Pat chicken breasts dry. In a shallow bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest/juice, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add chicken and coat evenly. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Grill or pan-sear

Preheat grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill breasts 5–7 minutes per side (internal temp 165°F/74°C) depending on thickness, or pan-sear with 1 tsp oil until cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

Pesto-Dill Havarti Dressing

In a medium bowl, combine 3 tbsp basil pesto, 2 tbsp mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), 2 oz shredded dill havarti, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tsp vinegar.

Add 1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional), 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until smooth.

If dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon water, 1 tsp at a time, until desired pourable consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, lemon or honey as needed.

Assemble Salad

In a large salad bowl, place 6 cups mixed salad greens and toss gently to aerate.

Add 1.5 cups halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds, distributing evenly over the greens.

Fan or nestle sliced avocado (1) over the greens and scatter 3 oz crumbled goat cheese and 4 oz shaved dill havarti across the salad.

Arrange the sliced grilled chicken on top of the salad.

Drizzle the pesto-dill havarti dressing evenly over the salad (start with about 3–4 tablespoons and add more to taste).

Toss gently to combine, or leave arranged and serve with dressing on the side. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if using.

Serve immediately so the avocado remains fresh and almonds stay crunchy.