The American version of dinner mainly involves a stove. The Greek version, depending on the season, mainly includes a cutting board and a small grill. There are Mediterranean dinners based almost entirely on chopped vegetables, a piece of grilled protein, olive oil and feta cheese. None of them take more than 25 minutes to make, and most of them taste better in 90 degree heat than anything coming out of a hot oven.
This Greek Salad with Roasted Chicken is one of those dinners. Chicken breasts marinated in lemon, olive oil, oregano and garlic, then grilled for five minutes per side. A bowl of chopped tomato, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives and pepper with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Shredded chicken on top, a generous slab of feta on top. About 20 minutes total. The correct answer on a Tuesday in July.
TL;DR
- What it is: A Greek salad of vegetables, olives and feta, with grilled lemon-oregano chicken. Real dinner without turning on the oven.
- Why it works: The marinade does the job of seasoning in 15 minutes. The vegetables are just dressed. The feta cheese and olive oil carry the richness. Nothing is fussy.
- Time: 15 minutes for marinating (may overlap with chopping), 5–6 minutes per side for grilling, 10 minutes total preparation. About 20 minutes start the dish.
- Basic Tips: Pull the chicken to 160°F internally and rest for 5 minutes. The transfer takes it to 165. Don’t skip the rest, it’s the difference between juicy chicken and dry slices.
Ingredients
This dish is mostly about quality choices on a short list. Good feta cheese, good olive oil, ripe tomatoes and real Kalamata olives matter more than any technique here.
- Chicken breasts (4, about 6 ounces each): Boneless and skinless. Grind the thicker pieces to an even thickness before marinating so they cook evenly.
- Marinade: 3 tablespoons of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), salt and pepper. Beat and pour over the chicken. marinate 15 minutes to 2 hours.
- Tomatoes (3 medium or 2 cups cherry, sliced or halved): The single most important ingredient. Use the ripest you can find.
- Cucumber (1 large, cut into pieces): English or Persian cucumbers do not need peeling.
- Red onion (1/2 small, thinly sliced): Soak in cold water for 5 minutes to soften the bite if particularly sharp.
- Kalamata olives (1/2 cup, pitted): The real ones, not the bland black canned ones.
- Peppers (1, diced): Green is classic. red or yellow if you prefer a sweeter bite.
- Dressing: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper.
- Feta (4 oz, thickly sliced or crumbled): Block feta in brine. Pre-crumbled is a downgrade.
Instructions
Grill: medium to high heat (about 400–450°F). Tools: a small wire for the marinade, a sharp knife for everything else, a thermometer for the chicken.
1) Marinate the chicken. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, salt and pepper together in a shallow dish. Add the chicken, layer and let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the salad. Longer is fine (up to 2 hours), but more than that and the lemon starts to “cook” the surface and make the texture slightly floury.
2) Finely chop the salad. While the chicken is marinating, cut the tomatoes, cucumber and pepper into roughly equal bite-sized pieces. Cut the red onion into thin slices. Pit the olives if they have not been previously pitted. Pour everything into a large bowl.
3) Dress the vegetables. Whisk the dressing ingredients together (or add directly to the bowl). Pour over the vegetables and mix gently. Let it sit while you cook the chicken so the flavors marry.
4) Grill the chicken. Heat the grill to medium-high. Shake off excess marinade from chicken and grill 5-6 minutes per side, until thickest part reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Carryover takes it to 165 while resting.
5) Rest, cut and catch. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. This is a non-negotiable, cutting too early sends all the juices to the cutting board instead of the chicken. Cut the grain into 1/4 inch pieces.
6) Serve. Pile the dressed salad on plates or in a wide, shallow bowl. Top with sliced chicken and a generous slab of feta. Finish with another drizzle of olive oil, a crack of pepper and a small pinch of oregano if you want to feel finished.
Variations
- Grilled shrimp: Marinate 1 kilo of peeled shrimp in the same lemon-oregano-garlic mixture. Grill 2 minutes per side. Faster than chicken and just as good.
- Chickpeas (ungrilled): Skip the chicken altogether. Toss a rinsed can of chickpeas with a little olive oil and oregano. Pile over salad. Vegetarian and 5 minutes faster.
- Lamb: In place of chicken, use lamb chops or sliced lamb loin. More authentically Greek, more expensive, more impressive.
- Pie on the side: Toast some pies, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano. Cut into slices and serve alongside.
Pairing and serving ideas
- Warm pita or crusty bread, for mopping up the dressing and feta.
- A glass of Assyrtiko, dry rosé or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Tzatziki or hummus on the side, especially with pita.
- Baked potatoes with lemon and oregano, if you want the meal to be more filling.
- A bowl of olives and a small plate of marinated peppers, mezze style.
Tips
- Shred thicker pieces of chicken to an even thickness. A cutlet pounded to about 3/4 inch cooks more evenly and won’t dry out on the edges before the middle is done.
- Don’t skip the rest. Five minutes off the heat keeps the juices in the chicken, not the cutting board.
- Use blocks of feta, not pre-shredded. Pre-crushed is drier and odorless. A slab of real feta on top of the salad looks better and has a different flavor meaning.
- Lightly salt the tomatoes when you chop them. We let them release some juice that is mixed into the dressing.
- Rinse the red onion. A 5-minute soak in cold water reduces the sharp bite that some onions have, especially if your onion is not very fresh.
- No grill? A grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Same time, same result.
Final Thoughts
This Greek salad is my go-to dinner when the kitchen feels miserable and the grill is merciful. It’s a 20-minute meal that’s eaten like a real dinner, especially when the tomatoes are good and the feta is real. Keep it alternating during the summer and you’ll stop reaching for the oven so often.
