Fresh chopped lettuce salad with pomegranate seeds and grilled chicken pieces in a white bowl with wooden salad servers.

Pomegranate may be underrated, but it’s a fabulous addition to dishes like my chopped salads. Our chopped salad obsession began with my Pomegranate Sunday Salad, which I made on repeat all through December. In January, as a spin on that salad, I created this wonderful Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad! Tossed with my Creamy Chive Dressing, it’s full of juicy pomegranate seeds, nutty California green olives, and buttery avocados, a winning combination that made it one of our most popular chopped salads. 

A Lovely Thought from Teri

What is it about pomegranates that makes them so enticing? They’re sweet and tangy, full of color, and create a bit of a pop, so they’re entirely too fun to eat. They are also high in fiber and make my body feel good when I eat them. Enjoy pomegranates by the spoonful, add them to salads or sweet dishes like my Raspberry Jello, or use them to top your yogurt. They are an inspired garnish over guacamole or any entree that needs a little sweet note. And the combination of olives and pomegranates is truly addictive. Their sweetness, along with the tang and nuttiness of the olives, is deliciously irresistible.

Cut open pomegranate on red rimmed white plate on wood surface
beautiful pomegranate ready to be de-seeded
Golden green olives in yellow and white bowls on wooden surface.
California green olives are a favorite snack of mine

Vegetables and fruits all have their seasons, and I start looking for pomegranates at the grocery store at the end of August. They’re best through fall and early winter. While pomegranate seeds can be found pre-packaged in the refrigerator aisle of most grocery stores, buying whole pomegranates is an incomparable experience for freshness and flavor.

pomegranate arils in a yellow bowl
de-seeding pomegranates can be so much fun!
apples yogurt nuts peanut butter
perfect crunch for a high fiber-high protein snack plate
jello on serving dish with pomegranate seeds around it
a beautiful adornment on my raspberry jello

A chopped salad like this one can be made your own with just a few cornerstones. A salad is only as good as its ingredients, and the chicken in this salad is the first amazing cornerstone. The marinade is a spin on my Passport Chicken, and it makes chicken so flavorful and juicy. It’s an absolute must do, and the leftovers are great to have on hand all week long. Let it marinate for as long as possible, ideally for at least two hours, but marinating overnight will produce absolute magic. If you’re pressed for time, try my Sizzling Everyday Roasted Chicken Breast or even pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store.

The second cornerstone is my Creamy Chive Dressing, which is perfect with the chicken and pomegranates in this Whole30 Chopped Salad. Make a double batch! We added avocado, green olives, and Marinated Red Onions, but make it your own with what you have on hand. If you’re doing Whole30, use compatible ingredients. If you’re not doing Whole30, add all of your favorites. 

Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad in a rainbow bowl with two wood spoons

Ingredients

Juicy raw chicken breasts with herbs and seasonings for grilling or baking, ready for a delicious meal.
Freshly cooked roasted chicken with herbs, chopped romaine lettuce, ripe avocado, green olives, pomegranate seeds, and salad dressing, ready for a nutritious meal.

How to make this salad

Make the Marinade

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper and set aside.

Dried herbs, salt, garlic, lemon zest in a yellow bowl on rustic wooden table.

Make the Chicken

Thinly slice the chicken breasts horizontally for your chopped salad. For ease of cutting, freeze them about an hour or two until they’re just partially frozen. Then slice the breasts into strips by laying them flat on a board and covering most of the breast with one hand–and be careful! Slowly slice each breast lengthwise, cutting away from yourself. Then cut again, so you end up with three thin slices from each breast. If you don’t feel confident doing this, just purchase chicken cutlets instead of chicken breasts and skip this step.

Herb-spiced chicken breast and homemade herb marinade on a white cutting board.

Salt the chicken breasts and make the marinade. Combine salt, pepper, oregano, lemon, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl. Mix until well combined, and pour the marinade over your thinly cut chicken breasts in a container, making sure the chicken is well coated. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, but ideally for two hours or even overnight.

Seasoned chicken breasts marinating in herb and olive oil mixture for flavorful cooking.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil then sauté the marinated chicken breasts until browned and crispy on each side. Keep in mind: the second batch will cook a little faster, because the pan will be hot.

Juicy, perfectly seared chicken breasts cooking in a cast iron skillet, ideal for healthy dinner recipes.

Assemble Your Salad

Assemble your Whole30 Chopped Salad in a large salad bowl starting with the ribboned romaine, then salt your greens. Add the pomegranate seeds, olives, avocado, and chicken to the salad bowl. If you’re eating this salad right away, add Marinated Red Onions and drizzle with the Creamy Chive Dressing then toss the salad. Enjoy!

adding chicken to romaine lettuce in a white bowl
olives pomegranates chicken and romaine lettuce in a white bowl with a red rim
Fresh grilled chicken salad with avocado, pomegranate, green olives, and red onion on a white plate.

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy pre-packaged pomegranate seeds?

In my opinion, absolutely not! Prepping the pomegranate seeds is actually pretty easy. Using a paring knife, score a square at the top of the pomegranate, then pull that off, exposing the membrane walls of the fruit. With the paring knife, cut alongside the membranes, creating segments and avoiding cutting into the pomegranate seeds to preserve as much of the juicy goodness as possible. Once it’s open, simply pluck or nudge the seeds into a bowl. No need to rinse. It takes a few minutes, but it’s entirely worth it! Word to the wise: do NOT wear white while prepping a pomegranate.

How do I choose a pomegranate?

When choosing a pomegranate, pick a bright to dark red one that feels heavy for its size–it will be perfectly ripe and juicy! 

Why California olives?

They are absolutely one of my favorite snacks and a frequent ingredient in many of my recipes, especially in my salads. They are incredibly versatile, with a smooth and nutty flavor that doesn’t overpower your dishes. In addition to being entirely delicious, California olives are available year-round and enhance most diets, including the Mediterranean, MIND, gluten-free, keto, paleo, plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, and Whole30.

What is a chopped salad?

A chopped salad is exactly what it sounds like! It is a salad in which all of the ingredients are chopped into bite-sized pieces so that every bite has all of the different salad components. What’s great about chopped salads is that they are entirely customizable to your palate and what you have have available.

If you make this Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad, let me know what you think in the comments and be sure to rate the recipe! If you’re looking for more inspiration, I have tons of delicious salads on the blog. For even more fun, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok!

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Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad in a rainbow bowl

Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Marinating Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Salad
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

This Pomegranate Whole30 Chopped Salad is a great weeknight dinner! You can prep so much in advance and enjoy all week long!

Ingredients

For marinade:

  •   5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  •   Juice and zest of one lemon
  •   5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  •   2 tablespoons dried oregano
  •   1 teaspoon kosher salt
  •   ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Salad:

  •   3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  •   1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  •   2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
  •   12 ounces baby romaine, cut into thin ribbons
  •   1 to 2 medium avocados, cut into cubes
  •   1 can medium pitted California green olives, cut into halves
  •   Seeds from one pomegranate
  •   Marinated Red Onions, optional
  •   Creamy Chive Dressing

Instructions

  1.   Make the marinade: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and the black pepper together and set aside.
  2.   Make the chicken: You will cut the chicken breasts horizontally into thirds to create thin cutlets, and will need a very sharp knife, so please be careful.
  3.   For ease of cutting, freeze the chicken breasts for about an hour or two, or until they’re just partially frozen. Lay the breast flat on a cutting board, and place one hand on top of the breast to stabilize it. Then angle your knife so that the flat side of the blade is horizontal to the cutting board and carefully, slowly cut across the breast 1/3 at the point where it is 1/3 of its thickness. This creates a thin cutlet. Then slice the remaining piece in half in the same manner, so you end up with 3 thin cutlets.
  4.   If you don’t feel confident doing this, feel free to purchase chicken cutlets instead of chicken breasts and skip this step. Or ask your butcher to cut these for you.
  5.   Salt the chicken thoroughly. Place in a container with the marinade and marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator, or overnight if you can.
  6.   In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  7.   Sauté as many chicken cutlets as your pan will fit without overcrowding for until browned and crispy, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Set aside and continue cooking the remaining chicken, adding olive oil as needed.
  8.   Tip: The second (and any other) batch will cook a little faster because the pan will be hot and it is recommended that you check around 2 ½ minutes per side.
  9.   On a cutting board, cube the chicken into bite size pieces.
  10.   In a large salad bowl, add the ribboned romaine and salt your greens. While reserving a small amount of each, add the pomegranate seeds, olives, avocado, and chicken to the salad bowl. Add marinated onions, if using, and drizzle the creamy chive dressing to your liking and toss the salad. Garnish with reserved ingredients and serve.
  11.   Enjoy!

Notes

Teri Tip: If you want to prepare a fourth chicken breast with the marinade and cook, it makes for great leftovers that you can have later.