This grilled chicken salad combines marinated chicken, fresh veggies, and bold Greek flavors all in one tasty and easy dinner. There is a reason this Greek chicken salad with the tastiest lemon and olive oil dressing is one of my go-to supper salads!
I posted my ladolemono Greek dressing earlier in the week and could not wait to show you one of the easiest ways that I’ve been using it–this grilled chicken salad!
Why I love this Greek chicken salad
I love it when you can put a couple of familiar recipes together, and that is the story of this easy Greek chicken salad recipe.
This recipe combines elements of two popular recipes that I absolutely love: Chicken gyros and Traditional Greek salad.
It starts with yogurt-marinated chicken tenders (yup, very much what I do with my homemade gyro recipe). But instead of the usual pita wraps, the grilled chicken sits on top of a fresh salad with loads of fresh crunchy veggies and Greek favorites like olives and feta.
But, one of the biggest draws to this Greek salad with chicken is the bold, lemony dressing!
Greek salad dressing
To dress this grilled chicken salad, the obvious choice is my simple Greek olive oil and lemon dressing called ladolemomo.
The basic dressing–which is more of a Greek all-purpose sauce– combines 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts excellent extra virgin olive oil, whisked together until emulsified. I add a pinch of dry oregano and minced garlic for flavor. That’s really it!
You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks! And you’ll find so many ways to use it, but this Greek chicken salad is a great place to start!
How to make grilled chicken salad?
- Marinate the chicken
Make the Greek yogurt mariande in a big bowl by combining yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic and spices. Add in 1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders and give them a toss to coat. cover and stick the chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer if you have the time.
- Make the salad and dressing
I like to start by making the olive oil and lemon dressing recipe, basically combining the lemon juice with garlic and oregano. While whisking vigorously, drizzle the olive oil and keep whisking until emulsified.
Chop up the lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and shallots and throw them in a large bowl. Add a handful of pitted kalamata olives and a bit of the dressing and toss. Taste and adjust by adding more dressing or salt to your liking. - Cook the chicken
Heat up a griddle or a nonstick pan with a bit of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook on each side for about 4 to 5 minutes on one side, and flip over and cook for a few more minutes until the tenders are fully cooked. - Assemble the salad
Grab a few salad bowls, add the cooked chicken and add a bit more of the dressing over the chicken.
Make ahead tips
- Make the dressing in advance. The Greek salad dressing a few days in advance and store it in a tightly-closed mason jar (it will technically last for up to 2 weeks if stored properly, but I do like to use it up sooner).
- Chop up the salad one night ahead and refrigerate. Do not dress the salad until you are ready to serve, but you can chop up the lettuce and veggies and save them covered in the fridge (I don’t mix them)
- Marinate the chicken overnight! Yes, you can make the yogurt marinate and toss the chicken in it, then cover and store it in the fridge overnight.
Change it up
You can make this Greek salad with a different protein. Try shrimp kabobs or grilled lamb chops, for example.
You may also like
- Chicken Schnitzel
- Italian Baked Chicken Breast
- Greek Salmon Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
- Browse our selection of salad recipes or Greek recipes
Browse all Mediterranean Recipes. Visit Our Online Shop.
Greek Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil more for later
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- Kosher salt generous pinch to taste
- Black pepper generous pinch to taste
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1.5 lb Chicken tenders
For the Salad
- Homemade Greek dressing, use this Greek dressing recipe
- 8 oz hearts of Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes,
- 1 bell pepper any color, cored and chopped
- 1 English cucumber sliced into rounds, diced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- Pitted Kalamata olives, to your liking
- Quality Greek feta blocks, to your liking
Instructions
- Season and marinate the chicken tenders. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and spices. Add the chicken tenders and mix to make sure chicken is well coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight, if you like)
- Prepare the dressing according to this Greek dressing recipe.
- Prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber slices, shallots and kalamata olives. Add 4 tablespoons of the Greek dressing and toss to combine (you can always add more dressing to your liking). Leave some of the dressing (about 3 tablespoons or so) for later. Add feta cheese to your liking.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken tenders to the pan (make sure to shake off any excess marinade before adding chicken to the pan.) Cook on one side undisturbed for 5 minutes until browned. Using a pair of tongs, turn chicken over and cook on other side for another 5 minutes or until chicken is done. (See notes for outdoor grilling)
- Assemble the grilled chicken salad. Transfer the salad to serving bowls and top each bowl with the cooked chicken then drizzle a bit more of the salad dressing directly over the chicken. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Do you have to marinate the chicken? If you absolutely do not have the time, allow the chicken just a few minutes in the yogurt marinade, it will make a difference. You can also work one night in advance and let the chicken marinate in the fridge overnight until you’re ready to cook.
- Option for Serving: add a dollop of tzatziki sauce to your grilled chicken salad bowls.
- Outdoor Grilling: If you’d rather fire up the grill to cook the chicken tenders, you can cook them on a medium-heated grill for 5 minutes on one side, turn over and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is fully done (internal temperature should register 165 degrees F).
- Variations: You can use a different protein in this salad such as shrimp kabobs or grilled lamb chops
- Visit our Online Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices.
Can I bake the chicken for salad with the marinated chix breasts instead of tenders at what heat how long
Sure! You can cook them the same way until the reach an internal temp of 165 degrees F.
Made this tonight and it was amazing!
I am sorry to say I threw it out after a few bites. The chicken was mushy – sat in the marinade for 8 hours and that was probably 7.5 hours too much. And the dressing? Way too much olive oil.
I made this salad the other night for dinner and it turned out great. The chicken was juicy and tender and had flavor. I especially liked the dressing. Thank you, Suzy, as always for sharing your recipes!
This was delicious! I fixed it tonight exactly by the recipe and it was a big hit!
Yay! Thanks, Judy!
Absolutely perfect! A great combination of flavors and as well as visually appealing. I don’t have coriander on hand so used curry. Loved the dish. Thank you so much for sharing this lovely dish.
Ooo! Thanks for sharing that substitution!!
The simplicity and taste of the of Greek Chicken Salad is out of this world. I even made the dressing which was fantastic. I think it will become part of my meal prep meals. I’ll be making more or your recipes soon.
It was delish! The marinade was a lot so I added another half pound of chicken
tenders. Let it work its magic all night and made it, awesome. I love a lot of your
wonderful dishes. They remind me of travels throughout Turkey with my friends from Istanbul.
Aww! Love that! Thanks, Tara!
I made this dish with my partner and we both loved it! The marinade really added to the grilled chicken flavor and texture. And the zippy lemony dressing was perfect for kicking up a notch the whole salad. Thank you for a great meal! I will be keeping this one in rotation – healthy, delicious, and satisfying!
Hi Lauren, Devin here from the editorial team. So very happy to hear you two loved it! We have a few more chicken salad recipes you might like for your rotation 🙂 – Chicken Caprese Salad, Chicken Arugula Salad with Ginger Pomegranate Dressing, Chicken Shawarma Salad Bowls. Happy cooking!
I’ve recently been diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis and am on an anti inflammatory diet. This recipe has become part of my weekly diet. I love this salad! Thank you for sharing.
Suzy, have you served this at room temperature? I’m hoping if I cook the chicken a bit ahead and it comes to room temperature the dressing would perk it up and keep it from being dry. Do you have any suggestions, as I’m having a group and want to make the chicken before guests arrive. Then, will combine and dress last minute. Thank you for any suggestions.
Hi, Den. Yes, you could totally make the chicken head and serve it with the salad slightly chilled or more at room temp.
This was so yummy! My hubby was raving about it. Your recipes are helping me get my hubby to eat more veggies and enjoy healthy food. So glad I found your website, and your cookbook!
We love hearing that, Carol-Anne!
This was my first time using greek yogurt in marinade – won’t be my last! The chicken was so flavorful – great salad.
Hi Suzy. I’ve been following you for quite a while. Really enjoy looking at ur recipes. Anyway, today I went to my drs.and they need me to loose some weight. They want me to go on the Mediterranean diet. So they start giving me pamphlets to read up on. I told them no thank you. I already know who I am going to start following on this diet. Today I will be making your Greek salad and dressing.😊. Can’t wait to see what I make tomorrow. Just wanted to share this with you. 🙋😁
Wonderful, Liz! Many blessings on your journey to better health! Can’t wait to hear what you try next!