Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
This Greek chicken salad is the best! With juicy, tender chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, and a homemade tzatziki dressing!
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 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.
For the tzatziki dressing
- 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 the refrigerator up to 5 days in advance.
Notes
- 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.
- Toss the dressing just before serving. This will avoid a soggy salad and allow for maximum, crisp freshness, keeping the chicken, vegetables and dressing in separate airtight containers if meal prepping ahead of time.