Greek Chicken Salad With Feta (Printable Version)
Juicy grilled chicken over crisp greens with tangy olives and creamy whipped feta dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Grilled Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Juice of ½ lemon
→ Salad Base
09 - 6 cups romaine or mixed salad greens, chopped
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup English cucumber, sliced
12 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
14 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into rings
15 - ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
→ Whipped Feta Dressing
16 - 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
17 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
18 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - 2 tablespoons water, as needed for thinning
22 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon juice until well combined. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the marinated chicken on the grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - In a food processor or blender, combine the crumbled feta, Greek yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
04 - Arrange the chopped salad greens on a large serving platter or in individual bowls. Scatter the cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, Kalamata olives, and green bell pepper evenly over the greens.
05 - Arrange the sliced grilled chicken over the assembled salad vegetables.
06 - Drizzle the whipped feta dressing generously over the salad and chicken. Garnish with fresh chopped dill and serve immediately.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The whipped feta dressing tastes like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a trendy restaurant, except you made it in three minutes.
- Everything cooks in under fifteen minutes, which means more time outside and less time hovering over a stove.
02 -
- Do not skip the chicken rest period because slicing too early sends all those delicious juices straight onto your cutting board instead of into your salad.
- The dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge, so whisk in a splash of water or lemon juice when you use leftovers.
03 -
- Whip extra dressing and keep it in the fridge for up to five days because it turns roasted vegetables, grain bowls, and even scrambled eggs into something extraordinary.
- Buy feta packed in brine rather than the dry plastic wrapped kind, because the brined version blends creamier and tastes noticeably more complex.