Chopped Greek Chicken Salad with Pita Croutons and Tzatziki Dressing
Ingredients
Tzatziki Dressing:
- ½ seedless/English cucumber, peeled and finely diced
- ½ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup mayonnaise, light or regular
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Pinch of black pepper
Greek Chicken Marinade:
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, I like to use thin cut chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 large lemons
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, I use coarsely ground; use less if finely ground
Pita Croutons:
- 4 to 5 pita breads or flatbread (see note for recipes)
Salad:
- 3 small to medium heads romaine, chopped (about 8 cups)
- ½ to 1 seedless/English cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 medium bell pepper, red, yellow or orange, cored, seeded and diced
- 1 cup chopped or sliced kalamata or black olives
- 1 cup chopped cherry or roma tomatoes
- ¼ to ½ red onion, sliced into thin slivers
- ½ cup or more, to taste crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- For the dressing: place the cucumbers in a colander or fine mesh strainer and sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss. Let the cucumbers sit and drain for 15-20 minutes (this helps the dressing not turn watery). Place the drained cucumbers and remaining dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
- For the chicken: place the chicken in a shallow dish or gallon-size ziploc bag. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, buttermilk, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken, cover (or seal the bag) and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Grill the chicken on medium-high, discarding excess marinade, until cooked through or an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving. The chicken can be marinaded, grilled and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before assembling the salad.
- For the pita croutons: cut the pita breads into small squares, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch in size. Place them in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 375 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes (watch closely so they don't burn) until they are golden and crunchy on the outside. The pita croutons can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in a sealed bag at cool, room temperature (they'll probably keep ahead best in a dry climate vs a humid climate).
- For the salad: in a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, and onion. You can toss all the ingredients together (salad + chicken + dressing + croutons + feta), but if you plan on having leftovers, I suggest tossing only the chopped veggies together and adding chicken, dressing, croutons and feta to each serving (so the leftovers don't get soggy).