Grilled Chicken Greek Salad ~ if you love a great main course salad then try this healthy 30 minute meal made with lean grilled chicken breast! It’s a light, low carb, but totally satisfying dinner idea.
grilled chicken Greek salad is a light and healthy summer meal
Everybody’s had a grilled chicken salad before, but when you tweak it just a little to give it an authentic Greek spin, you get something really special. I step up my chicken breasts game with a mint and lemon rub, along with minced garlic and oregano. The classic olive oil and lemon dressing gets a boost from a traditional Greek herb mix.
tips for grilling juicy chicken breasts
- The key to getting a tender moist grilled chicken breast is to grill it briefly in a grill pan to get those pretty and flavorful char marks, but then to transfer the chicken to a cooler part of the grill, or into a moderate oven to finish the cooking gently. And definitely don’t overcook it, the meat is done when it registers 165F on a thermometer, and that only takes about 10 minutes in the oven.
- Buy thin sliced chicken breasts (chicken cutlets) or slice them in half yourself so they are not too thick. (You can also pound them thinner) Thinner breasts will cook quickly and evenly and won’t have a chance to get rubbery.
I used skinless boneless breasts, which are lean and healthy, but the herb rub gives the chicken the appearance of a crisp skin without the extra saturated fat ~ it’s a win win.
I let the chicken cool briefly and then slice them on the bias for perfectly tender juicy chicken. Allow 1/2 ~ 1 breast per serving, depending on how hearty you want your salad.
where to find specialty spices
Large grocery and gourmet stores carry many herbs, but for more specialized herbs, spices, and blends, it helps to shop online. Sites like Penzy’s, The Spice House, and others have wide selections and are great sources for unusual varieties.
My Greek inspired spices include:
When you use dried spices, crush them between your fingers to revive the essential oils as you add them to your recipes.
- mint & lemon rub
- Greek herb blend with mint, oregano, marjoram, and thyme
- minced garlic
- mint powder
- oregano
With the right spices in your pantry you can recreate all sorts of Mediterranean recipes. Greek inspired dishes have become some of my favorites, like Greek Meatballs in Lemon Sauce, and Greek Style Stuffed Artichokes.
Reader Rave ~
“This salad is so rich and nutrient-dense, Sue! Preparing and consuming healthy food is so easy with your recipes!” ~ Agness
Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
Ingredients
chicken
- 2 thin skinless boneless chicken breasts
- mint & lemon rub
- dried oregano
- dried minced garlic
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
salad
- a small head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 1 cup crumbled or cubed feta cheese
dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 1/2 to 2 lemons, add more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp Greek herb blend
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Brush chicken breasts lightly with olive oil and rub both sides with a light coating of the mint & lemon Rub, minced garlic, and oregano. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Grill the chicken for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until you get nice grill marks. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165F in the center. Set aside.
- Put the lettuce in a large salad bowl.
- Put the onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and cheese in a separate bowl. Toss with enough of the dressing to moisten. Add this mixture to the salad bowl with the lettuce. Add the grilled chicken and drizzle with more dressing just before serving.
dressing
- Whisk everything together and taste to adjust any of the ingredients.
What a great little spice kit, also this salad is perfection. Lots of crunch and color, my kind of salad.
Isn’t the kit cute, Cheri? The glass tubes are really nice.
This salad looks so healthy and refreshing, and I love the idea of a curated spice box!
Yes, and the curated part comes in really handy when the cuisine is more exotic and unfamiliar.
The grill pan + marinated chicken breast hack is one of my FAVORITES. Between the brightness of the lemon and the great mix of spices, this salad sounds delicious! It’s a treat for the eyes too! 🙂
You know, I kind of just discovered it through this post, and I was blown away by how tender the chicken was ~ no more wooden breasts! ( that sounds gross, sorry)
Greek salads are a constant in my house — first I love all the bright flavors, but also, since the mercury hovers at 88° for at least 6 months of the year, we need those refreshing salads to cool down! LOL!
So true ~ and with this salad I love to serve the chicken still warm on the cool crisp salad ~ it’s fabulous!
Oh, I love subscription boxes. I tried another Spice subscription but haven’t heard of Vital. I’m definitely going to check it out. And your salad looks scrumptious!
I so agree, I think food subscriptions are such fun, I’d sign up for them all if I could 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Julia.
I think playing with spice combinations is one of my favorite parts of cooking and these spice exploration boxes seem like the perfect way to dabble in new ones. You may have tempted me to get involved since this greek chicken salad looks delicious but not like a spice combo I would’ve thought of myself!
I love spices too, but we do get set in our ways…I usually pick mine up at the supermarket and they are pretty limited and the selection is static. I love to branch out but don’t always know where to find new ideas. For instance the mint in my Greek collection is powdered…I’ve never used mint that way ~ so cool!
I had some roasted chicken salad today, delicious, but pretty boring. Yours looks so exciting with all the colours, and flavours, Sue.
I love Greek salad, Angie, and I love that it can be a full meal this way 🙂 Have a great week!
I’m with Jennifer- this salad looks completely satisfying with tons of flavor. The colors are so vibrant too – who could resist? I want one for breakfast!
I’m obsessed with main course salads this year 😉
This is pretty much my dream dinner right here! Love Greek salad and those wonderful spices on the chicken are just perfect 🙂
Really the only time I like salad for dinner is in the warmer weather, which is right now in Los Angeles, we’re going back up to the 90s this week :/
Wow, what a wonderful idea to have all these herbs perfectly combined and organized. I love it – as much as I love this vibrant, beautiful salad!
Thanks Chris, and I agree, the idea of having them in little groupings is so smart ~ I think it encourages me to cook outside my comfort zone, too…now I just need a custom spice cabinet to keep them all organized!