What actually makes this Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad Cajun? It’s the Grilled Blackened Cajun Chicken Breasts but beyond that, I’ve used the kind of old-fashioned but always good Sensational Salad Dressing (it has Romano cheese in it) that hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While a salad like this isn’t the traditional way to use the dressing, that dressing does make this salad sensational!

Grilled Blackened Cajun Chicken Breasts with Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad

But this main-dish salad is also filled with other sensational things. Crisp green leaf lettuce (is just about everyone these days just over Romaine and all the issues?) And then there’s garden fresh tomatoes, cool cucumbers, crunchy cauliflower, and the obligatory Avocado. I WISH I had an avocado orchard these days, they’re so popular. And then this salad has just a little nod towards the famed Cajun Corn Maque Choux with a sprinkling of bell peppers and a little sweet corn.

About Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad:

Our hot, humid summer days really inspired me to cook up way more of my Grilled Blackened Cajun Chicken Breasts than I needed the other so I could spin off a few easy, fun summery and pretty much no to low effort meals from it. This salad is just one of them. The only hard part about it is keeping your (and by your, of course I really mean “my”) mitts off the chicken & actually saving it for things like this salad. The spicy tender, juicy chicken just makes the salad a meal.

I like to thinly slice and fan the chicken out; it’s easy to portion out a few slices for everyone and I like the way the more composed salad looks on a platter with the array of veggies. I think it looks tempting, and although my platter only has a partial amount (I just made enough for a couple of servings) it keeps well like this, too.

Another advantage of platter serving is that and those who might not be big salad eaters can load up on more of the chicken, the corn and maybe take some of the other veggies, and it will seem more like a “meal” to them. Just make sure to serve more chicken (and corn) if that’s the case. Others who might be picky eaters can choose the items they like. You can dice up that chicken and make just one big chopped salad, instead. That’s always good, too.

Grilled Blackened Cajun Chicken Breasts with Lemon Pepper Vegetable Sautes

Making Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad:

I don’t know what I might say about making this salad that you don’t already know! I could comment on the corn – it can really be any corn and tossing in any leftover sweet corn (or making extra so you’ll have it for this salad) grilled is excellent or however you make your corn will always give you a bit of a leg up. Frozen or even canned corn, well-drained and rinsed works well, too.

And of course,e you can use any veggies you like in any amount in your salad, any greens, and dressing for that matter! Whatever tempts you to eat in this hot weather and tempts you to take advantage of all our summer veggies. Since this salad is primarily made of sturdy ingredients, it’s a great salad to pack along to a picnic or outing. Just bring the avocado along and slice it in on-site and dress it there, too.

I can’t stress enough these days how important it is to really wash your greens well. Never put them in the sink (sinks harbor all kinds of nasties and are a perfect, moist, breeding ground) and it’s not enough just to swish your greens around in a bowl of water and drain them. Rinse thoroughly and well under running water, then drain or use your spinner or roll in a clean towel or whatever method you use to dry them.

Sensation Salad Dressing

Saving Money on Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad:

I think pretty much wherever you live in the US, there’s no better time of year to go heavy on the veggies than right now! Maybe you have a garden, maybe someone you know has a garden and has some excess, and check out the farmer’s market. Sometimes prices are higher but usually, you’ll find they’re a bit lower than the store. And of course, a large one can be a fun outing for the family and these days you’ll often find smaller farmer’s markets that are super easy to get in and out of.

If you’re buying veggies in the store, do be conscious of the sales! It makes sense to shop and plan your meals around any sales at the store. Since bell peppers can be pricey, I do watch the sales closely and pick up several when they’re at a low. They keep well for a week or two so I get enough for the current week and enough for the next.

I keep my partially used veggies wrapped and in the fridge door where I see them and will be more likely to use them! If I have a little extra cucumber, I like to toss it in a mixture of vinegar cut with some water, maybe add a teaspoon of sugar and a few onions for quick snacking. It’s an old German dish; my Mom always had this in the fridge all summer long.

Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad

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I’ll be sharing Sensational Cajun Chicken Salad at Fiesta Friday #287, hosted this week by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Rita @ Parsi Cuisine