Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
For those days when you're trying to pack in the veggies, this main course salad hits the spot! Quick and easy to make...super good, light and FRESH!
Cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, orzo, bell peppers, arugula...so dang good. And that chicken marinade? Oh, man. It BRINGS the flavor and smells so good when you're whisking it up - I consider that an added bonus! Fresh herbs, honey, a splash of red wine vinegar and garlic. Definitely a winner, guys.
Full disclosure: the dressing is not my own. I like this one by Five Heart Home. I sub in fresh oregano but you don't have to. Any way you mix it up will work just great!
Enjoy!
Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
Greek Chicken:
4 thin sliced chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Five Heart Home's Greek Salad Dressing:
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad:
3-4 heaping handfuls of Arugula
1/2 cup dried orzo
1 cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup kalamata olives
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2oz of feta cheese (about 1/2 container)
First up: the chicken marinade. In a mixing bowl, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, rosemary, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add the chicken breasts and marinade to a Ziploc bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Move chicken and marinade around so that chicken is fully coated. Store in fridge for at least four hours.
Next up, the salad dressing. In a mixing bowl, combine garlic, oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Cover and store in fridge until ready to use.
Cut up the veggies and add them and the arugula to a large salad bowl.
Cook 1/2 cup of dried orzo per the instructions on the packaging. When done cooking, drain water and add orzo to salad bowl.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat, or heat a pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Remove chicken from bag, making sure to shake some of the excess marinade off. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the middle. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, this could take anywhere from 7-12 minutes. Watch it carefully and be sure to flip the chicken half way through the cooking process.
When chicken is cooked through, remove from heat and let it rest for about five minutes. Cut up chicken into pieces. Add to salad.
Top salad with feta cheese and toss with dressing!