Hawaiian Chicken Salad!

Hawaiian Chicken Salad! 🥰🥗

Ingredients

Marinade:
1/3 cup light coconut milk (canned)
1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari sauce
Zest of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Chicken & Salad:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chicken breast (halved horizontally)
3/4 cups fresh pineapple pieces
4-6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 avocado (sliced)
1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (as a gluten-free substitute for rice)

Dressing:

1 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper

Instructions

Marinate Chicken: Combine marinade ingredients and marinate chicken for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Prepare Dressing: Shake dressing ingredients together in a jar and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Cook Chicken: Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook each side for about 3 minutes or until golden. Remove, cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes, then slice thickly.

Sear Pineapple & Corn: In the same skillet, sear pineapple pieces and corn until golden.

Assemble Salad: Arrange lettuce, avocado, onion, tomatoes, carrot, and quinoa on a platter. Top with sliced chicken, seared pineapple, and corn.

Serve: Drizzle over the dressing and serve.