Greek Grilled Chicken Salad (With Lemon Oregano Chicken)
Servings: people
This Greek Grilled Chicken Salad combines juicy marinated chicken, crisp vegetables, feta, and olives in one easy Mediterranean-inspired meal. Using a single lemon-oregano mixture as both the marinade and dressing means less prep, fewer dishes, and bold Greek flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1½ pound chicken thighs or breasts – boneless, skinless
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups cucumber sliced or diced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 small green bell pepper thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Dressing and Marinade
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons mustard Dijon or yellow
Instructions
- Make the Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 cloves garlic, 3 teaspoons dried oregano, 1½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 teaspoons mustard. Reserve 3 to 4 tablespoons in a small bowl for the salad dressing.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add 1½ pound chicken thighs to the remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Toss the Salad: Add 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved), 2 cups cucumber (diced), ½ red onion (sliced), 1 small green bell pepper (diced), and ⅓ cup Kalamata olives to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the reserved dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Assemble and Serve: Top the salad with the sliced chicken and ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled). Sprinkle with a little extra oregano and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
Substitutions
- Chicken thighs or breasts → Chicken tenders, rotisserie chicken
- Cherry tomatoes → Roma tomatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes
- Cucumber → English cucumber, Persian cucumber
- Red onion → Shallots, sweet onion, green onions
- Green bell pepper → Red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper
- Kalamata olives → Black olives, Niçoise olives
- Feta cheese → Goat cheese, ricotta salata, dairy-free feta
- Extra virgin olive oil → Avocado oil
- Lemon juice → Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar
- Garlic → Garlic-infused olive oil, finely grated shallot
- Dried oregano → Dried thyme, marjoram, Italian seasoning
- Honey → Maple syrup, agave
- Dijon mustard → Yellow mustard, whole grain mustard
- Reserve the dressing first — Never use marinade that has touched raw chicken.
- Choose chicken thighs — Juicier and more forgiving than chicken breasts.
- Marinate for 15 minutes minimum — 1 to 4 hours is even better.
- Use a hot cast-iron skillet — That's how you get those golden, charred edges.
- Pat the chicken dry — Too much surface marinade prevents browning.
- Rest before slicing — Give the chicken 5 minutes to keep it juicy.
- Keep the vegetables chunky — More authentic and less watery.
- Add the feta last — It stays creamy instead of crumbling into the salad.
- Use fresh lemon juice — Brighter flavor than bottled.
- Serve right away — Best texture and flavor.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken and salad separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble just before serving for the freshest texture.
