Greek Chicken Salad Bowls (Meal-Prep)
A Greek Chicken Salad is a fresh spring flavor you can make any time of year. Packed with bright healthy ingredients, it makes a great lunch or meal prep solution.
Greek chicken salad relies on the bright flavors of fresh veggies so ubiquitous in Mediterrean diets. This salad is naturally gluten free and low carb. Because of the fresh ingredients, protein and healthy fats, this lunch is also paleo and Whole30 friendly.
This chicken salad recipe is low in calories and packed with nutrients from all the vegetables and protein. It will keep you satisfied for the whole afternoon. By making your own salad dressing to go with it, you can be sure it doesn’t contain any preservatives or additives.
You can eat it right away or divide it into four servings and use it for meal prep. This salad makes it easy to eat healthy lunches every day of the week.
What is a Greek chicken salad made of?
Greek chicken salad is full of ingredients you find commonly in Mediterrean diets. These diets, consisting of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, have been proven to have heart benefits.
Use any combination of these ingredients that you enjoy for a nutrient packed meal:
- Bell pepper
- Onions
- Olives (black or kalamata)
- Cucumber
- Feta cheese
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Romaine lettuce
Why should we marinate the chicken?
A marinade adds flavor to the chicken and helps keep it moist while cooking. If you were using a tougher cut of meat, you would want some acidic ingredients in your marinade. However, chicken breast are not tough and don’t need to be broken down before cooking.
The oil in the marinade infuses the meat with the flavor of the seasoning added to it. Use the garlic, oregano and paprika recipe I use here or add any of the seasoning to it that you would also use in Greek chicken salad dressing.
What is Greek chicken salad dressing made of?
The basic recipe for any vinaigrette salad dressing is a two to one ratio of oil to the acidic ingredient. In my Greek chicken salad, I use lemon juice as the acid. Other options would be red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
Seasoning the dressing also helps to infuse the salad with flavor. Options for spices in the dressing are:
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Oregano
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Marjoram
- Thyme
- Nutmeg
And always add salt and pepper to intensify the flavor.
You could add any of these spices to the chicken as well.
If you are using this as a meal prep chicken salad recipe, you may want to keep the salad dressing separate until you are ready to eat it. The ingredients will stay fresh longer if they do not sit in the dressing.
More Chicken Salad and Greek Salad Recipes:
Chicken Salad with Spicy Mayo Dressing
Chimichurri Chicken Chopped Salad
Easy Mediterranean Salad Recipe
More Chicken Meal-Prep Recipes:
Easy Chopped Chicken Salad (Meal-Prep)
Spicy Chicken with Sauteed Cabbage and Zucchini Bowls
Meal Prep Recipe for Chicken and Vegetables
Chicken Fajita Meal-Prep Bowls
Greek Chicken Salad Bowls (Meal-Prep)
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 pounds boneless skinless free-range chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic — minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste
For the salad
- 1 red bell pepper — chopped
- 1 cup red onions — chopped
- ½ cup black olives — sliced
- 1 medium cucumber — diced
- 3 tablespoons feta cheese — crumbled (omit if you are following whole30)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic — minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley — chopped
Instructions
For the chicken breast
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In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the chicken. Toss everything together and marinate for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour.
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In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and discard the marinade.
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Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes or until the chicken breast reaches the internal temperature of 165F.
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When it’s done, place it in the cutting board and let it cool before dicing.
For the salad
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In a large bowl, toss together the red bell pepper, red onions, black olives, cucumber and feta cheese.
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In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
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Pour the dressing over the salad mixture, and toss. Top with fresh parsley.
Meal-Prepping:
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Place an even amount of Greek salad and chicken breasts into four 2-cup capacity storage glass containers. Cover with the lid, and place in the fridge for up 4 days. It’s not necessary to heat in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- You may want to keep the dressing separate in a little dressing container to keep the salad fresher during the week.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1/4) — Calories: 374, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 1052mg, Potassium: 171mg, Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Protein: 30gIf you make this recipe, follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo and hashtag it #primaverakitchen. I'd love to see what you're making!
