Green on Green Salad with Charred Corn, Chicken and Homemade Green Goddess Dressing

How often do you hear we should “eat our greens?” One of the simplest ways is to eat more green salads. But I don’t like boring green salads and I suspect neither do you.

I call this salad “green on green,” but I’ve added a handful of charred corn kernels for a pop of color and sliced chicken breasts for protein to make this a main dish salad. You could easily leave the chicken out and use this as a side salad to a whole roasted chicken or a grilled steak.

Almost every weekend I roast several chicken breasts and keep them in the refrigerator to use later in the week for sandwiches and salads. The easiest recipe I’ve found for roasting chicken breasts comes from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and the chicken always turns out perfect.  Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the chicken breasts (I use bone-in, skin-on) on a sheet pan (cover with heavy duty foil for easy clean-up if you like), rub the skin with a little olive oil, then season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stick the chicken in the oven and let it roast for about 35 to 40 minutes until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees on a meat thermometer, taking care not to overcook it or it will be tough. When the chicken has cooled, wrap breasts individually and store in the refrigerator for use later in salads and sandwiches.

To keep the theme of green on green, this salad is dressed with homemade Green Goddess dressing. Green Goddess dressing was popular in the ‘70’s and was bottled by Seven Seas. For some reason I assumed that Green Goddess was some big secret recipe that Seven Seas had created. Turns out it was concocted in 1923 by the executive chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco to pay tribute to actor George Arliss and his smash hit play The Green Goddess. Goes to show you that you shouldn’t assume things.

Green Goddess dressing is a snap to make. Whirl a little yogurt, a dash of vinegar, and a couple of anchovies around in a mini food processor with some fresh herbs straight from your garden and you’ve made your own homemade Green Goddess dressing.

Green on Green Salad with Charred Corn, Chicken, & Homemade Green Goddess Dressing
Adapted from Home by Design – serves 4

1 pound cooked chicken breasts, roasted or grilled
2 ears yellow corn, shucked & silks removed
Olive oil for brushing corn
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups fresh arugula
½ English cucumber, very thinly sliced
1 medium ripe Hass avocado
Homemade Green Goddess dressing (recipe below)

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub the corn with a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill, rotating occasionally, until the corn is charred on all sides. Remove to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off of the cobs.

Divide the arugula among four plates and sprinkle with a little salt & freshly ground black pepper. Top with sliced chicken, some corn, and the sliced cucumbers. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. With a large spoon, scoop the avocado out of the shell and cut the flesh into thin slices. Place ¼ of the avocado on each salad in a fan shape. Serve with Green Goddess dressing on the side.

Printable recipe

Homemade Green Goddess Dressing
Adapted from Home by Design – serves 4

½ cup Greek yogurt
2 anchovies
¼ cup lightly packed Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons roughly chopped chives or the white part of scallions
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar, or any good white wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients through the vinegar in the bowl of a mini food processor and blend for several minutes until the dressing is bright green and the herbs are incorporated. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Printable recipe

Mr. Bunny says, "Don’t forget to eat your greens."

This will be linked to Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, Foodtastic Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Seasonal Sunday at The Tablescaper, Southern Sundays at Slice of Southern, Summer Salad Sunday at Easy Natural Food, Carole's Chatter Food on Friday, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable.