Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Sometimes the simplest dinners are the best ones, and that is definitely true when the weather is hot. Salads are ideal warm-weather food but, on their own, not hearty or filling enough for a big meal. But, adding some grilled chicken and toasted pita bread instantly helps to round out this fare.
Although you'll need to leave a little time to marinate the chicken, it will be well worth it for the additional boost in flavor. And if you can't give the marinating a full hour, even 30 minutes will help to enhance the flavor of the chicken. The actual grilling, though, goes very fast since it does not take long at all to cook chicken breast. Mediterranean flavors like oregano, olives, feta cheese, and a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing are perfect for these easy summer meals.
This recipe is also doubly easy because the dressing and marinade are the same. Just make a double batch, separate half for the dressing, and use the remaining half to marinate the chicken. One step, two uses. What could be better than that? And, of course, it means the flavors of the cooked chicken and the salad dressing will complement each other wonderfully.
Ingredients:
For the Marinade/Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups baby spinach or other salad greens
- 1/2 red onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 cup black olives (pitted and halved)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 4 pita bread rounds