If you think salads are boring, think again: this Chicken Souvlaki Salad is everything but basic!
If there is one thing I hate, is boring salads. You know those samey, boring, diet-culture salads that have nothing to offer but a couple of soggy tomatoes and some lettuce? There is literally nothing appealing about them. So, if this is the type of salads you grew up with, you have probably decided (and rightly so) that salads are not your thing. I used to think the same. But, as I later discovered, salads can be an incredible lunch option, especially for the spring and summer months. That is, if they are done right. And this Chicken Souvlaki Salad is definitely one of those.
If, like me, you love Greek-inspired flavours, you will love this one. It all starts with a lemony and garlicky marinade for our chicken, which will then be roasted in the oven (though, if you have a griddled pan, you could totally use that). We then add lots of yummy veggies, olives and feta. But the best part? My lemony salad dressing, which goes so well with every single item of this gorgeous salad. Have I convinced you yet?
How to Build the Perfect Chicken Souvlaki Salad:
Marinate your chicken: our marinade includes paprika, cayenne powder, garlic, lemon, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and black pepper. After marinating we are going to bake our chicken on a very high heat, or you can grill it on a griddle pan. That will make it nice and charred whilst still juicy. And the flavours from the marinade will blow your mind!
Choose your base: I used romaine lettuce (but iceberg or even a good handful of mixed salad leaves will do) and then added a yellow bell pepper and one red onion, which I associate with Greek flavours.
Go all out with toppings: I used feta and Kalamata olives (a really generous portion).
Choose a bomb dressing: our dressing today is made of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and salt. Amazing.
Extras: many filling salads feature some sort of grain. If you want to add grains to this salad, I would recommend you go for either quinoa or pearled barley. Other extras could be (but are not limited to): jarred artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted lemony potatoes and you could swap the yellow bell pepper with chargrilled peppers.
Ingredients:
Makes 2 salad bowls
For the chicken:
Two medium boneless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (omit or halve if you don't love spicy food)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the salad:
2 small heads of romaine lettuce
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red onion
75 gr feta
10-12 Kalamata olives
For the dressing:
2 tbsp lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 crushed garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
Method:
To either a bowl or ziplock freezer bag, add the paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper,crushed garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Then add the two whole chicken thighs. If you are using a ziplock freezer bag, close the bag and shake it until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. If you are using a bowl, mix everything with a spoon and cover with a plate. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or up to 6 hours).
When you are ready to have your salad, preheat the oven to 210°C.
Transfer the chicken thighs to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and pour the marinade over them. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken tighs).
In the meantime, wash your lettuce and dry it with a tea towel. The chop it roughly and divide it between two bowls.
Finely cut the red onion and yellow bell pepper and add them to your bowls.
Now make the dressing: combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano and crushed garlic and whisk until fully combined. Leave aside.
Cube the feta and roughly cut the olives.
Once the chicken has finished cooking, cut each thigh into small slices and add them to the bowls. Also top each bowl with the cubed feta and olives. Finish by drizzling the dressing all over the bowls and mix well before enjoying your salad.
Enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? We'd love to hear from you! Let us know how it turned out by leaving a message below! Xx
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