Best Greek Chicken Salad Recipe
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This Greek chicken salad is hearty, filling, and chock-full of fabulous Mediterranean flavors.
Whether you follow a Mediterranean diet or not, salads like these are delicious lunch or dinner ideas any time of year. What I love most about it is that, while I’m sitting here in 34-degree weather with snow on the ground in the late middle half of February, this salad makes me feel like I’m in the middle of a sunny summer day.
The flavors are fresh, and the ingredients are hearty. You can easily add or omit things you do or don’t like, and it pairs well with a plethora of other dishes if you want to round out the meal. It’s also a really great healthy lunch to take to work or send to school.
I Don’t See Any Lettuce. Can I Add Lettuce?
My darling, you may add lettuce to your heart’s content. I served it as is, but many of you will enjoy extending the number of servings here by serving a portion over a bed of lettuce.
However, f you do this, I recommend doubling or tripling the dressing recipe so that you have enough to add to your lettuce.
Greek Chicken Salad Recipe Variations
The list of variations for this chicken salad recipe is long. I’ll do my best to give you a comprehensive list here. You can add any of the following or use them as replacements for ingredients you might not care for in the given recipe.
- Greens:
- Romaine lettuce
- Baby spinach
- Arugula
- Mixed greens
- Additional Vegetables:
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- Artichoke hearts (quartered)
- Red or yellow bell peppers (sliced)
- Red cabbage (shredded)
- Avocado (diced)
- Radishes (sliced)
- Carrots (shredded or julienned)
- Celery (sliced)
- Roasted red peppers (sliced)
- Grains and Legumes:
- Cooked quinoa
- Cooked couscous
- Cooked farro
- Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- Herbs and Greens:
- Fresh mint (chopped)
- Fresh dill (chopped)
- Fresh basil (chopped)
- Fresh cilantro (chopped)
- Baby kale
- Cheeses:
- Goat cheese (crumbled)
- Ricotta salata (crumbled)
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella pearls
- Nuts and Seeds:
- Sliced almonds
- Pine nuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Protein:
- Grilled shrimp
- Sliced grilled steak
- Tofu (cubed and marinated)
- Chickpeas (for added protein)
- Dressing Variations:
- Lemon vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic)
- Balsamic vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic)
- Greek yogurt dressing (Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, garlic)
- Tahini dressing (tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, water)
About The Greek Chicken Salad Ingredients
For the Greek Chicken Salad
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Cooked and diced. I seasoned mine with just salt and pepper. You don’t need to season this much because the rest of the salad will add plenty of flavor.
Cherry tomatoes – Grape tomatoes work too. You can even just chop a larger tomato if that’s what you have.
Cucumber – Peeling optional – I used an English cucumber, but a regular cucumber will work just fine.
Red onion – Chop this on the smaller side. The salad can be as hearty as you like based on the size you chop everything. But generally speaking, the smaller you chop things, the easier it will be to eat.
Kalamata olives – I purchased mine already pitted and sliced. If you have whole olives, you’ll have to pit and slice them yourself first. You can certainly add them whole if you prefer that. Just remember to remove the pits.
Feta cheese – I find the best feta is a blend of sheep and goat milk. But use whatever feta you like best.
Fresh parsley – I used Italian or flatleaf parsley.
For the Dressing
Extra virgin olive oil – Use the best quality oil you can afford for this.
Balsamic vinegar – Just a plain balsamic with no added flavors.
Dijon mustard – Make sure there is no added sugar.
Garlic – I pressed mine to get the most flavor from it, but you can mince it too.
Dried oregano – You can use double the amount of fresh oregano if you have it.
Salt and black pepper – To taste after preparing the salad.
How To Make Greek Chicken Salad
Prep
Gather and measure all your ingredients.
Cook the chicken breast if not already cooked. You can poach, grill, or bake it with a little salt and pepper. Once cooked, let it cool and then shred or dice it.
Note that if your chicken isn’t already cooked, you will need to add this time to the total time it takes to make this recipe listed in the recipe card below.
Combine
In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, feta crumbles, cooked and diced chicken, and fresh parsley.
Make the Dressing
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Combine and Toss
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss everything together until well-coated.
Serve
Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a bit to let the flavors meld. This salad is great served chilled.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended for this dish.
Reheating
No need to reheat. This can be served cold straight from the fridge.
More Chicken Salad Recipes
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Mediterranean Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked and diced)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes work too)
- 1 cup diced cucumber (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1 cup diced red onion
- ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 large garlic clove (pressed or minced)
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Gather and measure all your ingredients.Cook the chicken breast if not already cooked. You can poach, grill, or bake it with a little salt and pepper. Once cooked, let it cool and then shred or dice it. Note that if your chicken isn't already cooked, you will need to add this time to the total time it takes to make this recipe listed in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, feta crumbles, cooked and diced chicken, and fresh parsley.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss everything together until well-coated.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a bit to let the flavors meld. This salad is great served chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
