Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
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The BEST Greek salad recipe you will ever have! With perfectly grilled, juicy chicken thighs and the most heavenly tzatziki dressing!
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A Greek salad just got so much better in my book. The secret? Super juicy, perfectly charred chicken thighs seasoned just perfectly with a dry spice rub of oregano, basil, thyme, paprika and garlic powder. Serve with chopped romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, olives and feta along with the creamiest, dreamiest tzatziki dressing ever. SO SO GOOD.
why i love this recipe
- Requires a simple spice rub. No hours of marinating here! Simply season your chicken using pantry spices and throw them right onto the grill. While you do that, you can also throw on some pita bread for serving – might as well while you have the grill all fired up!
- Includes a homemade tzatziki dressing. Skip the store-bought dressing. This version is so stinking easy with just a handful of ingredients, and tastes so much more fresh (and better) when homemade.
- Versatile recipe. Too cold to grill out? Use a cast iron grill pan. Not a fan of dark meat? Use chicken breasts or tenderloins. Need a vegetarian salad? Skip the chicken. Easy!
tips and tricks for success
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor.
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the tzatziki dressing up to 5 days in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the salad ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite.
- Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings.
- Add some crunch. Add some pine nuts, sunflower seeds, chopped pecans or slivered almonds for an added crunch.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to slicing and serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
More Favorited Salad recipes
Grilled Greek Chicken Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Yes! The tzatziki dressing can be made 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and whisking well before using.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to slicing and serving.
Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 head romaine, roughly chopped
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 4 ounces feta, cubed
For the tzatziki dressing
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 5 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, buttermilk, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Season chicken with oregano mixture.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, onion, olives and feta. Pour the tzatziki dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
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My favorite way to make chicken. The rub is divine! Had with warmed pita and hummus. We occasionally sub the dressing with a balsamic vinaigrette which is also delicious. It is always a major hit!
We absolutely love hearing that. Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
If you want to have the best tasting Greek chicken ever please use this recipe!
I lived in Greece and aside from bringing back fond memories, it brought back the cuisine…..but better.
The herb combination was totally en pointe, in fact, I have put a batch together for chicken (and pork) and keep with my spices. I air fried in place of grilling and found it to be juicier. Once more..brilliant recipes!! Thanks.
Can I substitute grilled shrimp for the chicken? If so, should I use the same seasoning on the shrimp?
Great seasoning for the chicken! Dressing was a bit tart so I added a little honey to offset the bitterness.
Made just the chicken part of this on the grill. I only had 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs but used the full recipe of seasoning (tossed the chicken in a ziploc bag with a little olive oil and the seasoning for 1 hour). It was divine!!! I threw it over a bed of lentils! Chefs kiss.
One of my favorite meals!
Excellent salad!
This sounds wonderful. I have a question about the dressing. Unfortunately buttermilk does not agree with my husband, is there something you can suggest as a substitute?
I have made this so many times because it’s THAT good! I usually use chicken breasts instead and it’s just as delicious
This was fantastic for a hot summer night. We aren’t fans of avocado so swapped for bacon.
What to do with the rest of that buttermilk?
Make buttermilk pancakes or biscuits. I also marinate any meat in buttermilk to tenderize.
Make what you need with milk and vinegar. You can buy powdered buttermilk as well so it’s always at hand.
Absolutely delicious, first time having this non fussy recipe. We loved it!!!
The best Greek chicken recipe!!!
Just a follow up to earlier review posted – this is now the most requested chicken in our house! I’ve put the herb/spice mixture on every kind of chicken – grilled or pan seared and served on salad, with couscous, orzo and basically all kinds of vegetable. Super easy to make ahead too and very healthy to put in lunches or heat up after long sports practices. Thank you again!
Made this for our family reunion this past Labor Day. It was a hit for everyone young and old alike! We added a side of hummus and pita bread too! Thank you for the great recipe and for making our lunch such a hit!
You are so welcome, Anna! Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Just made this for dinner and my 12 year old couldn’t get enough of the chicken! The spice rub is excellent! Super flavorful. Thank you!
We are so happy to hear it was a hit, Carrie!
Wow its looking so beautiful. The colourful texture of salads is amazing. Thank you for the recipe.
Just yum. The chicken is divine…be sure to grill it on the bbq as it tastes so good! Everything about this salad is delicious and so pretty…and it’s good for you! Another winner!
Thank you, Aiya! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed this one!
First I wanna say this is freaking delicious! ( or am I supposed to say damn delicious -haha )
Secondly I don’t suggest letting yourself get so stupid hungry before you start cooking, then you’ll mis-read the recipe like I did and accidentally marinate the chicken in the dressing. So I noticed my mistake and made a second batch of dressing separately and then proceeded. I rinsed off most of the marinate before I cooked the chicken and it turned out super.
Finally since I don’t have a grill or grill pan, I just cooked them in a non-stick skillet on med-high until brown on both sides then I rested them for a few minutes, cut into strips and then put back in the pan covered on low heat while I assembled the salad.
Yummmy
I adore this site and all the recipes are good and easy to follow. I use the PlanToEat app and I simply copy and paste DamnDelicious recipes and it stores them and creates my shopping list.
We are so happy to hear that you liked this so much (even after marinating the chicken in the dressing)! Thanks for sharing, Wanda! 🙂
Question: I was always under the impression that one of the main ingredients in TZATZIKI sauce/dressing was chopped/grated cucumber, however, I notice that you omitted the cucumber from your TZATZIKI in this recipe. Is this because you had the cucumber in the salad itself and with both the cucumber in a dressing and as a salad ingredient the cucumber would overpower the rest of the salad flavors. Just curious. I always follow your recipes as written on the first make, if I want to tweak a bit or intensify a particular flavor I will do so on subsequent fixings. Thank you for your time. I look forward to receiving your DAMNDELICIOUS recipes as often as you care to post – they are the bomb!!!
MsLindaT, you can always add chopped/grated cucumber to the dressing if you prefer. I personally felt like it was not needed but as always, you can modify any recipe to your liking. Isn’t that the beauty of home cooking? 🙂