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    Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes » Main Course Salads

    Main Course Salads

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    Main Course Salads are easy, delicious, and filling enough for a full meal! Try making one of our wholesome salads for dinner to mix up and make your own. I’m excited to share my favorite salads with you today! Not only are they filling, they are also so incredibly delicious.

    Slices of grilled chicken on a salad with buttermilk ranch dressing and a fork
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    I love making salad as a meal. Hearty salads are some of my favorite dinners to make for my family! My favorite healthy salad for dinner is my Strawberry Chicken Salad, but there are so many different ways you can make delicious and easy salad recipes for dinner.

    Main Course Salad Characteristics

    To make the best salad recipes for dinner, mix up your ingredients! Here are some tips on what you can use to make the most filling salads:

    • Lettuce: Romaine and Spring Mix are excellent choices for salads. You can also use baby lettuce, spinach, or even kale.
    • Whole grains: Instead of lettuce, you can use whole grains like brown rice or quinoa.
    • Protein: Rotisserie chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, or tuna are great choices for protein in main course salads.
    • Vegetables: Try tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, or even veggies like summer squash, jicama, crisp blanched green beans, carrots, peas, and corn. Pickled and roasted vegetables are great choices too!
    • Fruit: Cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, and clementines are all delicious in a salad.
    • Nuts: Nuts are awesome in any main or separate-course salad recipe! Try pecans, walnuts, and sliced almonds.
    • Cheese: Shredded hard cheeses like Parmesan, or the softest cheeses like goat cheese, feta, and blue cheese all work well.

    Don’t forget hard-boiled eggs and bacon crumbles. I like to use candied bacon to spice up my main course salads!

    Best Homemade Salad Dressings

    Main Course Salad Recipes

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    Strawberry Chicken Salad
    Strawberry Chicken Salad uses light, wholesome, and simple ingredients for a flavorful separate course salad or main course salad recipe.
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    Grilled Chicken Salad
    Complete with crisp, fresh veggies and deliciously creamy buttermilk ranch dressing, my Grilled Chicken Salad is a must-try for the summer!
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    Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
    Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad is a delicious warm salad recipe you will crave more and more of! It's a perfect holiday side dish, with Parmesan, pecans, cranberries, and garlic.
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    Slices of sirloin steak over rice noodles and vegetables
    Vietnamese Beef Salad
    Made with thinly sliced sirloin, crisp veggies, rice noodles, and a zesty lime dressing, our easy Vietnamese Beef Salad recipe makes a delicious lunch or dinner!
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    Burrata cheese salad with arugula, Parmesan and prosciutto
    Amazing Burrata Salad Recipe
    Creamy burrata cheese with salty prosciutto, fresh Parmesan, and crisp arugula, all seasoned with sea salt, pepper, and drizzled olive oil… that's our incredible Arugula Burrata Salad Recipe!
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    Burrata cheese topped with parmesan on a bed of prosciutto and arugula with olive oil

    This arugula burrata appetizer is one of the best accompaniment salads. Serve it as a separate course salad for an appetizer, along with your meal, or as a dish on its own.

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    Cold Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Rice
    Our easy Cold Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Rice is light, refreshing, and so easy to make in minutes!
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    The best beef lettuce wraps recipe you will ever try! Our Portuguese Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps combines the powerfully delicious flavor of Portuguese and Chinese recipes. You can whip them up in minutes!
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    Kale Caesar Salad
    Learn how to make Chick-fil-A Lemon Kale Caesar Salad at home using easy ingredients! Simple to make and so delicious!
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    Grilled Peach Salad
    Learn how to make salad with grilled peaches for the most amazing Grilled Peach Salad recipe you will love all summer long!
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    Black Eyed Peas Salad
    My Black Eyed Peas Dip (also known as Texas Caviar) is a classic, easy dip recipe complete with corn, two kinds of beans, and black eyed peas. Ready in just 5 minutes!
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    Roasted Artichoke Hearts Salad Recipe
    Roasted Artichoke Salad is one of the easiest and prettiest holiday salad recipes you should be serving all season long! The roasted artichokes combined with the tangy burst of fresh basil vinaigrette is the perfect festive salad and a delicious way to start your meal.
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    Drizzling on the vinaigrette for Ina Garten's Roasted Artichoke Salad
    Zesty & Tangy Orange and Fennel Salad
    With its bright, sweet, and zesty flavors, Orange and Fennel Salad is a perfect side salad or citrus salad recipe for lunch!
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    Broccoli Apple Salad
    This Broccoli Apple Salad is absolutely delicious! Make it with deli turkey and follow the recipe for a complete meal that’s super quick and easy.
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    Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
    Deliciously easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad comes together in less than 30 minutes and is full of vibrant, fresh flavors you will love!
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    Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
    Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad is the perfect choice for a healthy dinner salad recipe! Made with simple, easily found ingredients, this fresh vegetable salad recipe makes a quick easy dinner or side dish. Follow this easy recipe for the best cucumber salad you can make at home!
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    Easy Caesar Salad Recipe
    A crunchy, creamy, flavorful Caesar salad, ready in minutes! You can use store-prepped or homemade ingredients for this delicious salad.
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    Greek Cauliflower Rice Salad
    Our Greek Cauliflower Rice Salad is a healthy, low carb salad bursting with Greek flavors! Perfect for lunch or dinner as a side salad or main course. 
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    Ham Salad Recipe
    My classic Ham Salad Recipe uses simple ingredients, including leftover ham, and is ready to enjoy in minutes!
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    Watermelon Basil Salad
    Your GO-TO summer salad! Our Watermelon Basil Salad is light and refreshing. Perfect for summer cookouts, backyard parties, potlucks or picnics. This Watermelon Basil Salad is quick and easy to make and is sure to please with the fresh, healthy flavors of summer.
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    Watermelon Basil Salad featured

    📋 Recipe

    grilled chicken resting on a salad

    Main Course Salads + Grilled Chicken Salad

    Isabel Laessig
    This easy salad with grilled chicken, complete with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing, is the perfect summer chicken salad!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Marinating Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 539 kcal

    Equipment

    • A grill or grill pan
    • Medium bowl
    • Serving bowl
    • Knife
    • Cutting board
    • Meat thermometer (optional but recommended)

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 3 cups fresh baby spinach
    • ¼ red onion sliced
    • 1 bell pepper any color, sliced or diced
    • ½ medium cucumber sliced or diced
    • 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
    • 1 avocado sliced

    Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • ½ cup  Greek yogurt or sour cream
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 Tablespoon Dill chopped
    • 1 Tablespoon Chives chopped
    • 1 Tablespoon Parsley chopped
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    • Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano in a medium bowl. Place chicken breasts in bowl and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
      1 pound boneless, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
      Marinating chicken in a bowl
    • Heat a grill to medium-high heat and brush with more olive oil. When ready, add chicken and cook about 5 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.
      2 Tablespoons olive oil
      Griled chicken on a cutting board
    • In a large salad bowl or serving plate, add spinach and veggies.
      3 cups fresh baby spinach, ¼ red onion, 1 bell pepper, ½ medium cucumber, 1 cup grape tomatoes, 1 avocado
      Veggies in a bowl for making grilled chicken salad
    • Slice the chicken and toss with the salad.
      Sliced chicken on grilled chicken salad
    • Top with homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, or your salad dressing of choice. Serve and enjoy!
      Grilled chicken salad in a bowl with a fork

    To make homemade buttermilk ranch dressing

    • Combine all dressing ingredients in a large mason jar and stir together. Close lid tightly and shake well to finish mixing.
      1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup  Greek yogurt, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 Tablespoon Dill, 1 Tablespoon Chives, 1 Tablespoon Parsley, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
      Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

    Notes

    • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating to ensure even cooking
    • Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken should be cooked to 165°F to ensure doneness. Don’t over-cook it!
    • Allow grilled chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing
    • Customize your salad by using your favorite salad veggies and salad greens, if what is listed here doesn’t suit your tastes. Add-ins like crumbled cheese or croutons or seeds are great additions, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 539kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 33gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1116mgPotassium: 1166mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3697IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword main course salad, main course salad characteristics, main course salads
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

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