After the New Year hit, my husband and I vowed to eat at least one salad a week. I know, not very ambitious, but we’re hoping it will help us feel better about ourselves this year. Gotta start small, right? We’ve been bad lately, especially with ordering out (makes me cringe just thinking about it).
I live for a good salad, so this will be fun for me. I’m going to enjoy finding new recipes to try each week, but when I’m craving a classic, I have this Greek salad to turn to. I mean, half of me is Greek, so there’s nothing I love more than crisp greens and tangy toppings on my salad.
I usually improvise on this one – a little of this, a little of that, but I wanted to share it with you all, so I forced myself to measure and try my best to perfect this bowl of flavor. I must really love you guys [insert winky face]!
This recipe includes the classics – kalamata olives, feta, tomatoes, cucumber (not pictured because I spaced while taking pictures!). But that’s not all, it also has grilled chicken that’s been marinated in a lemon and garlic mix and roasted red pepper. It’s all topped with a vinegary dressing that’s full of punch.
If you end up making this recipe, don’t forget to tag #marinamakeseats.
Tangy & Zesty Greek Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound of chicken tenders
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 5 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup of tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup of kalamata olives
- 1 cup of cucumbers, cut into bite-size cubes
- 1/4 cup of roasted red peppers, chopped
- 3/4 – 1 cup of feta, crumbled
Greek Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
Directions
Place chicken, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano and garlic in a freezer bag, coating the chicken with the ingredients. Marinade the the chicken for an hour to 24 hours.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk the oil, vinegars, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder together until fully combined. Set aside.
When the chicken is ready, set a large frying pan to medium-high heat. Let the pan heat for a minute or so and place the marinated chicken on the pan, cooking for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through. Let the chicken cool slightly and cut it into bite-size cubes or strips.
To assemble the salad, place the lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, feta,and chicken in a bowl. Top with vinaigrette and serve.
Marina Makes 