• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Barbara Bakes™
  • Home
  • About
  • Info
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • All Desserts »
  • Main Dishes
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Pasta
    • Meatless
    • All Main Dishes »
  • Side Dishes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad With Grilled Chicken, Cranberries And Almonds

    Published by Melissa on April 9, 2018 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 7 Comments

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Jump to Recipe

    Crisp butter lettuce tossed together with Israeli couscous, crunchy almonds, grilled chicken, and sweet cranberries. This Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad is quick and easy to make and great served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

    Featured Image for post - Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad With Grilled Chicken, Cranberries And Almonds

    If you’re like me and you’re always struggling for ideas for quick, easy breakfasts and lunches, you’re going to love a great new cookbook filled with recipes to help your family eat nutritious, homemade meals during the busiest times of day.

    This recipe is from The Weekday Lunches & Breakfast Cookbook, written by my friend and fellow blogger, Mary Younkin, Barefeet In The Kitchen. I had a hard time picking which recipe to make first. I picked this one because it looked delicious, easy, and I had almost everything I needed to make it.

    Making Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad

    The great thing about salad recipes like this one is that they are versatile and you can change them up to match whatever ingredients you have on hand.

    We didn’t have spinach but I had leftover butter lettuce from making Pressure Cooker Chicken Shawarma. So I changed it from a spinach salad to a butter lettuce salad.

    Trader Joe’s sells a Harvest Grains Blend that is mostly Israeli Couscous, but also includes red and green orzo, split baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa.

    Another change I made was to use an Israeli couscous blend. Israeli Couscous is little pasta-like pearls made from semolina or wheat flour. They have a fun, slightly chewy texture that sort of pops in your mouth.

    Trader Joe’s sells a Harvest Grains Blend that is mostly Israeli Couscous, but also includes red and green orzo, split baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. So it’s colorful and fun.

    Bag of Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend

    I almost always have the Harvest Grains Blend in my pantry, so I decided to substitute the Harvest Grains Blend in this recipe. Instead of following the directions in the cookbook recipe, I used my Pressure Cooker Israeli Couscous recipe.

    The original recipe directions for cooking the Israeli couscous are listed below.

    This Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad is quick and easy to make and great served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

    The dressing for the salad uses white balsamic or champagne vinegar. I bought a Citrus Champagne California Vinegar made by Olive Oil that I found at Harmon’s grocery store. It had a light citrus flavor and was a perfect addition to this flavorful salad.

    The The Weekday Lunches & Breakfast Cookbook is Mary’s second cookbook. Her first cookbook, Weeknight Dinner Cookbook, is filled with family-friendly meals that are easy to make on a busy night. They’re a perfect combo.

    Definitely give this salad a try. It’s one I plan to make again often.

    Featured Image for post - Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad With Grilled Chicken, Cranberries And Almonds
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    No ratings yet

    Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad With Chicken And Cranberries

    Prep Time25 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Chicken
    Servings: 4 servings
    Author: Barbara Schieving
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
    • ⅔ cup Israeli couscous
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 lb.
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 cups butter lettuce torn into bite size pieces
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup sliced almonds
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons white balsamic or champagne vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • ½ teaspoon kosher slat
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the couscous and cook stirring frequently until lightly browned and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
    • While the couscous is simmering, make the dressing. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
    • Heat a nonstick grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 thin fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining oil into the pan and swirl to coat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook without touching for 2 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a cutting board. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
    • Place the lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked couscous, chicken, cranberries, and almonds. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

    More salad recipes you might like:

    Broccoli Slaw Salad, Barbara Bakes
    Quinoa, Tomato and Avocado Salad, Barbara Bakes
    Cucumber and Chickpea Salad, Reluctant Entertainer
    Spinach Pasta Salad, Barefeet in the Kitchen
    Chicken Avocado Salad, More Than Meat and Potatoes

    Pin It:

    Butter Lettuce Couscous Chicken Salad Collage
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    « Broccoli Slaw Salad
    Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies »
    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Dania

      May 09, 2018 at 10:37 am

      Hello Dear
      In love with your recipe but can I change couscous with Burgul? or quinoa ?
      I love salads and this recipe is looking great but not sure If i can find couscous.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        May 09, 2018 at 11:09 am

        Hi Dania – yes, I think bulgur or quinoa would be great substitutes.

        Reply
    2. Sandy @ RE

      April 15, 2018 at 8:22 am

      This looks like the perfect salad for Sunday dinner!

      Reply
    3. Rocky Mountain Woman

      April 11, 2018 at 11:35 am

      I can’t wait to try this one!

      Love the almonds, so healthy and yummy.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        April 11, 2018 at 9:00 pm

        Thanks Barbara – hope you love it!

        Reply
    4. Mary

      April 09, 2018 at 8:02 am

      I’m so glad that you enjoyed the salad, Barbara! I love the idea of making it with butter lettuce. I bet it’s great with a little more crunch too. Your photos are lovely and now I’m craving this salad all over again!

      Reply
    5. Carol

      April 09, 2018 at 7:12 am

      What a pretty salad! For some reason, butter lettuce is one I tend to walk right by-and I have no idea in the world why I do. This is definitely my kind of lunch-perfect for the warm weather that is hopefully around the corner! 🙂

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Melissa and Barbara smiling

    Baking made easy! Sharing fabulous recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, breads and more. Barbara Bakes (and Melissa too!) Recipes from both of our kitchens to yours.

    Learn More »

    Popular Posts

    Air fryer french fries sitting next to a cup of dipping sauce

    Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer French Fries

    Strawberry cheesecake with an Oreo crust and topped with whole strawberries drizzled with a shiny red glaze

    Strawberry Cheesecake with an Oreo Cookie Crust

    quiche in a pan with serving utensils and stacked plates

    Meat Lovers Quiche Recipe

    German-Chocolate-Cake-Barbara-Bakes

    Easy 5-Ingredient German Chocolate Cake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Press

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Popular
    • Baking Tips
    • Travel

    Subscribe

    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon affiliate, and affiliate with other businesses, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 barbarabakes.com. All rights reserved. DISCLOSURE - PRIVACY POLICY.