Dinner Recipes

Grilled Chicken Greek Salad

This hearty salad is perfect for those hot summer days when the thought of turning on the stove is dreadful. Like all Greek salads, it’s packed with crunchy veggies, olives, and feta, but it’s the grilled chicken that brings us back again and again.

We marinate the chicken in yogurt, lemon juice, and a bunch of garlic and aromatic spices. It’s not absolutely necessary, but we do leave it in the marinade overnight, which allows all the flavors to meld and gives the acids plenty of time to work their magic. This chicken is super tender!

Getting a head start on the chicken also makes prep faster the evening of — you can just toss it on the grill. The juicy, flavorsome meat is delicious paired with all the goodies in the salad. We toss the whole thing in a bright vinaigrette of lemon, garlic, and oregano and then sprinkle it with mint leaves.

Grilled chicken Greek salad tastes so light and fresh, and yet it’s such a satisfying meal. It’s also a great one for entertaining: get out the linen napkins, plate the salad on your favorite platter, throw some pita on the grill, pour everyone a glass of wine, and you’ve got easy-breezy summer luxury.

Grilled Chicken Greek Salad
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Dinner

Grilled Chicken Greek Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground Gelson’s black pepper
1 Tbsp Gelson’s dried whole oregano
1 tsp Gelson’s sweet paprika
1 tsp Gelson’s ground cumin
1 tsp Gelson’s ground coriander
Gelson’s cayenne pepper
1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
Grapeseed oil, for brushing

For the dressing:

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Gelson’s dried whole oregano
1 large garlic clove, minced
¾ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp freshly ground Gelson’s black pepper
¾ cup Gelson’s 100% California extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

8 oz romaine hearts, chopped
10 oz cherry tomatoes
1 orange bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 English cucumber, sliced into rounds, then quartered
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
4 oz Greek feta blocks, crumbled (about ¾ cup), divided
1 Tbsp chiffonade Gelson’s organic fresh mint

Directions

  1. To marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, cumin, coriander, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Add the chicken tenders, and mix until the chicken is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

  2. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

  3. While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until combined. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

  4. To grill the chicken: Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Brush the grates with grapeseed oil.

  5. Cook, flipping halfway through, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned and the internal temperature reaches 165º. Transfer the chicken to a platter and rest for 5 minutes. Cut into ½” pieces, slicing against the grain.

  6. To assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the romaine, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, shallots, kalamata olives, and ⅔ of the feta.

  7. Add 4 tablespoons of the dressing and lightly toss to combine. Top the salad with the remaining feta, mint, and grilled chicken. Serve with the remaining dressing.

Recipe adapted from: The Mediterranean Dish

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