Crispy Chicken Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Prepare to make your newest favourite salad! This Crispy Chicken Salad is filled with crunchy romaine, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, fresh red onion, and crisp corn. It is then topped with crispy chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, and a creamy and zesty homemade Greek yogurt ranch dressing. It makes a tasty, healthy lunch or dinner option all year round.

We don’t make boring salads around here. I’m all about healthy salad recipes that are filling, satisfying, and just as delicious as they are nutritious.

Need proof? My Kale Quinoa and Chickpea Salad is one of my most popular recipes. And my Healthy Homemade Caesar Salad is to die for!

Still not convinced? Cue this delicious Crispy Chicken Salad. Its packed full of colourful veggies, crispy chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, and my creamy healthy homemade Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing.

Crispy Chicken Salad Ingredients:

Here’s what you need to make this crispy chicken tender salad:

• Romaine lettuce: For that crispy, crunchy salad base.
• Cherry tomatoes: They add a pop of colour and delicious juicy flavour.
• Red onion: Gives a little bite to each forkful of salad!
• Corn: I love the colour and texture that it adds to this salad.
• Avocado: Buttery avocado with a good dose of healthy fats!
• Cheddar cheese: To add flavour and satisfaction factor. (A key to building a healthy and filling salad)
• Crispy chicken tenders: Duh! Use your favourite store-bought frozen chicken tenders.

Is This Crispy Chicken Salad Recipe Healthy?

When it comes to eating healthy, my philosophy as a Registered Dietitian is all about nutrition by addition.

So even though we’re using frozen, store-bought chicken tenders here, we’re adding a ton of nourishing, healthy foods with it to create a satisfying and well-balanced meal. Because it’s all about balance, right?

Here’s some more on what makes this salad well-balanced:

• At least half vegetables: This salad is loaded with colourful veggies, and filling up your plate with 1/2 veggies is a great strategy for healthy eating. Veggies offer essential vitamins and minerals as well as dietary fibre!
• Sufficient protein source: Protein is the key to feeling full after eating. In this Crispy Chicken Salad recipe, we get ample protein from the chicken, as well as some from the cheese and the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
• Healthy fats: Not only are avocados delicious, they’re a fantastic source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
• Complex carbohydrates: Even though there’s no bread or grains in this salad, we still get energizing, starchy carbs from the corn.

How to Make this Recipe:

Recipe Tips & Substitution Suggestions:

Don’t have all the ingredients on hand? Here are some swaps you can make!

• Blue cheese: If you like crumbled blue cheese, this would be a great swap for the shredded cheddar.
• Store-bought ranch dressing: While I highly recommend making the greek yogurt ranch, store-bought will work in a pinch.
• Vegetarian “chicken” tenders: To easily make this recipe vegetarian, you can swap the chicken tenders out for a plant-based option.

To cook the chicken tenders, I follow the directions on the box for cooking in the oven. Alternatively, you can also air fry frozen chicken tenders. I find it takes about half of the time as oven-baking at the same temperature.

Storing Salad Leftovers:

If you have salad leftover, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will only last in the fridge for about a day with the dressing on as the lettuce may become soggy.

Making it ahead of time? I recommend storing the dressing and chicken tenders separately, then assembling the salad when you are ready to eat it. This way nothing gets soggy!

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below.

Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can re-share on my stories!