This Warm Broccoli Salad is full of flavor and perfect for serving as a main or side dish. Savory, sweet, and earthy, it tastes so good your family won’t be able to resist asking for seconds.
If you love broccoli salads, then you should try this Broccoli Salad With Bacon and Cheese and this Best Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this recipe for Warm Broccoli Salad because it’s so flavorful and satisfying. It makes a great lunch or light dinner and is so easy to make. You can easily make it ahead of time, too.
- TASTE: Savory and earthy, the mixture of chicken with mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower can’t be beat. The paprika gives a little smoky flavor to the dish.
- TEXTURE: This salad is full of tender sauteed vegetables and juicy chicken. It’s deliciousness in every bite.
- TIME: It takes just 35 minutes to make this salad.
- EASE: This recipe is a breeze to make. Made with basic kitchen staples, you’ll only need one skillet to prepare this dish.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli- These need to be cut into florets. You can do this yourself or buy them already prepared in the supermarket.
- Cauliflower- Also cut into florets.
- Mushrooms- I like baby bella mushrooms for this recipe because of their earthy flavor and meaty texture.
- Bell pepper- I used red bell pepper for its sweetness, but you can use any color you like.
- Chicken- Boneless, skinless chicken breast is preferred for its lack of fat and ease in cutting.
- Paprika- This spice is mild, sweet, and a little smoky. It goes really well with vegetables.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add fruits- Add in some raisins, cranberries, or chopped apple for a sweeter flavor in this Warm Broccoli Salad.
- Add nuts- Try it with some pecans, almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts.
- Make it with dressing- Toss some vinaigrette, lemon zest or lemon juice with red wine vinegar, or an other dressing you like in this warm salad.
- Add cheese- Add some goat cheese, cheddar, or blue cheese to give it some creamy, cheesy flavor.
How to Make Warm Broccoli Salad
- Cook the chicken. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook the chicken pieces until fully cooked. When done, set aside.
- Saute the onion and garlic. Sauté the garlic and sliced onion in the same skillet over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the peppers. Add the chopped red bell pepper pieces and sauté for about 4 minutes.
- Saute the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and saute in the skillet for 3 minutes.
- Add in the cauliflower and broccoli. Add the cauliflower florets and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the broccoli florets and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Combine with the chicken. Add the cooked chicken back in, and season with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Toss just to combine and serve.
Pro Tip: The broccoli and cauliflower should have some texture and not be mushy, so add them last of the vegetables.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken into uniform pieces- To cook these pieces evenly, cut them to a similar size to avoid underdone or overcooked chicken in your salad.
- Cook the onion until translucent- Onion releases sweet flavor and aroma when it’s cooked through, so don’t rush cooking them.
- Don’t overcook the cauliflower and broccoli- Add these vegetables last because they cook quickly and can easily get mushy. You don’t want them to be too soft.
- Serve warm– You can serve this dish warm or at room temperature for the best flavor.
FAQs
In this Warm Broccoli Salad, I used chicken, which goes really well with broccoli. Other proteins to try are beef, tofu, shrimp, and bacon.
This warm broccoli salad will last for about 4 days in the refrigerator. The vegetables will soften and release water as they sit though, so drain the dish before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This Warm Broccoli Salad is versatile and delicious with so many other dishes. Enjoy this salad with some sushi, noodles, rice, and more.
- Grains: Serve this salad over a plate of Wild Rice, Quinoa Fried Rice, or Hibachi Fried Rice.
- Potatoes: Enjoy it alongside some Crispy Air Fryer Baby Potatoes, Super Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Scalloped Potatoes, or Air Fryer Baked Potatoes.
- Noodles: Serve this Warm Broccoli Salad with some Gluten-Free Stir Fry with Rice Noodles, Rice Noodle Salad, or Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup. You could also have it with pasta, like this Garlicky Israeli Couscous or Easy Pasta Primavera.
- Sushi: Pair this salad with a Shrimp Tempura Roll, Salmon Skin Roll, Dynamite Roll, or Volcano Roll.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can cook the chicken and chop the vegetables about a day beforehand. Saute the veggies and add the chicken when you’re ready to serve.
Storing: Store this Warm Broccoli Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Freeze: You can freeze this salad, but the vegetables will thaw with a mushy consistency. Frozen it can last about 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat before serving.
More Tasty Salads!
Full Recipe Instructions
Warm Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until fully cooked.
- Remove the cooked chicken and set aside.
- Sauté the garlic and sliced onion in the skillet over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the chopped red bell pepper and sauté for about 4 minutes.
- Cut the mushrooms into quarters and sauté in the skillet for 3 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower florets and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the broccoli florets and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Lastly, add the cooked chicken back in, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss just to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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Lena says
Wow!!! Another great idea. Thank you Dina
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you!