You’ll love this Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe. It’s a guilt-free lunch with tender chicken, Greek yogurt dressing, Campari tomatoes, and Kalamata olives. A few surprise ingredients give this lightened up chicken salad a unique taste.
Can’t make it to the Mediterranean? Bring it to you!
Hi, my name is Teri Stephens and I blog at Buy This Cook That. We prepare and share homemade recipes and ideas for busy food lovers like you. Our favorite recipes are southern classics with a twist. And we LOVE a delicious chicken salad. This decidedly different twist on a classic recipe is tangy, more savory than sweet, and flavored with traditional ingredients of the Mediterranean.
This Chicken Salad Recipe is Lunch-Box Perfect!
Chicken salad has long been a go-to in my lunch box. My favorite things about a great chicken salad recipe are the layers of texture, flavor, and crunch that you get. This recipe steps away from the traditional grapes and heavy mayonnaise for a lighter, tangier flavor profile. Want to know how we did it?
What you need to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad:
- Chicken – You can use any type of cooked chicken you’d like. This is a great way to use leftover chicken breasts from the night before. I’ve also made this using a savory rotisserie chicken. Divine!
- Greek Yogurt Dressing – This is the star ingredient that changes the flavor profile of this chicken salad. Creamy, tangy, and delicious.
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes in a chicken salad? Yep. We have swapped out the traditional grapes for bright-sweet Campari tomatoes. If you can’t find the Campari variety, any small cherry or grape tomato will do.
- Olives – For a nice savory touch, we’ve added sliced Kalamata olives, which are a traditional ingredient used in Mediterranean recipes. You can use your favorite olive.
- Walnuts – Adding walnuts brings texture and crunch to this chicken salad recipe. You can use almonds if you prefer.
- Red Onion – Finely diced red onion brings more flavor and crunch to the recipe.
- Basil – The fragrant aroma of fresh herbs like basil add something spectacular to an ordinary chicken salad.
- Garlic – Oh yes, we did. I prefer to use crushed or pressed garlic in this salad.
- Lemon – A quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a nice spark.
- Honey – Honey is a traditional ingredient used to add a balance of sweetness to the dish. Use more or less to your desired preference.
- Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper – Season to taste.
It’s Chicken Salad Time:
This is one of those EASY recipes where you toss and stir everything together in a bowl. Once you have your ingredients chopped and prepped, all of the hard work is done.
I love making this as a meal prep recipe. Mix up a batch on Sunday evening, and you’ll be ready to start your week on the right foot. Serving this at a party with toast and crackers? No worries, just make it ahead of time and pop it in the refrigerator to chill.
How to Make Mediterranean Chicken Salad:
- Prepare all of the ingredients as noted in the full recipe at the bottom of this post.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ingredients until well-combined.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to preference.
- Serve immediately with your favorite bread, sandwich wrap, or crackers. Or, refrigerate until time to serve.
Home Chef Tip:
Mediterranean Chicken Salad is also great served in a scooped out tomato or in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option. This wholesome and savory chicken salad recipe may become your new go-to, guilt-free lunch!
Of course, you can serve this with a classic croissant or in a warm pita bread. There’s really no wrong way to enjoy.
If you love recipes like this, be sure to try our Chocolate Keto Fat Bombs or these Tomato Basil Caprese Bites.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 cup Campari tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey, more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, fold together all ingredients until well combined.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until time to serve.
Notes
Home Chef Tip 1: Make ahead of time for easy meal prep or entertaining.
Home Chef Tip 2: Can't find Campari tomatoes? Use cherry or grape tomatoes instead.
Home Chef Tip 3: Serve with lettuce wraps or tomatoes for a low-carb option.
We hope you love this Mediterranean Chicken Salad from SoFabFood Home Chef, Teri from Buy This, Cook That. If you love this simple recipe, stop by our Salad Section to find more like it. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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