This delicious Greek chicken salad with zoodles (zucchini noodles), feta and olives makes a wonderful summer meal. Protein-packed, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and naturally gluten-free, this healthy salad can also be wrapped up in a lunch box for busy days.
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Being flexitarian doesn’t mean eating plant-based exclusively, and I in fact include some animal protein to my diet occasionally. Today, the star of the show is the use of grilled chicken in a delicious Greek chicken salad loaded with veggies, cheese, and a subtle seasoning.
I first tried a similar salad back in the days I lived in Sweden and I became obsessed with it. It’s so simple, yet so delicious, and loaded with good-for-you ingredients that bring the Greek diet (aka the healthiest diet on earth) to your plate. Make sure you serve it with a thick slice of my no-knead bread (if you are not gluten-free), and explore the variations around the recipe, by making these vegan chickpea zoodles with sun-dried tomato pesto for instance.
What goes into this Greek chicken salad?
- Chicken breast. Choose high quality chicken, ideally organic, with no antibiotics or added hormones, free range, and vegetarian fed.
- Zucchini. I made zucchini noodles using a spiralizer, but there is no harm in using sliced or diced, sautéed zucchinis instead.
- Feta cheese. Prefer diced feta cheese rather than crumbled feta in this recipe. I promise it will make each bite taste even better.
- Olives. I used a mix of black and green olives, but any kind would do really. Pitted or unpitted, your choice.
- Cherry tomatoes. They’re small and sweet, and pair very well with all the other ingredients of the recipe.
You also need to make the French vinaigrette to season the salad, with just a handful of simple ingredients such as olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and other seasonings.
How to make Greek chicken salad with zoodles?
One thing I love about this Greek salad is that it’s incredibly simple to put together, which makes it perfect for a quick lunch!
- Start by making the zucchini zoodles and sauté for a few minutes, until tender.
- Then, cook the chicken in a sauté pan until well done.
- Assemble all the salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Prepare the vinaigrette, pour over the salad and toss well. And voilà!
Is this Greek salad healthy?
With this salad, you embrace the healthy Greek diet, considered as one of the best diet in the world based upon the people’s longevity in this region. This is actually more of a lifestyle than a diet. Among others, here’s what you can expect in this Greek chicken salad:
- High fiber content and vitamins, naturally found in the veggies.
- Protein-rich. Chicken breast is a lean meat with a high content of protein.
- Fatty-acids, naturally brought by the gorgeous olives, the extra virgin olive oil, and the feta cheese.
FAQ
Can I make it vegetarian? Absolutely! Simply replace the chicken breast with some roasted chickpeas or hard-boiled eggs. You can also add one or the other to the classic chicken version to create a more nourishing and satisfying salad.
How to use zucchini if I don’t have a spiralizer? You don’t have to have a spiralizer to make this salad. Simply slice or dice the zucchini, then sauté with some olive oil until slightly golden on both sides.
May I use cucumber instead of zucchini? Yes you can, absolutely! As for the zucchinis, you can either spiralize the cucumber or dice it.
Should I serve it hot or cold? I actually like it lukewarm, not too hot but not entirely cold either. But this is mostly a matter of personal choice and preferences, and really there is no right or wrong on how to eat this Greek chicken salad.
What to serve with this salad? I recommend to serve with thick slices of bread, lightly toasted, and brushed with olive oil and garlic for extra taste. You can also simply add some roasted chickpeas to make the salad more nutritious and satisfying.
More zoodle recipes you may like:
- Mediterranean Chickpea Zoodles with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna with Zoodles
- Raw Zoodle Salad
Other zucchini recipes:
- Salmon and Zucchini Ricotta Pie
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lentil Salad with Zucchini, Feta and Mint
- Easy Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna
- Zucchini Goat Cheese Crumble
Greek Chicken Salad with Zoodles
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Savory
- Cuisine: Healthy
This delicious Greek chicken salad with zoodles (zucchini noodles), feta and olives makes a wonderful summer meal. Protein-packed, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and naturally gluten-free, this healthy salad can also be wrapped up in a lunch box for busy days.
Email me this recipe
We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ½ lb (225g) chicken breast, cut into nugget size*
- 5.3 ounces (150g) diced herbed feta cheese, drained**
- 2–3 Tablespoons green and black olives
- 1 large handful cherry tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the vinaigrette:
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- A few pink berries (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Spiralize the zucchinis*** using a spiralizer or a potato peeler. Heat one Tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and saute the zucchini for a couple of minutes, tossing well. Add the minced garlic, cook for another minute, and toss again. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Reserve.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the frying pan and cook the chicken breast on both sides, until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes depending on their size.
- Add chicken breasts, feta, olives, and cherry tomatoes to the large mixing bowl with zucchini. Toss well, and refrigerate for about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl until emulsified.
- When ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss all the ingredients together until the vinaigrette is evenly spread. Enjoy with freshly grilled bread brushed with olive oil and garlic for extra taste.
Notes
* I recommend slicing the chicken breast in nugget-size before cooking. This will make it easier to eat the salad afterwards (without the need to use fork and knife).
** Instead of a jar of feta cheese marinated in oil with herbs, you can also use plain feta cheese and play around the herbs and pink berries for the vinaigrette.
*** Instead of zucchini noodles, you can dice or slice the zucchini and sauté in olive oil for a few minutes before using in the recipe.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Greek Chicken Salad with Zoodles, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
Rosenoisettes
Cette salade estivale donne envie de déjeuner en terrasse avec un smoothie à la main, les lunettes sur le nez et la mer en fond. Non ?
Bises
Delphine Fortin
Le cadre me plaît parfaitement. Allez j’arrive et on se fait une salade ? 😉
vergez corinne
Bonjour delphine je vais faire cette recette dès demain ça donne vraiment l eau à bouche merci j en salive d avance peux tu me dire comment je peux télécharger ton book je n y arrive pas je suis inscrite mais je ne comprends pas je n ai pas reçu le mail de confirmation ni dans les spams merci encore, oh j ai fais les snacks fruits rouges et ceux avec les dattes et noix de cajou vraiment une réussite bonne journée à toi
Delphine Fortin
Bonjour Corinne ! Ravie que cette recette te plaise, et top pour les snacks de fruits rouges! 🙂 Pour l’e-book, c’est étrange en effet. Je crois avoir tes coordonnées, je vais t’envoyer un mail à ce sujt. Bien à toi. Del
Veronique
Miam miam j adore ce genre de salade merci bisou
Delphine Fortin
Merci Véronique!