Quick Tzatziki Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Here is my favorite tzatziki chicken salad recipe, with a creamy Greek yogurt dressing, tender rotisserie chicken, fresh cucumber and tomatoes, tangy feta cheese, and plenty of dill and garlic.

This chicken salad is my go-to for easy weeknight dinners when I don’t feel like cooking. I just grab a rotisserie chicken from the store, chop everything up, and we’re eating in 15 minutes. Perfect stuffed in warm pitas with extra tzatziki sauce on top.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s perfect for using up leftover rotisserie chicken from the store, which saves you tons of time and effort. You can grab one from pretty much any grocery store, and they’re already seasoned and cooked to perfection. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand, you can also use any leftover cooked chicken you have in the fridge, or even poach or grill some chicken breasts specifically for this salad. Just make sure whatever chicken you use is fully cooked and cooled before you start shredding or chopping it up for the salad.

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Options for Substitutions

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

• Greek yogurt: Regular yogurt works, but you’ll want to strain it through cheesecloth for a few hours to get that thick, creamy texture. Sour cream can work in a pinch, though it’ll taste a bit tangier.
• Rotisserie chicken: Any cooked chicken works here – leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breasts, or even canned chicken if you’re in a bind. You can also swap in cooked shrimp or chickpeas for a different protein.
• Cucumber: English cucumbers are ideal since they have fewer seeds, but regular cucumbers work fine. Just scoop out the seeds with a spoon before chopping to avoid excess water in your salad.
• Feta cheese: If you’re not a feta fan, try crumbled goat cheese or even diced mozzarella. The flavor will be milder, but it’ll still add that creamy, salty element.
• Fresh dill and parsley: You can use 2 teaspoons of dried dill and 2 teaspoons of dried parsley if fresh herbs aren’t available. Add them earlier in the prep so they have time to rehydrate.
• Pitas: Naan bread, flatbreads, or even tortilla wraps make great alternatives. You could also serve this over lettuce for a low-carb option.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with this salad is forgetting to remove excess moisture from the cucumber, which will water down your dressing and make everything soggy – grate the cucumber, then squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible.

Another common error is adding the dressing too early, so mix your yogurt mixture with the chicken and veggies right before serving or at least wait until after the 30-minute chill time to keep everything crisp.

Don’t skip mincing your garlic finely or letting the salad rest in the fridge, as this time allows the flavors to blend together and mellows out the raw garlic bite.

Finally, make sure your rotisserie chicken is completely cooled before mixing it in, otherwise the heat will cause the yogurt dressing to separate and become runny.

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What to Serve With Tzatziki Chicken Salad?

This Greek-inspired chicken salad is already pretty complete with the pitas included, but there are some great ways to round out the meal. I love serving it with a side of crispy baked potato wedges seasoned with oregano and lemon, which complement the Mediterranean flavors really nicely. A simple side of hummus with extra veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and celery makes for great scooping alongside the pitas. If you want to make it more of a spread, add some warm pita chips, a Greek salad on the side, or even some rice pilaf to make it feel like a full dinner spread.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The yogurt-based dressing stays fresh and creamy, making this perfect for meal prep. I like to store the pitas separately so they don’t get soggy from the salad.

Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken salad a day in advance, which actually makes the flavors even better as everything has time to meld together. Just wait to add the tomatoes and cucumbers until you’re ready to serve if you want them extra crisp and fresh.

Serve: This salad is best enjoyed cold straight from the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle at the bottom. Warm up your pitas in the oven or toaster for a minute or two if you prefer them soft and warm.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1600-1750
• Protein: 120-135 g
• Fat: 45-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 185-200 g

Ingredients

For the chicken salad:

• 1 cup greek yogurt (I prefer FAGE Total 5% for a thicker consistency)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1 cucumber
• 4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 3.5 oz feta (I use President Feta for its creamy texture)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp parsley
• salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For serving:

• 6 pitas

Step 1: Prepare the Tzatziki Base and Vegetables

• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 onion
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves

Start by preparing your vegetables since they require the most prep work.

Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon—this prevents the salad from becoming watery.

Finely dice the cucumber into roughly 1/4-inch pieces and place in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl.

Dice the onion into small pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the kalamata olives into 1/4-inch rounds.

While the cucumber drains (this removes excess moisture), combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and freshly minced garlic in a large mixing bowl, stirring until smooth and well combined.

Step 2: Build the Chicken Salad

• 4 cups chicken
• cucumber mixture from Step 1
• diced onion from Step 1
• halved cherry tomatoes from Step 1
• 3.5 oz feta
• sliced kalamata olives from Step 1
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp parsley
• salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Add the shredded or diced rotisserie chicken to the tzatziki base from Step 1, along with the drained cucumber, diced onion, and halved cherry tomatoes.

Crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl along with the sliced kalamata olives.

I like to add the fresh herbs at the very end—sprinkle in the dill and parsley just before chilling so they maintain their vibrant color and flavor.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then gently fold everything together until evenly combined, being careful not to break up the feta too much.

Step 3: Chill and Serve

• Chicken salad from Step 2
• 6 pitas

Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes—this allows the flavors to meld and makes the salad more refreshing to eat.

When ready to serve, give the salad a gentle stir to redistribute the tzatziki.

Warm the pita bread lightly (in a dry skillet, wrapped in foil in the oven, or directly over a gas flame for 10-15 seconds per side) to make it pliable and easier to fill.

Serve the chicken salad alongside or inside the warm pitas, adding an extra dollop of tzatziki on top if desired.

Quick Tzatziki Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Delicious Quick Tzatziki Rotisserie Chicken Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1675 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken salad::

• 1 cup greek yogurt (I prefer FAGE Total 5% for a thicker consistency)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1 cucumber
• 4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 3.5 oz feta (I use President Feta for its creamy texture)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp parsley
• salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For serving::

• 6 pitas

Instructions

 

• Start by preparing your vegetables since they require the most prep work. Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon—this prevents the salad from becoming watery. Finely dice the cucumber into roughly 1/4-inch pieces and place in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Dice the onion into small pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the kalamata olives into 1/4-inch rounds. While the cucumber drains (this removes excess moisture), combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and freshly minced garlic in a large mixing bowl, stirring until smooth and well combined.
• Add the shredded or diced rotisserie chicken to the tzatziki base from Step 1, along with the drained cucumber, diced onion, and halved cherry tomatoes. Crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl along with the sliced kalamata olives. I like to add the fresh herbs at the very end—sprinkle in the dill and parsley just before chilling so they maintain their vibrant color and flavor. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then gently fold everything together until evenly combined, being careful not to break up the feta too much.
• Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes—this allows the flavors to meld and makes the salad more refreshing to eat. When ready to serve, give the salad a gentle stir to redistribute the tzatziki. Warm the pita bread lightly (in a dry skillet, wrapped in foil in the oven, or directly over a gas flame for 10-15 seconds per side) to make it pliable and easier to fill. Serve the chicken salad alongside or inside the warm pitas, adding an extra dollop of tzatziki on top if desired.