Blackened Chicken with Green Goddess Dressing
A Sweet Green inspired salad that makes great leftovers.
I developed this recipe to see if I could make Sweet Green salads cheaper at home. This green goddess salad bowl is satisfying, filling, and customizable to whatever you already have on hand. Use the leftover dressing for sandwiches, dishes over rice, or as a dip.
Ethan Chlebowski
Ingredients
Green goddess ranch dressing
- greek yogurt, plain200 g1 part
- mayonnaise200 g1 part
- red onions, chopped20 g
- lemon juice7 ga spoonful
- white vinegar7 ga spoonful
- hot sauce7 ga spoonful
- cilantro7 g
- parsley7 g
- fresh basil7 g
- dill7 g
- garlic1 clove
- black peppera sprinkle
- saltto taste
Blackened chicken
- chicken breasts2
- smoked paprika2 parts2 spoonfuls
- garlic powder1 part1 spoonful
- onion powder1 part1 spoonful
- dried thyme1 part1 spoonful
- neutral oilfor blackening
Base salad components
- romaine lettuce, thinly sliced150 g
- sweet potatoes, diced45 g
- chickpeas, drained45 g
- carrots, diced45 g
- almonds, chopped15 g
- pickled onions15 g
- goat cheese, crumbled15 g
Method
Step 1: Make the dressing
Blend all green goddess ranch dressing ingredients until smooth. If too thick, adjust the consistency with water if needed. Taste for salt. You can use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender in a tall-sided container.
Step 2: Roast the vegetables
First, preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C.
While it's heating, peel and cube your sweet potato (or other veggies you'd like to roast) into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the cubed potatoes to a baking sheet, and cover them with a light coating of neutral oil and a generous sprinkle of salt. Toss the entire tray into the preheated oven to for 20-30 minutes until they're crisped to your liking. You'll want to move them around halfway through to ensure some spots aren't getting too burnt.
Step 3: Prepare other vegetables
While those are cooking, thinly slice your lettuce, julienne or dice some carrots, rough chop your almonds, drain and salt some canned garbanzo beans, and get out your pickled onions and goat cheese.
- For veggie size, I like when I can get a piece of everything on my fork or spoon rather than having bites that are just pure lettuce.
While the sweet potatoes finish roasting, you can start the chicken.
Step 4: Blacken the chicken
Pound your chicken breasts until they are a bit thinner, or simply slice them in half. Place them on a tray and sprinkle salt on all sides.
Next, create your blackening seasoning by mixing the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme in a small container. Liberally sprinkle the seasoning all over the chicken until it's evenly coated - this will help ensure even darkening during the sear.
Place a pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the chicken and let to develop a nice deep on one side before flipping.
- Since I cut mine thin, I can finish them right in the pan, but if your seasoning is getting too burnt to the point where it starts smoking and the interior is not cooked, you can also finish this in the oven.
Step 5: Assemble the salad & serve
First, pre-dress the lettuce by mixing in some of the dressing until it's evenly coated. This allows you to plate neatly without worrying about large gobs of dressing on top.
Add the dressed lettuce to a wide and shallow bowl. Top with sliced blackened chicken, chopped carrots, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, a sprinkle of almonds, a bit more green goddess ranch, goat cheese, and lastly, some pickled onion for a pop of color. Enjoy.
