Description
Tzatziki Chicken Salad is a refreshing and flavorful dish combining tender cooked chicken with crunchy romaine lettuce, juicy grape tomatoes, tangy olives, pepperoncini peppers, and creamy feta cheese, all tossed in a homemade tzatziki-inspired Greek yogurt dressing with cucumber, garlic, and fresh dill. This salad is perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner, offering a delicious Mediterranean flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Tzatziki Dressing
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, grated
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumber: Grate the cucumber and then squeeze out the excess water thoroughly to prevent the dressing from becoming watery and to enhance texture.
- Make the tzatziki dressing: In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumber, pressed garlic cloves, olive oil, and chopped fresh dill. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to blend all flavors.
- Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped cooked chicken, chopped romaine lettuce, halved grape tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini peppers, sliced Kalamata olives, chopped red onion, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Toss the salad: Pour the prepared tzatziki dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss everything together until all the components are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Serve immediately for freshest flavor, or chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Squeezing out the cucumber water is essential to maintain the salad’s texture and avoid a watery dressing.
- Use fresh garlic and dill to maximize the salad’s authentic Mediterranean taste.
- Cooked chicken can be grilled, roasted, or even rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and increase the vegetables or add chickpeas.
- The salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (assuming pre-cooked chicken)
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: tzatziki chicken salad, Greek yogurt salad, Mediterranean chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, cucumber yogurt dressing
