Greek chicken salad is romaine, fresh vegetables, kalamata olives, and feta tossed with a red wine vinegar and lemon dressing, with pan-cooked chicken strips on top. It comes together in 30 minutes and holds up well as a make-ahead lunch โ the components store separately without much fuss. At 223 calories per serving, itโs genuinely filling without being heavy.
The technique that matters
The dressing is the hinge point here. It calls for olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, and rosemary โ and the recipe is right that resting time matters. Thirty minutes minimum lets the garlic and rosemary mellow into the acid instead of tasting raw and sharp. But the ratio also matters: seven teaspoons of vinegar to three of oil is intentionally tart, which is correct for a salad with salty feta and briny olives. Donโt be tempted to add more oil to soften it โ the sharpness is doing real work. For the chicken, cooking it in strips directly in a dry pan over medium heat (rather than as whole breasts you slice after) means more surface area picks up seasoning and the pieces are ready to lay straight onto the salad without a cutting board detour.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the pat-dry on the cucumber. Peeled, sliced cucumber releases water fast. After slicing, lay the pieces on a paper towel for a few minutes. Otherwise the dressing gets diluted and the bottom of the bowl turns watery.
- Adding all the feta at once. If youโre storing portions for later in the week, hold the feta separate and add it per serving. Feta sitting in dressing overnight gets soft and loses its texture contrast.
- Under-seasoning the chicken. The spice amounts in the recipe are light โ โ teaspoon each. Thatโs a starting point. Taste a piece before pulling it off the heat and add a pinch more garlic powder or pepper if it needs it. Bland chicken flattens the whole salad.
- Dressing the whole bowl. Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. Pour dressing only over the portion youโre eating now and store the rest separately.
- Slicing the banana peppers too thick. Thick slices dominate every bite. Aim for coins about ยผ-inch thick so they distribute evenly through the salad rather than landing in clumps.
Leftovers and meal prep
This salad is well suited to prepping in stages. Cook a full batch of chicken strips and refrigerate them in an airtight container โ they keep well for up to four days and reheat in a dry skillet in two or three minutes, or eat them cold straight from the fridge. Chop all the vegetables and store them together (minus the cucumber, which is best sliced fresh or stored separately to prevent sogginess). The dressing keeps in a small jar for up to a week; give it a shake before using since the oil and vinegar will separate. Keep the romaine dry and unwashed in a bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture โ it stays crisp for three to four days this way. Assemble individual portions as you need them rather than building the whole salad at once, and add feta and dressing last.
Greek Chicken Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 10-inch non-stick skillet
- Small mixing bowl or mason jar for dressing
- Sharp Chefโs Knife
- Cutting board (large)
- Citrus juicer or reamer
- Whisk
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 lb / 450g total, cut into ยฝ-inch strips
- โ teaspoon dried rosemary
- โ teaspoon dried thyme
- โ teaspoon ground black pepper
- โ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt to taste
Salad Ingredients
- ยฝ medium white onion sliced
- 1 medium Roma tomato chopped
- ยฝ medium red bell pepper sliced
- 2-3 medium banana peppers sliced into rings
- 1 package feta cheese 8 oz / 225g, crumbled
- ยฝ medium cucumber peeled and sliced
- 8 pieces kalamata olives whole, or halved if preferred
- ยฝ head romaine lettuce or greens of your choice, cut into bite-sized pieces
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon
- 7 teaspoons red wine vinegar about 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
- ยฝ medium lemon juiced, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced, about 1 small clove
- ยผ teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
Instructions
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, ground black pepper, minced garlic, and crushed rosemary. Whisk or shake to combine and let sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the better the flavour.3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 7 teaspoons red wine vinegar, ยฝ medium lemon, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, ยผ teaspoon dried rosemary
- Cut the chicken breasts into ยฝ-inch strips. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and allow it to preheat for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken strips to the dry pan in a single layer and sprinkle evenly with the rosemary, thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt.2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, โ teaspoon dried rosemary, โ teaspoon dried thyme, โ teaspoon ground black pepper, โ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 pinch salt
- Cook the chicken strips for 4-5 minutes per side (8-10 minutes total) over medium heat, turning once, until the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF / 74ยฐC and the strips are golden on both sides with no pink remaining in the centre.2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- While the chicken cooks, slice the onion, chop the Roma tomato, slice the red bell pepper and banana peppers, peel and slice the cucumber, and tear or cut the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Toss the vegetables together in a large bowl and top with the crumbled feta and kalamata olives.ยฝ medium white onion, 1 medium Roma tomato, ยฝ medium red bell pepper, 2-3 medium banana peppers, 1 package feta cheese, ยฝ medium cucumber, 8 pieces kalamata olives, ยฝ head romaine lettuce
- Give the rested dressing a vigorous whisk (or shake the jar) to re-emulsify. Drizzle the dressing over individual portions just before eating โ dress only what you plan to eat so leftovers stay crisp. Top each portion with the cooked chicken strips and serve immediately.2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 7 teaspoons red wine vinegar, ยฝ medium lemon, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, ยผ teaspoon dried rosemary
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs work well here. They have more fat than breasts, so they stay juicier if slightly overcooked โ a useful margin when youโre batch-cooking for the week. Cut them into strips the same way and use the same spice amounts.
What can I use instead of banana peppers?
Pepperoncini are the closest swap โ similar mild heat and tang. If you want less heat, use thin strips of green bell pepper instead, though youโll lose some of the brine flavor the banana peppers bring.
Can I leave out the feta to make this dairy-free?
Yes, the salad works without it. Youโll want to add a little extra salt to compensate, since feta contributes a lot of the saltiness in each bite. A handful of chickpeas can fill the textural gap if you want something to replace the crumble.
How do I keep the romaine from wilting if Iโm prepping ahead?
Store the romaine dry and unwashed, wrapped loosely in a paper towel inside a zip-top bag or airtight container. Wash and tear it only when youโre ready to assemble a portion โ wet greens wilt quickly, especially once theyโre near the dressing.
The dressing tastes very sharp right after mixing โ is that normal?
Yes, thatโs expected. The seven-to-three vinegar-to-oil ratio is intentionally acidic, and it needs the resting time to mellow. After 30 minutes the garlic and rosemary integrate and the sharpness softens noticeably โ donโt taste it straight after mixing and adjust from there.
Can I use pre-crumbled feta from a bag instead of a block?
You can, but block feta packed in brine has better flavor and holds its texture longer. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and tends to turn chalky when it sits with the other ingredients. If youโre eating the salad right away, either works fine.