Chopped Greek Chicken Salad with Pita Croutons and Tzatziki Dressing

Chopped Greek Chicken Salad with Pita Croutons and Tzatziki Dressing is a chicken recipe built around seedless/English cucumber, coarse and plain Greek yogurt. Plan on 6 servings and about 795 minutes.

• Yield 6 servings
• Ready in 795 minutes
• Prep 720 minutes
• Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients

Tzatziki Dressing

• ½ seedless/English cucumber , peeled and finely diced
• ½ teaspoon coarse , kosher salt
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise , light or regular
• 1 clove garlic , finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• Pinch of black pepper

Greek Chicken Marinade

• 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts , I like to use thin cut chicken
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice , from about 2 large lemons
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 4 cloves garlic , finely minced or pressed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse , kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper , I use coarsely ground; use less if finely ground

Pita Croutons

• 4 to 5 pita breads or flatbread ( for recipes)

Salad

• 3 small to medium heads romaine , chopped (about 8 cups)
• ½ to 1 seedless/English cucumber , peeled and diced
• 1 medium bell pepper , red, yellow or orange, cored, seeded and diced
• 1 cup chopped or sliced kalamata or black olives
• 1 cup chopped cherry or roma tomatoes
• ¼ to ½ red onion , sliced into thin slivers
• ½ cup or more, to taste crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

1. For the dressing: place the cucumbers in a colander or fine mesh strainer and sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss. Let the cucumbers sit and drain for 15-20 minutes (this helps the dressing not turn watery). Place the drained cucumbers and remaining dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
2. For the chicken: place the chicken in a shallow dish or gallon-size ziploc bag. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, buttermilk, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken, cover (or seal the bag) and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Grill the chicken on medium-high, discarding excess marinade, until cooked through or an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving. The chicken can be marinaded, grilled and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before assembling the salad.
3. For the pita croutons: cut the pita breads into small squares, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch in size. Place them in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 375 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes (watch closely so they don't burn) until they are golden and crunchy on the outside. The pita croutons can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in a sealed bag at cool, room temperature (they'll probably keep ahead best in a dry climate vs a humid climate).
4. For the salad: in a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, and onion. You can toss all the ingredients together (salad + chicken + dressing + croutons + feta), but if you plan on having leftovers, I suggest tossing only the chopped veggies together and adding chicken, dressing, croutons and feta to each serving (so the leftovers don't get soggy).

Dress it just before it goes to the table so the leaves stay crisp.