It has been far too long since I’ve shared a salad with you. The ones I toss together at lunchtime tend to be either too bizarre or too boring to merit a proper recipe, but this one?

It deserves attention.

Crisp romaine topped with bold and spicy blackened chicken, drizzled in homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. All of it is light, and every bite of it is delicious.

Make it as soon as you can.

Blackened Chicken Salad
For the blackened seasoning:

makes 2 tablespoons, enough to coat 1 pound of beef/poultry/fish/tofu

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground thyme

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Remaining Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2″ thick cutlets

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

8 cups mixed salad (chopped romaine lettuce, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes)

3/4 cup Light Buttermilk Ranch Dressing–recipe below

Combine all blackened seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with the mixture.

Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken cutlets and allow to cook for 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate. Turn the heat down slightly and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the remaining chicken cutlets and cook for 5 minutes per side. Remove to the plate with the rest of the cooked cutlets. Cover and set aside while you prepare the salads.

To serve: Divide the mixed salad among four large bowls or plates, and drizzle each salad with about 3 tablespoons dressing. Slice the blackened chicken cutlets and divide the slices evenly among the dressed salads. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information for 1 Serving (2 cups salad, 3 tablespoons dressing, 1/4th of the prepared chicken): Calories 325, Total Fat 18.1 g, Total Carbohydrate 9.7 g, Dietary Fiber 2.7 g, Sugars 4.3 g, 30.5 g

Light Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

adapted from Farmgirl Fare

makes about 2 cups, or 8 servings

½ cup mayonnaise (full fat)

½ cup fat free Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

¾ to 1 cup 1% low fat buttermilk

In a small bowl, whisk to combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, powder, onion powder, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Whisk in the vinegar, followed by 3/4 cup buttermilk. Slowly add more buttermilk if you desire a thinner consistency. The dressing should keep for up to 5 days stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information for 1 Serving of Dressing (about 3 tablespoons): Calories 110, Total Fat 10.3 g, Total Carbohydrate 2 g, Dietary Fiber 0 g, Sugars 2 g, Protein 2.4 g

Tagged as: chicken, dressing, salad