Best Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad

If you ask me, Greek salads get even better when you add chicken and a big dollop of tzatziki.

This fresh and filling salad brings together seasoned chicken cubes with crisp romaine, juicy tomatoes, and briny kalamata olives. The chicken gets a simple treatment with olive oil, oregano, and salt before hitting the pan.

It’s dressed with Greek dressing and topped with creamy tzatziki sauce that ties everything together. Crumbled feta and fresh dill add the finishing touches.

It’s an easy weeknight dinner that feels light but keeps everyone satisfied, perfect for when you want something healthy without spending hours in the kitchen.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this Greek salad, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are your best bet since they cook evenly and are easy to slice or dice. If you want to save some time, you can grab a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred the meat – it’ll still taste great and cut your prep time in half. Fresh chicken breasts will give you the most control over seasoning and texture, but frozen works too as long as you thaw them completely before cooking. Just make sure to pound the breasts to an even thickness if they’re on the thicker side, so they cook through without drying out.

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Options for Substitutions

This Greek-inspired salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken breasts: You can use chicken thighs instead for a juicier result, or swap in grilled shrimp or even chickpeas for a vegetarian option. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly – thighs need a few extra minutes.
• Romaine lettuce: Any crisp lettuce works here. Try iceberg, butter lettuce, or a spring mix. Just avoid delicate greens like arugula that might wilt under the dressing.
• Greek dressing: If you don’t have Greek dressing, make a quick substitute by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and oregano. Use about 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.
• Tzatziki: While tzatziki really makes this salad special, you can use plain Greek yogurt mixed with minced cucumber, garlic, and dill if you’re in a pinch.
• Feta cheese: Goat cheese or crumbled blue cheese can stand in for feta, though they’ll give the salad a different flavor profile.
• Olives: Use whatever olives you prefer – Kalamata, black, or green all work. Not a fan? Just leave them out entirely.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this salad is not letting your chicken rest after cooking – cutting into it immediately causes all the juices to run out, leaving you with dry, tough meat instead of tender slices.

Another common error is overdressing the salad before adding the tzatziki, which can make everything too wet and dilute the fresh flavors, so start with less Greek dressing than you think you need and add more if necessary.

To keep your chicken from sticking to the pan and tearing when you flip it, make sure the oil is hot before adding the meat and resist the urge to move it around – let it develop a nice crust on one side before turning.

Finally, don’t skip salting your cucumber and letting it drain for a few minutes, as this removes excess water that would otherwise make your salad watery and less crisp.

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What to Serve With Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad?

This chicken salad is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with warm pita bread or flatbread on the side for scooping up all that creamy tzatziki. If you want to make it more of a complete meal, add some crispy pita chips or roasted chickpeas right on top of the salad for extra crunch. A side of hummus with fresh veggies makes a great appetizer before digging into the salad, or you could serve it with a simple lemon rice pilaf to soak up the Greek dressing. For a lighter option, some marinated artichoke hearts or stuffed grape leaves round out the Mediterranean vibe nicely.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the components separately to make assembly a breeze later. Keep the cooked chicken, chopped veggies, and tzatziki in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just wait to toss everything together until you’re ready to eat so the lettuce stays crisp.

Make Ahead: I love prepping the chicken and chopping all the veggies the night before for an easy lunch the next day. Store the lettuce separately with a damp paper towel to keep it fresh, and keep the tzatziki and dressing on the side until serving time.

Serve: If you’ve stored everything separately, just layer your lettuce in a bowl, add the veggies and chicken, then drizzle with the Greek dressing and a generous dollop of tzatziki. The chicken tastes great cold or you can warm it up for about 30 seconds in the microwave if you prefer.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1300-1500
• Protein: 80-95 g
• Fat: 90-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 50-65 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 3 chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil (I use Bertolli extra virgin)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

For the salad:

• 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1 cup tomatoes (halved or sliced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 red onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup olives (I prefer Mezzetta pitted kalamata)
• 1/2 cup Greek dressing

For the garnish:

• 2 cups tzatziki
• 3/4 cup feta (I like President crumbles for better texture)
• 2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)

Step 1: Prepare the Salad Base

• 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1 cup tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup olives

While you’re preparing the chicken, assemble all the raw vegetables for maximum efficiency.

Roughly chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces, halve or slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, thinly slice the red onion into half-moons, dice the cucumber, and add everything to a large bowl along with the olives.

This mise en place keeps your salad components ready to dress right before serving, which helps maintain the crispness of the lettuce.

Step 2: Season and Sear the Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

While the oil heats, pat the cubed chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season generously with oregano, salt, and pepper on all sides.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer without crowding the pan—work in batches if needed—and let it cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is golden and caramelized before flipping.

I like to season the chicken right before it hits the pan so the spices don’t get washed away by any moisture on the surface.

Step 3: Finish Cooking the Chicken and Rest

• cooked chicken from Step 2

Flip the chicken cubes and cook for another 5-7 minutes on the second side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the skillet from heat and let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes on a plate—this allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping it tender and moist rather than dry when you add it to the salad.

Step 4: Dress and Assemble the Salad

• salad base from Step 1
• 1/2 cup Greek dressing

Pour the Greek dressing over the raw vegetables from Step 1 and toss gently to coat everything evenly.

Divide the dressed salad between serving plates or a large platter.

I prefer to dress the base salad just before assembly because it keeps the lettuce from getting wilted and soggy.

Step 5: Top with Chicken, Tzatziki, Feta, and Fresh Dill

• cooked chicken from Step 3
• 2 cups tzatziki
• 3/4 cup feta
• 2 tbsp fresh dill

Arrange the rested chicken cubes from Step 3 on top of the dressed salad.

Drizzle or dollop the tzatziki sauce generously over the chicken, then sprinkle the feta crumbles and fresh chopped dill across the top.

Serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and the salad is crisp.

Best Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad

Delicious Best Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken::

• 3 chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil (I use Bertolli extra virgin)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper

For the salad::

• 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1 cup tomatoes (halved or sliced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 red onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup olives (I prefer Mezzetta pitted kalamata)
• 1/2 cup Greek dressing

For the garnish::

• 2 cups tzatziki
• 3/4 cup feta (I like President crumbles for better texture)
• 2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)

Instructions

 

• While you're preparing the chicken, assemble all the raw vegetables for maximum efficiency. Roughly chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces, halve or slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, thinly slice the red onion into half-moons, dice the cucumber, and add everything to a large bowl along with the olives. This mise en place keeps your salad components ready to dress right before serving, which helps maintain the crispness of the lettuce.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. While the oil heats, pat the cubed chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season generously with oregano, salt, and pepper on all sides. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer without crowding the pan—work in batches if needed—and let it cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is golden and caramelized before flipping. I like to season the chicken right before it hits the pan so the spices don't get washed away by any moisture on the surface.
• Flip the chicken cubes and cook for another 5-7 minutes on the second side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer. Remove the skillet from heat and let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes on a plate—this allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping it tender and moist rather than dry when you add it to the salad.
• Pour the Greek dressing over the raw vegetables from Step 1 and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Divide the dressed salad between serving plates or a large platter. I prefer to dress the base salad just before assembly because it keeps the lettuce from getting wilted and soggy.
• Arrange the rested chicken cubes from Step 3 on top of the dressed salad. Drizzle or dollop the tzatziki sauce generously over the chicken, then sprinkle the feta crumbles and fresh chopped dill across the top. Serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and the salad is crisp.