Mediterranean Chicken Salad with black olives, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, and feta cheese in a Greek yogurt and dill dressing is an easy and delicious spin on traditional chicken salad.
149 CAL 4g CARBS 7g FAT 16g PROTEIN
9 Comments
Mediterranean Chicken Salad Recipe
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Healthy Chicken Salad packed withMediterranean flavors including roasted red peppers, black olives, fresh dill, feta cheese, and spices. This flavor-packed chicken salad will be your new lunchtime favorite.
You also don't want to miss this Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad and classic Healthy Chicken Salad.
One of the things I get asked about most often is what to keep in the fridge for quick and easy meals, and one of my favorite options is Chicken Salad.
There are so many different ways to make it and tons of options for serving it. This makes it the perfect versatile option for meal prep.
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To keep things interesting, I always try out different flavor combinations and this Mediterranean version is so good. Between the creamy feta cheese, fresh parsleyand dill, roasted red peppers, and black olives - it's just so good.
I love it stuffed into sandwiches and wraps, served on greens or in an easy Mediterranean grain bowl, or stuffed into hollowed-out cucumbers and tomatoes. I also would be lying if I didn't tell you that yesterday I ate it right out of the container with carrot sticks and pita chips. Delicious.
How to Make Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is one of the easiest things to make and it is great to have in the fridge for quick lunches, snacks, and dinners. Here's how to make it:
- Make the dressing: The dressing for this salad is made with Greek yogurt (higher in protein with less fat)and a touch of mayonnaise to cut the tang of the yogurt. Then to kick up the flavor, this dressing has lemon juice, fresh dill, fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery seed. It's super creamy and full of flavor.
- Prepare the chicken: In my house, 99% of the time I am making chicken salad, it is with a rotisserie chicken. Peel off the skin, chop it up, and you are ready to go. You can also use poached, grilled, or slow-cooked chicken. Really any cooked chicken will work.
- Grab your veggies: I love lots of crunch in my chicken salad, so I always add chopped celery. This version also has cucumbers and red onions.
- Go to the Mediterranean:To keep with theme, it's time for some roasted red peppers, black olives, and creamy feta cheese. Trust me - it's so good. You could also throw in some chopped artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, or cherry tomatoes.
How long does chicken salad keep in the fridge?
Chicken salad is best eaten within 3-4 days of preparing it. Make sure to store it in an airtight container. Also if you are prepping chicken salad for a party or get-together, it shouldn't be left out for more than 2 hours, possibly less if it's hot.
Ways to Serve Chicken Salad
Your imagination is the limit when it comes to ways to serve this. Here are the ones we reach for the most often:
- Grab your favorite bread, toast it, and make an open-faced chicken salad sandwich with sliced tomatoes and greens.
- Hollow out some tomatoes and fill them with chicken salad. Sprinkle with extra feta cheese.
- Cut up English cucumbers and serve with dollops of salad on top.
- Add it on top of your favorite greens. This is so good as the protein option on a big green salad.
- Stuff it into celery stalks to create the best crunchy snack.
- Grab some butter lettuce and make lettuce wraps stuffed with chicken salad.
Recipe Ideas and Variations
Once you start making chicken salad, you will instantly want to experiment with all different flavor combinations. Here are some ideas that work really well with this Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
- Try chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios to add some extra crunch.
- Add some sweetness with dried cranberries, dates, or apricots. It's also great with fresh fruit like apples or grapes.
- Add some spice with chopped pepperoncini peppers or jalapeno peppers.
- Experiment with different types of olives to change the flavor. Kalamata olives take it in a Greek direction while green olives have a milder flavor.
- For something salty, add some capers.
- If you love fresh herbs, try adding some thyme or rosemary.
- Add fiber by tossing in some chickpeas.
Can you freeze chicken salad?
The yogurt and mayo in chicken salad makes it less than ideal for the freezer. The mayo will separate when you defrost it and the texture can get strange. Instead, freeze the chicken on its own. Then let it defrost overnight in the fridge. Use that to make a fresh batch of chicken salad.
The Recipe
Mediterranean Chicken Salad
149 CAL 4g CARBS 7g FAT 16g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 5 Min
TOTAL TIME: 15 Min
Lunch
Salad
9 Comments
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Ingredients
US METRICS
-
1.5 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
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1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
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1/4 cup celery, diced
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1/4 cup Persian cucumbers, diced
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1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced (drained and dried)
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1/4 cup black olives, diced
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2 tbsp red onions, diced
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1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
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3 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
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1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
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1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
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1/2 tbsp lemon juice
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1/2 tsp onion powder
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1/2 tsp salt
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1/2 tsp pepper
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1/4 tsp celery seed
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Diets:
- Clean Eating
- Gluten Free
- Healthy Eating
- Low Carb
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2/3 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 149
Calories from Fat 61
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g
10%
Saturated Fat 2g
8%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 48mg
16%
Sodium 698mg
30%
Total Carbohydrate 4g
1%
Dietary Fiber 0g
3%
Sugars 2g
Protein 16g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.
About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans.Learn More
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9 Comments
On Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Lauren Misischia
January 29, 2024 - 12:48
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5
I made this recipe earlier today and it was fantastic! So fresh and flavor packed. I added chopped fresh thyme and rosemary. I will make this again and would like to explore adding dried cranberries and pistachios. This will be a staple for me in my salad rotation!
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Katie
June 15, 2023 - 17:21
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My husband and I loved this! Fresh tasting and great for summer!
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Donna
April 28, 2023 - 11:07
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5
LOVE this chicken salad! It's the only one I make now!
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Jade
April 23, 2023 - 16:05
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This was AMAZING! I was skeptical and nervous to bring it to a brunch and after mixing it all up I was blown away. It was a hit!
I braised my chicken breasts in sprite with a bit of garlic, salt, and basil before chopping it up and refrigerating. Served it with lettuce for wrapping or Hawaiian buns for everyone's preferences!
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Donna
March 18, 2023 - 08:21
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4
Loved it but not a fan of the dill, I’ll leave it out next time.
Served on a low carb whole wheat wrap.
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Katrina
February 15, 2023 - 14:37
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This salad is wonderful! I’m sure it will be even better when I put the feta cheese in it. What I had on hand went bad. Thank you for posting!
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Kimber
September 10, 2022 - 03:09
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This salad is my newest obsession
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Marsha
March 21, 2022 - 14:50
How far in advance can I make this?
Worried about the cucumbers getting mushy.
Sound great though.
Thank you.
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Kristen McCaffrey
March 28, 2022 - 16:50
If you plan on storing it for more than 1-2 days, I would store the cucumbers separately and just add them right before eating.
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