Description
A fresh and flavorful Lemon Parmesan Cabbage Salad topped with tender grilled chicken breasts. This salad combines crunchy shredded cabbage, sweet peas, fresh mint, and a zesty lemon-parmesan dressing for a light yet satisfying meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Grilled Chicken
- 2 small chicken breasts (150g / 5oz each), about 2 cm / 4/5″ thick (or 1 large, cut in half horizontally)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
For the Salad
- 5 heaped cups shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 cup peas (fresh preferred, frozen acceptable)
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- 100 g / 3.5 oz freshly grated parmesan (about 1 heaped cup)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: If the chicken breasts are thicker than 2cm / 4/5″, gently pound or slice them horizontally to an even thickness. This ensures even cooking.
- Marinate Chicken: In a ziplock bag, combine the chicken with soy sauce, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, and black pepper. Seal and marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight in the refrigerator for maximum flavor.
- Cook Chicken: Brush a grill with olive oil or heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Grill or pan-fry the chicken breasts for 4 minutes on each side until fully cooked. Remove from heat, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
- Prepare Peas: Boil water and cook peas until tender, or steam them. Drain well and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, cooled peas, fresh mint leaves, and sliced red onion. Add freshly grated parmesan, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper.
- Toss Salad: Mix all ingredients thoroughly to ensure an even coating of dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or extra parmesan if desired.
- Serve: Transfer the salad onto individual serving plates. Top each portion with sliced grilled chicken. Garnish further with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of black pepper before serving.
Notes
- For perfectly cooked chicken, rest after cooking is crucial to retain juiciness.
- Fresh peas add the best sweetness, but frozen peas work well when fresh are not available.
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
- Adjust the amount of parmesan cheese to your preference, more can be added for a richer taste.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for a few hours before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: Lemon Parmesan Salad, Grilled Chicken Salad, Cabbage Salad, Healthy Chicken Salad, Mediterranean Salad
