Our Cajun Chicken and Watermelon Salad Recipe Has All the Sweet and Spicy Notes We Crave
A sprinkling of smoky spices on tender chicken perfectly complements juicy watermelon and peppery arugula
Looking for ways to use up all your juicy summer melon? Our Cajun Chicken and Watermelon Salad recipe is perfect with its blend of sweet-smoky-peppery flavors. And watermelon isn’t just an affordable farm-fresh treat, it’s good for you, too. Thanks goes to lycopene—which gives watermelon its bright red color—an antioxidant that aids in reducing inflammation. But I love it for its sweet, floral flavor. And when combined with cooling cucumber, crisp radishes and smoky chicken, this Cajun Chicken and Watermelon Salad is a refreshing and satisfying summer dinner. Because the dressing is served on the side, you can save leftovers for lunch without ’em getting soggy. Sometimes I’m too lazy to turn on the grill, but these chicken tenders turn out just as delicious when I use a grill pan on the stovetop.
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 3 mini cucumbers
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1/4 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. salt
- 8 chicken tenders (about 11/4 lbs.)
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 Tbs. Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 (5 oz.) pkg. baby arugula
- 3 cups watermelon (1/2 of a mini watermelon)
- 4 large radishes, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
Instructions
PrintPrepare grill for medium-high direct heat cooking. Peel ½ of 1 cucumber. Finely grate (makes about ¼ cup). In small bowl, combine yogurt, grated cucumber, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, garlic and 1⁄4 tsp. salt; reserve.
In medium bowl, mix chicken, 1 Tbs. oil, Cajun seasoning and paprika. Grill chicken, flipping once, until no longer pink in centers, 5–6 min. per side.
On serving platter, arrange arugula. Top with watermelon, chicken, radishes, and onion. Using vegetable peeler, shave remaining cucumbers into thin ribbons. Arrange cucumber ribbons over salad. Garnish with mint and parsley. Drizzle with remaining oil and lemon juice; sprinkle with remaining salt. Serve salad with yogurt dressing.
Nutrition
- Calories: 305
- Fat: 16 grams
- Sat. Fat: 4 grams
- Protein: 13 grams
- Carbs.: 32 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Chol.: 19 mg
- Sugar: 18 grams
- Sodium: 557 mg
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