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Italian Chicken Salad

Italian Chicken Salad with juicy grilled chicken and crisp romaine tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Loaded with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, black olives, red onion, and pepperoncini for a bright, satisfying bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Salad
  • 6 cup chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup mozzarella pearls
  • 0.5 cup sliced black olives
  • 0.25 cup sliced red onion
  • 0.25 cup pepperoncini peppers
  • 0.33 cup Italian dressing
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prepare and season chicken
  1. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil.
  2. Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Cook and rest
  1. Cook the chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through (use a visual cue: steady sizzle and deep golden color).
  2. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice so the juices redistribute (visual cue: resting makes the slices look juicier rather than watery).
Assemble salad
  1. Add romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, sliced black olives, sliced red onion, and pepperoncini peppers to a large bowl (visual cue: colorful layer of toppings).
  2. Toss the salad with Italian dressing until the greens look lightly coated (visual cue: dressing clings to the romaine).
  3. Top with sliced chicken (visual cue: chicken pieces sit on top of the dressed greens).
  4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top for a salty finish (visual cue: pale, speckled cheese layer).
  5. Serve immediately to keep romaine crisp.

Notes

For best texture, slice the chicken right after the 5-minute rest and serve immediately so the romaine stays crisp. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; if meal prepping, keep dressing separate until serving. Freezing isn’t recommended for this salad. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium Italian dressing or part-skim mozzarella pearls.