sliced.
• Cooked sweet corn kernels. For a little crunch and sweetness.
• Pumpkin seeds. Toasted seeds add a nice flavor.

DRESSING:

• Carrot Ginger Dressing. This dressing is perfectly creamy and tangy. See recipe on how to make it HERE.

SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS SALAD!

Here, I’ve curated a list of baking + cooking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite dishes, especially with this Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad. Everything from my fave loaf pan, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

How To Make Creamy Carrot Ginger Dressing

With just a handful of simple ingredients and a quick blend in a good high-powered blender, you can create a rich + luscious creamy carrot dressing/sauce that's perfect for grain bowls, salads, sandwiches, and much more! Trust me, once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever survived without it.

Ingredients

Carrot Ginger Dressing:

• Vegan mayonnaise. I love using Follow Your Heart Veganaise. It is super creamy and smooth but feel free to add your fave if you prefer.
• Carrot. Peeled + chopped. Provides natural sweetness + a vibrant yellow-orange color!
• Almond milk. Helps to make the sauce creamier. You can use your fave plant-based milk. Learn how to make homemade almond milk!
• Ginger root. Be sure to peel it (Use the top of a spoon it for easy peeling!)
• Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best!
• Extra virgin olive oil. Gives the dressing an added touch of richness.
• Pure maple syrup. This adds a little sweetness and helps balance out the flavors.
• Garlic powder. A strong flavor that I love using for depth + umami flavor.
• Black pepper + sea salt. Rounds out the flavors!

MY OTHER FAVORITE DAIRY-FREE DRESSINGS

• Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
• Creamy Chipotle Dressing
• Homemade Green Goddess Dressing
• Homemade Pesto

How to Make Herb-Roasted Tomatoes

The key to this recipe is to start with great-quality tomatoes. Choose a mix of large and cherries, and several different colors if you can find them.

INGREDIENTS

• Tomatoes. You can add as many tomatoes as will fit on your baking sheet.
• Olive oil. Don’t skimp on the oil! It helps concentrate the tomato flavor and makes a nice jammy texture. You can use these roasted tomatoes like a dressing or sauce.
• Dried herbs. I like a mixture of Italian herbs like oregano, basil and parsley. But you can mix up the seasonings with other fresh or dried herbs. Thyme, rosemary, marjoram and tarragon are all delicious with tomatoes.
• Spices. Likewise, feel free to play with different spices in your roasted tomatoes. I like paprika, garlic powder and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a slight kick.

Why + How to Massage Kale

When it comes to massaging kale, it's usually recommended because kale is known for being tough and fibrous, which makes it sometimes hard to chew and digest. However, massaging the kale softens it a great deal and helps the flavors to be more pronounced which works hand in hand with the other ingredients.

My easy method to massage kale is to add the de-stemmed and chopped kale to a large bowl and then drizzling it with 1-2 tsps of lemon juice or Extra virgin olive oil and using your clean hands, rubbing the leaves together gently for about 2-3 minutes. They should look glossy and slightly reduced in volume when massaging is achieved.

What Can Be Used Instead of Kale in this Salad?

Although kale is the most common veggie that I love to use as my salad base, you can definitely use other greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, collard greens, bokchoy, etc. for a nice twist! When it comes to vegetables, there are so many benefits as we all know. While some veggies pack a greater punch when it comes to nutrients, I’ve curated a special list of our Top 12 Favorite Healthy Green Leafy Vegetables! Most of these are super popular while others are underutilized in many dishes.

How to Make Chopped Salad with a Food Processor

For greater ease, you can easily chop your ingredients in a food processor for the perfect bite. I suggest first starting with solely the kale leaves once they are de-stemmed. Add them to your food processor and pulse for a few seconds before they are too minced. Then remove those chopped greens and place them into a bowl and work your way through the other ingredients (all processed separately).

Once all ingredients are chopped, add them together in a bowl and continue the recipe.

Can I Add More More Ingredients to this Salad?

Definitely! This is a great recipe to mix and match the ingredients/toppings. For added nutrients, fiber, and color, add your favorite veggies + protein.

Here are some additions that would go well in this salad:

• Beans + legumes (i.e. chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, etc.)
• Other greens (i.e. spinach, lettuce, mixed greens, arugula, mustard greens, etc.)
• Shredded chicken, hot honey baked chicken, shrimp, steak, and salmon (if you're a meat eater)
• Tofu, mushrooms, tempeh, etc. (Great meat alternatives)
• Homemade croutons, baked tortilla, or pita chips
• Roasted veggies (i.e. asparagus, sweet potatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, etc.)
• Cheese, either dairy or plant-based (feta cheese would be especially nice in this salad)
• Nuts + seeds (i.e. pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
• Sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash
• Grains like farro, quinoa, couscous, etc.
• Boiled or poached eggs
• Mushrooms
• Candied bacon

Can I Swap Any Ingredients in this Chopped Salad?

Sure! It’s easy to make this chopped salad your own. Here are some simple ingredient swaps and additions to try:

• Use seeds or other nuts instead of pumpkin seeds.
• Swap out the corn for avocad, or bell peppers
• Use spinach or arugula instead of kale
• Swap the herb roasted tomatoes for sundried tomatoes.
• Try a different salad dressing: something lighter and less creamy works too!
• Add crispy chickpeas for more crunch
• Add a different protein like salmon, tuna, Bacon, shrimp, or beans

What to Eat With This Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad

You can enjoy this chicken chopped salad recipe on its own as a nice lunch or dinner. Of course, you can also enjoy it as a side dish!

If you're offering this salad as a side dish, I personally love it paired with a warming entree like:

• Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup
• Creamy Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Creamy Lemon Broccoli Tortellini Soup
• Roasted Carrot Soup + Cheesy Croutons
• Creamy Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup 

For a hearty bite, I also enjoy this kale salad with the following:

• Pan Seared Steak Recipe
• Creamy Blackened Chicken with Tortellini
• Hot Honey Baked Chicken Breasts
• Southern Hot Honey Fried Chicken
• Skillet Baked Cheesy Pumpkin Gnocchi 
• Creamy Tuscan 'Marry Me' Chicken
• Creamy Blackened Chicken Rigatoni Pasta

Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad Q + A's

More Healthy Lunch + Dinner Recipes

Now that you've fallen in love with the Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad recipe, put to good use your remaining produce with these great family-friendly dinner recipes:

• Easy Weeknight Blackened Chicken Tacos
• Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Quinoa + Kale
• Chipotle BBQ Butternut Squash Tacos
• Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad
• Healthy Loaded Kale Salad with Spicy Chickpeas
• Quick + Easy Blood Orange Kale Salad

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you tried this Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Chopped Salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!

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