Greek Chicken Salad Recipe (Perfect for Meal Prep)
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This Greek chicken salad is built around a yogurt marinade that does more work than you’d expect. The chicken comes off the pan super juicy, the feta is salty & creamy, and the lemon dressing ties everything together without being overpowering. My Greek salad with chicken is substantial enough for dinner & honestly one of the recipes I find myself recommending to people the most. These Greek Chicken Bowls are worth a look for a similar vibe.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Greek Chicken Salad Recipe (with Juicy Yogurt-Marinated Chicken)
- 🕦 Ready in: 35 minutes
- 🤝 Serves: 5
- 🧑🍳 Main ingredients: chicken thighs, feta, Kalamata olives, plum tomatoes
- ✨ Summary: Meal prep this Greek chicken salad for a quick Mediterranean lunch – with flavourful chicken, feta, olives & a bright dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These are only some of the reasons you’ll love this chicken salad recipe with yogurt:
- Juicy chicken: The yogurt marinade keeps the chicken thighs tender and helps the oregano and lemon actually get into the meat rather than just sitting on the surface. The difference it makes is pretty noticeable. For another salad with chicken, try this Chicken Fajita Salad Bowl!
- Bright Mediterranean flavours: We’re using feta, olives, tomatoes and a lemony dressing in this Greek chicken salad, which is such a perfect flavour combination.
- Filling: This chicken greek salad recipe eats like a proper dinner rather than a side salad. If you’re into protein-packed meals like my High Protein Chicken Meal Prep, this fits right in.
Looking for more salad ideas? Check out Jennifer Aniston Salad (Easy 10-Minute Recipe), Grinder Salad (Italian Sub Salad), and Simple Tricolore Salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Thighs are the right call for this grilled chicken greek salad. They stay juicy on the grill and take on the yogurt marinade really well, similar to the flavour approach in my Greek Yogurt Chicken Marinade with Lemon and Shallot. Breast works too but you have to watch it more carefully.
- Feta: Salty, creamy and it balances the fresh veg and lemon dressing really well. I always buy a block and either cut it or crumble it myself because the flavour is so much better than the pre-made stuff.
- Kalamata olives: The briny depth that makes a Greek chicken salad taste like an actual Greek salad! Black olives work if that’s what you have, but Kalamatas are worth tracking down.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
- Use chicken breast: Totally fine if you prefer leaner meat when making salad recipes with chicken – just watch the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out. If that’s what you have, maybe you could make my Tender Thin Sliced Chicken Breast in Oven instead?
- Add lettuce: Traditional Greek salad skips the lettuce but chopped romaine makes it even more substantial. I do this when I want something closer to a big lunch salad like my Dorito Taco Salad Recipe.
- Make it dairy-free: Leave out the feta and yogurt and use extra olive oil and lemon in the dressing instead. The olives and herbs carry a lot of flavour in the Greek chicken salad so it still works.
How to Make Greek Chicken Salad
- Coat the raw chicken thighs in a marinade made from yogurt, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and pepper (Image 1).
- In a large mixing bowl, squeeze fresh lemon juice into extra virgin olive oil along with oregano and sea salt to create your dressing (Image 2).
3. Once your chicken is cooked and chopped, add it to the bowl along with the diced cucumbers, peppers, plum tomatoes, feta, and olives, tossing everything until well coated (Image 3).
4. Portion the finished salad evenly into glass containers so you have fresh, ready-to-grab meals for the week (Image 4).
For more chicken recipes, try TENDER Cast Iron Chicken Breast, Easy Sweet Chilli Chicken {Chinese Fakeaway!}, or Crispy Chilli Chicken (Healthy Fakeaway Chinese).
Tips for the best result
- Hollow out the cucumber before slicing. It takes about 30 seconds and stops the Greek chicken salad going watery from the excess moisture.
- Keep the pan hot but not scorching when cooking the chicken. Too much heat burns the yogurt marinade before the inside is cooked through.
- Marinate for at least 2 hours if you can when making this Greek salad with chicken recipe. Overnight is better and you can really taste the difference. No worries if you can’t though!
- Make extra chicken while you’re at it. It’s brilliant in my High Protein Dense Bean Salad later in the week – you’ll be glad you did.
Serving Suggestions
This Greek chicken salad works as a complete meal on its own, but it also sits really nicely alongside Mediterranean sides if you’re making more of a spread.
Try it with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Here’s how to properly store your Greek chicken salad:
Refrigerator: Store the salad and chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the yogurt topping separate so it stays fresh.
Freezer: Not one for the freezer. The veg loses its texture once thawed and it’s just not the same salad.
Reheat: Warm the chicken gently in a frying pan or microwave, then add it back to the salad cold.
FAQs
Yes, and honestly thighs are the better option for a Greek salad with grilled chicken. They stay juicier and absorb the marinade more deeply, which gives the whole salad more flavour.
The mild acidity in yogurt tenderises the meat and helps the herbs and lemon cling to it properly. You get more flavour all the way through rather than just on the outside.
Scoop the seeds out of the cucumber before slicing. It takes no time and keeps the Greek grilled chicken salad crisp & keeps the dressing from getting diluted.
Yes, store the vegetables, chicken and yogurt separately and combine just before eating. The chicken keeps well for up to 3 days and the flavours actually improve a bit overnight.
If you have leftover yogurt, try it in Easy Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Cucumber Dip), or desserts like Frozen Yogurt Bark with Berries and Tiramisu Overnight Oats.
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Greek Chicken Salad recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Greek Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 600 g Chicken thighs
- 200 g feta
- Juice of one lemon
- 400 g plum tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers, hollowed & thinly sliced
- 5 mixed peppers, sliced into chunks
- 30 g Kalamata olives
- 3 tbsp yoghurt
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp oregano
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 450 g 0% fat yogurt to serve
Method
- Marinate the chicken: combine 3 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp oregano, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the thighs and ensure they are coated in the marinade. If possible, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 2 hours.
- When it’s time to cook, heat a griddle pan over a high heat and add a spray of oil. Place the marinated chicken into the pan and cook each side for 5 minutes over a medium/high heat or until the internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C). Allow it to cool, then slice into chunks.
- Combine extra virgin olive oil, juice of half a lemon, 2 tsp oregano and 1 tsp sea salt. Stir to combine. Pour all of the salad elements into the bowl, along with the cooled grilled chicken thighs.
- Serve with a big swoosh of yogurt and enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating the chicken isn’t a must, but it adds flavour and tenderizes the thighs if you can. Marinate for up to 24 hours.
- Hollowing out the cucumber prevents the salad from going soggy
- The yogurt will burn too much if the heat of the pan is too high. You want a good char but you don’t want the chicken to go black.
Nutrition
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