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Keeping it healthy today with my loaded Greek Chicken Chopped Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette. Pan-seared Greek chicken tossed together with greens, chickpeas, tomatoes, avocado, feta cheese, cucumbers, and the most deliciously addicting creamy, lemony tahini vinaigrette. It doesn’t get more delicious than this loaded greek salad. It’s simple to toss together, extra colorful, super flavorful, yummy, and even healthy too. The perfect dinner to serve any night of the week from now through summertime.
Monday salad…but the good kind…the loaded kind. I mean, there’s a lot happening with this salad. It’s definitely not your average boring Monday salad. You guys know I don’t do those. I’ve been holding onto this salad for a couple weeks, but it finely feels like the right time to share. For a while, I was really in full-on comfort food mode, as “quarantined life” is very different, and left most of us craving the comfort foods we’d typically enjoy during the fall and winter months.
Thing is…quarantined life is lasting waaay longer than any of us ever expected. Now that the weather is really starting to turn warm and Memorial Day is (shockingly) just one week from today, I’m moving on into summer food mode. And I am so excited about it.
Enter this salad. It’s summertime food, perfect for Monday, perfect for Memorial Day. It’s all-around pretty darn delicious. Plus, there’s feta cheese, homemade croutons, and the best marinated Greek chicken. All the very delicious spring/summer ingredients.
Jumping into details…the chicken.
I marinated this chicken in quite possibly one of my favorite marinades. It’s a combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, smoked paprika (which is not really Greek…but it’s good), fresh oregano, shallots (the secret!), garlic, and lots of lemon (always so much lemon). Now, when I say marinate, I really just mean toss the chicken in this mix and let it sit while you get everything else for the bowls together. I’m not sure about you guys, but I can never plan ahead enough to cook a recipe requiring a long marinating time.
It almost never happens…
So, I do a quick marinate. It works.
While the chicken is marinating, toss the salad.
For the salad, you can really use a mix of whatever salad-like ingredients you love most. But you should start with a base of chopped romaine. You could add some Tuscan kale or arugula if you’d like. But I think you need at least a little romaine for a nice refreshing crunch.
And for my toss-ins, I, of course, used my favorite Greek or Greek(lish) ingredients… chickpeas, kalamata olives, cucumbers, lots of fresh cherry tomatoes, and plenty of fresh basil and dill.
Oh, and then avocado too.
And feta cheese. So Much Feta Cheese.
Onto the vinaigrette, I went with something a little different. I made a creamy lemon tahini vinaigrette using tahini, honey, mustard, and vinegar. This makes for an extra creamy, and tangy vinaigrette. It’s become one of my go-to vinaigrettes for weeknight salads.
Once the salad is tossed and the vinaigrette is put together, make the chicken. You can pan-sear it or grill it, but I just did a quick pan sear. Either option is great!
Now, toss everything together in a big salad bowl, and dinner (or lunch) is done. Love a big dinner style salad, especially this time of year.
Now, do a little meal prepping…
The added bonus about this recipe is that it’s so great for weekday meal prep. I recommend making this on a Sunday or Monday night and doubling the recipe. Then simply use the leftovers to make lunch or dinner bowls to enjoy throughout the week!
Cook everything at once…get multiple meals…love that!
Here is what I will note, this recipe has ingredients…many of them. Don’t let this scare you away. I know we all love a less than ten ingredient recipe, but salads are different. Start with this flavorful marinated Greek chicken and pile on. Everything comes together relatively quickly and nothing is the least bit difficult.
And most importantly? This is truly one of those salads you will be excited to eat. It’s full of color, flavor, texture, the best chicken, croutons, and plenty of feta cheese.
So excited to be sharing this recipe with you guys. It’s one of those dishes I hope you’ll enjoy making all spring and summer long.
Looking for other spring/summer salads? Here are my favorites from year’s past.
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Chickpea Salad
Greek Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
watch the how to video:
Lastly, if you make this Greek chicken chopped Salad with lemon tahini vinaigrette, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Greek Chicken Chopped Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 960 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Greek Lemon Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup finely torn ciabatta bread
Salad
- 6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- feta cheese, fresh herbs, mixed olives, and diced avocado, for serving
Tahini Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, paprika, oregano, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt. Marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.2. Meanwhile, make the croutons. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the bread and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden and toasted all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Slide bread crumbs onto a plate. Wipe the skillet clean. 3. Make the salad. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl, gently tossing to combine. 4. To make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar or measuring cup and shake (or whisk) until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Thin the vinaigrette as needed with 2-3 tablespoons water. 5. Heat the same skillet use for the croutons over medium high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. 6. To the salad, add the chicken, croutons, and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Gently toss to combine. Once the salad has been tossed, serve immediately,
Notes
To Grill the Chicken: Set your grill, grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Take skewers and thread the chicken pieces on. Grill the skewers until lightly charred and cooked through, turning them occasionally throughout cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes total.
This salad is yummy! A new favorite in our house. You have inspired me to not just “follow”and “like” your recipes but to try to make them. THANK YOU!
Hi Tess,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
We thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. It was tasty to say the least. The chicken marinade is perfection and the tahini dressing is a keeper. Wondering, though, where I might find your serving spoons? Loving those.
Hi Lori,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
What fresh herbs do you recommend with this salad?
Hi Katie,
Really anything that you have on hand and enjoy…cilantro, basil, parsley, dill are all great options. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Made this last night. I didn’t realize I was out of tahini until mid-way through so I had to use natural peanut butter in its place. That still made a good dressing and all in all, this recipe gave me good ideas for better salads. The chicken flavor was okay, but I loved the overall flavors & ingredients (especially making your own croutons), so may try it again w/ tahini. And, it’s a beautiful salad! Thank you for the great recipes!
Hi Jen,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Another stellar recipe! Why go to a restaurant when we have your recipes! The marinade was on point, dressing beyond perfect. Super easy too. I didn’t have any chicken breast thawed so I used thighs that I cut off the bone and removed the skin. Also didn’t have time or knowledge lol to start my husbands Coyote pellet grill so I used my cast iron skillet on the stove top and cooked until brown. Perfection!
I made this recipe for lunch for a small gathering, yesterday. My guests helped as well and it was just delicious. I will make it again and I will take it to work for lunch. Very easy to assemble once all is prepared. Thank you, Tieghan:)!
Hey Ana,
Happy Monday! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
my bf made this for dinner and it was so so good. thank you Tieghan!
Hey Mia,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxTieghan
We eat this once a week. We eat plant-based so we treat the chickpeas like the chicken (marinate, etc.) and skip the cheese. It is sooo good! We’ve also been subbing tomatoes for peaches, since they’re incredible right now. My family loves this recipe!
Hey Kelly,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try. Happy Weekend! xTieghan
Really enjoyed this and it was fun to make!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was delish!! So fresh and summery and the dressing was perfect ?will definitely make over and over this summer !
Hey Julie,
Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have a great day! xxTieghan
Made this beautiful salad for a group of friends for dinner a few weeks back and it got rave reviews! The tahini dressing is delicious and I’m always a sucker for homemade croutons! Definitely a keeper!
Hey Vicki,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful holiday weekend ?? xTieghan
In my experience, I would have halved the vinegar. You don’t need too much more acid since there’s so much lemon juice + the dijon mustard. I had to add a lot more tahini and honey to make it balanced — at first it was mouth puckering tart! Otherwise, the chicken was great and the salad came together nicely.
Hey Becca,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
We enjoyed this salad because flavors are different and put a great twist on an ordinary salad. The marinade for the chicken is delicious and the paprika was a good decision. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey Melissa,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
I have a friend who eats kosher. Would this salad work with smoked salmon?? Or another kosher selection??
Hey Vicki,
Any other meat/kosher product that you would like to use would be just fine here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
If you use kosher chicken and omit the feta cheese as a topping it should be kosher as written. You can’t use any dairy products if you use meat/chicken but other than that you shouldn’t need to make any changes.
My daughter has a sesame allergy, can I omit the Tahini from the dressing or should I replace with something else? Thanks!
Hey Jenna,
You can skip the tahini. I hope you love the salad, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan