Greek Chicken Salad Whipped Feta (Printable)
Grilled chicken over crisp veggies with creamy whipped feta dressing. A Mediterranean favorite ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Juice of ½ lemon
→ Salad
09 - 6 cups romaine or mixed salad greens, chopped
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup English cucumber, sliced
12 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
14 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
15 - ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
→ Whipped Feta Dressing
16 - 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
17 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
18 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - 2 tablespoons water, as needed for thinning
22 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until fully cooked through and juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - In a food processor or blender, combine the crumbled feta, Greek yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
04 - Spread the chopped romaine or mixed greens across a large serving platter or bowl. Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, Kalamata olives, and green bell pepper strips over the greens.
05 - Lay the sliced grilled chicken over the assembled salad vegetables.
06 - Drizzle the whipped feta dressing generously over the salad. Sprinkle with fresh chopped dill and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The whipped feta dressing is so good you will catch yourself eating it off a spoon before the salad even hits the plate.
- It comes together in about half an hour, which means you can pull it off on a weeknight without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- If you overcook the chicken it will turn dry and rubbery no matter how much dressing you pour on top, so pull it off the heat the moment the juices run clear.
- Letting the dressed salad sit too long makes the greens soggy, so always add the feta right before serving.
03 -
- Block feta whipped in a food processor creates a dramatically smoother dressing than pre crumbled feta, which contains anti caking agents that leave it gritty.
- Always taste the dressing before serving because feta salt levels vary wildly between brands and you may need an extra squeeze of lemon to balance it out.