Wash and dry all fresh produce, including the romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil. Peel and mince the garlic cloves, then transfer the minced garlic to a small bowl to use in the marinade. This prep ensures everything is clean and ready for salad assembly later.

To the bowl with minced garlic, add balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, pure maple syrup, dried basil, and salt. Whisk all ingredients together until fully combined. This mixture will serve as both the marinade for the chicken and as the salad dressing. I personally like to use a bit more basil than written—fresh or dried—to really bring out the herbal notes.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in a shallow bowl and pour half of the marinade over them, stirring to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside the remaining marinade for the salad dressing. Once the skillet is hot, add a little virgin coconut oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the marinated chicken thighs and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and allow it to cool slightly.

Chop the romaine crosswise into strips and divide among the serving bowls. Halve the grape tomatoes and add them to the bowls with the lettuce. Cut the mozzarella cheese into bite-sized pieces and distribute them evenly. Halve and pit the avocado, then slice it thinly while still in the skin—scoop the slices out and add them to the bowls. Slice the cooked chicken (from Step 3) into strips and place on top of each salad.

Pick the leaves off the fresh basil stems, roll them up crosswise, and thinly slice into ribbons (chiffonade). Sprinkle the basil ribbons over the top of the assembled salads. Drizzle with the reserved balsamic dressing (from Step 2) and enjoy immediately. For a final touch, I sometimes like to add a pinch of flaky salt on top to enhance all the flavors.