Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad with Avocado and Parmesan

Our normal eating plan has been altered a bit since we've moved in with Michael's parents. They eat a little differently than we do, seeing as we've been trying to be SUPER healthy lately with less bread and more fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and legumes. Michael's mom asked me if I'd officially like to be the "chef" of the house while we are living with them. I said, "Of course"! They know how much I love to cook, so this is the perfect time to hone my skills and explore new and exciting ingredients (that I might not be able to afford otherwise). ;)

So, this is what we had for dinner tonight at the Black household! It was really nice to eat something light and refreshing after lots of sweets and heavy foods this past week and weekend.

Once again, I must thank REAL SIMPLE for their wonderful inspiration in the way of fast, healthy, and simple meals. Also, I must credit them with these photos. I did not have my camera on me tonight at dinner. But trust me when I say, this is exactly how beautiful it turned out to be in real life. 

I'd recommend this salad for a filling veggie-oriented dinner any night of the week. But you should definitely make it while avocados and corn are still in season. You won't regret the flavor combos of rosemary and lemon, blended with the chicken, avocado, and parmesan! Oh, and one last thing... I'd suggest marinating a few extra breasts of chicken, because you are going to want to grill them up and use them for sandwiches, or as a topping for another type of salad. Basically, they make great leftovers!

Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad with Avocado and Parmesan
(adapted from REAL SIMPLE)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 ears corn, shucked
5 oz. baby spinach (about 5 cups)
1 avocado, cut into bite-size pieces
2 oz. Parmesan, shaved

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Transfer half the dressing to a small bowl; set aside. Add the chicken to the remaining dressing and turn to coat.
2. Rub the corn with the remaining tablespoon of oil and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Grill the corn and chicken, covered, turning occasionally, until the corn is tender and lightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes, and the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs and slice the chicken.
3. Toss the spinach, chicken, corn, and avocado with the reserved dressing and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Makes 4 servings

Notes
- If you can't find any good ears of corn, I'd suggest using half a package of frozen sweet white corn, boiling it in water, with a little butter, salt, and pepper. 
- We added some green leaf lettuce, red peppers, carrots, and cucumbers to the recipe and it was scrumptious!