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This salad has everything a great salad should. It’s crunchy, filling and full of flavor. The dressing is creamy, bright and fresh. The chicken adds a boost of protein, so it’s a perfect balanced meal in a bowl.
It’s also a very easy recipe that doesn’t require a long list of ingredients or much prep time. The dressing is very versatile and you can easily substitute ingredients depending what you have on hand. It always turns out delicious anyway.
The base of the salad is just a mix of green cabbage, cucumber, green onion and avocado. It’s a combination of crunchy and creamy that goes so well together. Plus, since there’s no lettuce, it stays fresh for up to a week in the fridge, even tossed in the dressing.
The original version of this salad doesn’t include chicken breast, but I add some to up the protein content and make this meal even more filling. I just pan sear it with a few simple spices, but you can bake or air fry it, or even use rotisserie chicken as a shortcut.
The herby, bright and fresh dressing is what really brings this salad together. Just throw everything in a blender and blend and you have a thick, creamy dressing that’s so good you could eat it with a spoon.
If you haven’t given this viral recipe a try yet, add it to your dinner rotation. It’s guaranteed to earn a permanent spot there.
Green Goddess Salad with Chicken and Avocado
Equipment
- 1 large sauté pan or skillet with a lid
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- Cooking spray (see Note 1)
- 5 cups green cabbage, finely chopped (about ½ a medium head of cabbage)
- 1 large English cucumber, finely chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced (save the white parts for the dressing!)
- 1 medium avocado, diced
Green Goddess Dressing
- 1 bunch green onions, white parts only, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 packed cup fresh basil or dill (see Note 2)
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about ¼ cup)
- Zest of 1 large lemon (about 1 tsp)
- 2 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup silken tofu (see Note 3)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Salad
- Season the chicken breast on both sides with the dried parsley, garlic powder, freshly cracked black pepper and salt
- Heat a sauté pan or skillet over medium high heat and add the cooking spray
- Sear the chicken on each side for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium low and cover with a lid
- Cook for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through then remove from heat and set aside to cool
- Chop cabbage and cucumber into very small pieces then add to a large bowl along with the green onions (I prefer to add the avocado at the end so it doesn't end up mashed into the salad)
- Once the chicken has cooled, chop into bite sized pieces and add to the bowl (alternatively, you can slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad)
Green Goddess Dressing
- Combine the white parts of the green onions, basil or dill, lemon juice, lemon zest, sunflower seeds, garlic and silken tofu in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the vegetables are well coated, then add the avocado and gently toss again until combined
- Serve on its own or with tortilla chips or crackers of choice for dipping
Notes
Nutrition
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