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Simple to prepare and insanely delicious, this Greek Chicken Salad is a satisfying meal. It’s made with juicy grilled chicken, crunchy vegetables, Feta cheese and a tangy Greek salad dressing.
My Favorite Greek Chicken Salad Recipe
This easy chicken salad is everything you want in a fresh Mediterranean dish.
- Fresh Ingredients – The crisp lettuce, cool cucumbers, and juicy chicken pair so well with the creamy feta and zesty Greek salad dressing.
- Light and Filling – It’s light yet satisfying enough to keep you full for hours.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – Cook up a big batch of chicken and pack a few salads, this meal is ready for days.
Salad Ingredients
This classic Greek Salad has just a few basic ingredients, but you can get creative with your favorite toppings.
- Chicken – Opt for leaner meat like chicken breast as opposed to chicken thighs which tend to have more fat.
- Marinade – it’s as simple as olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Toppings – For a crunchier salad go for the romaine instead of iceberg. You also want to use cherry tomatoes since they don’t get as mushy. And of course make sure to top it with fragrant feta, kalamata olives, red onion, cucumbers, bell peppers and crispy pita chips.
- Greek Salad Dressing – You can make your own greek salad dressing (recipe below) or buy it from the store. You’ll need: extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, Italian spices, salt and water (or chicken broth).
How to Make Greek Chicken Salad
- Marinate the chicken– this step is crucial. The longer the chicken marinates the more flavor it will absorb into. It will also make your chicken juicier too!
- Grill the chicken– you can always pan sear it or even bake it in the oven. But ultimately grilled chicken has a unique smoky flavor that can’t be beaten by any other cooking fashion.
- Chop the vegetables– Cut everything in similar bite-size pieces makes it more enjoyable to eat.
- Assemble the salad– Add chopped veggies, chicken, olives, feta cheese to a large bowl. Toss with the Greek Salad Dressing.
FAQs
Generally, if your chicken has skin on it, you want to marinate it over 2 hours. For this skinless chicken breast, you can marinate from 2-8 hours. 4 hours is optimal.
Since everything in this salad is best served fresh there is a limit to how far in advance you can make it. The only thing you can really make in advance is the marinade and chop the vegetables a few hours beforehand.
Rustic Bread, Potato chips, Pita chips, Focaccia Bread or Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread would all be great for sopping up the yummy dressing. As an appetizer, how about a Spinach Artichoke Dip or Whipped Feta Cheese Dip.
What to Pair with a Chicken Salad
Wondering what side dish will go best with this easy chicken salad? Here are a few suggestions:
- What’s a better pairing than soup and salad? Try it with one of my chicken noodle soup recipes, like grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup or my Greek Lemon Chicken Soup.
- Forget wine, pair your salad with a good bread! Like a rustic Italian loaf, Focaccia or Cheese Factory Brown Bread.
- Consider serving an appetizer before the meal, like Spinach Artichoke Dip or Whipped Feta Dip.
Pro Tips
- This gorgeous grilled chicken is not just perfect for salads. Use is as a main course on top of egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
- Package leftovers in separate containers and you’re meal prepped for the week.
- To serve, add a little fresh cracked pepper and a few feta cheese crumbles for the perfect healthy meal that everyone will love.
More Salad Recipes
- Lemon Herb Potato Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Simple Spinach Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Antipasto Pasta Salad
Greek Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup
olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon
dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad ingredients
- 6 cups chopped lettuce such as iceberg or romaine
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cucumber sliced
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup feta cheese broken into chunks
- Red onion
- Pita chips
- Greek salad dressing
Optional Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Marinate the chicken breast
- Place the chicken breast in a large bowl and add in the marinade ingredients as listed above. ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ tsp cracked black pepper.
- Let the chicken sit in the marinade for about 4 hours in the fridge (covered).
Grill the chicken
- Then fire up the grill and cook the chicken over medium heat and cook both sides of the chicken until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then place the chicken on a plate and cover it with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes so the juices absorb back into it. Then slice it up.
Assemble salad in a bowl and add dressing
- Meanwhile, assemble the rest of your salad ingredients into a large serving bowl.
- Start with the chopped lettuce, the cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber pitted kalamata olives, feta cheese, and red onion. Then top with crushed pita chips, sliced chicken, and a good quality Greek salad dressing (recipe below). Serve immediately.
Salad Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium sixed bowl and whisk together until fully emulsified.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- If you aren’t a fan of Romaine, any type of crisp lettuce will do.
- Feel free to buy a bottled Greek Salad Dressing in lieu of making your own.
- The salad dressing makes about 8 servings, so you may have some left over. Cover tightly and refrigerate and it should last about a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
