Mediterranean Feta Chicken Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

Name: Mediterranean Feta Chicken Salad with Tomatoes and Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 medium breasts (400 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fresh; 8 oz (225 g) crumbled feta cheese, cold; 2 cups (340 g) cherry tomatoes, fresh, whole; 1 cup (140 g) kalamata olives, pitted, drained; 1 large (340 g) English cucumber, fresh; ½ medium (85 g) red onion, fresh; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp (3 g) fresh dill, chopped; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 clove (5 g) garlic, minced; 1 tsp (3 g) dried oregano; kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant, protein-packed salad combining tender poached chicken, creamy feta, and briny kalamata olives with crisp vegetables and a bright lemon-oregano dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch, light dinner, or meal prep throughout the week.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 6 cups salad)

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Steps

Before you start

Have a cutting board and sharp knife ready for vegetable prep
Read through the full recipe—vegetables and dressing can be prepped while chicken cooks to save time
If using rotisserie chicken, skip the cooking step and start with vegetable prep

1
Poach chicken until cooked throughOven 165°F / 75°C
- Place the 2 medium chicken breasts in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet and cover with 2 cups of cold water.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Do not let the water boil.
- Cook for 12–15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast reads 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part
Tip: Do not boil the chicken—a gentle simmer keeps it moist and prevents it from becoming tough and dry
2
Cool and dice cooked chicken
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board.
- Let them cool for 5–10 minutes until cool enough to handle comfortably.
- Once cooled, cut each breast into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice, creating about 1½ to 2 cups of diced chicken.
- Transfer the diced chicken to a large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Chicken is cool enough to handle and cuts cleanly into neat cubes
Tip: Cutting warm chicken often causes shredding; waiting just a few minutes makes dicing cleaner and easier
3
Chop tomatoes, cucumber, and onion
- Halve the 2 cups of cherry tomatoes lengthwise.
- Cut the 1 large cucumber into ¼-inch (0.6 cm) dice (you should have about 2 cups).
- Finely dice the ½ medium red onion into small, uniform pieces.
- Add all three to the large bowl with the diced chicken.
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Tip: Cut vegetables roughly the same size so they distribute evenly throughout the salad and provide consistent texture in each bite
4
Add olives, cheese, and fresh herbs
- Drain the 1 cup kalamata olives well and halve them (or leave whole if you prefer larger pieces).
- Gently fold the drained olives and the 8 oz crumbled cold feta into the bowl with the chicken and vegetables, being careful not to crush the feta chunks into powder.
- Add the ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley and the 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill.
- Fold everything together gently.
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Tip: Fold gently rather than stirring vigorously to keep feta in nice chunks; rough handling will crumble the cheese and make the salad mushy
5
Whisk together the lemon-oregano dressing
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tsp dried oregano.
- Add a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.
- Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning—add more salt, pepper, lemon, or oregano to your preference.
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Ready when: Dressing is evenly combined with no visible pools of separated oil
Tip: Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad so you can adjust acidity, salt, and seasoning to your exact preference without over-dressing
6
Dress and combine the salad
- Pour the lemon-oregano dressing over the salad mixture.
- Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if needed.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly coated with dressing and well combined
Tip: Dress the salad just before serving so vegetables stay crisp and the feta doesn't have time to become soggy

Good to know

Tips

For meal prep, keep the dressing in a separate sealed jar and store the undressed salad components in an airtight container; combine only at serving time to keep vegetables crisp for 2–3 days
Add a handful of mixed greens, arugula, or spinach to bulk up the salad and make it more substantial if serving as a main course instead of a side
Serve chilled or at cool room temperature; remove from the refrigerator 10–15 minutes before serving if well-chilled so the flavors develop and the salad doesn't feel cold and muted
This recipe doubles easily for a crowd; prepare ingredients in batches and combine in a large bowl—you can make it a few hours ahead and dress just before guests arrive

Make ahead

"Cook the chicken and prepare all vegetables up to 1 day ahead. Assemble the salad (without dressing) up to 2 hours ahead. Store the dressing separately. Combine salad and dressing within 30 minutes of serving for the crispest vegetables and best texture."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate the assembled salad (undressed) in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Store dressing separately in a sealed jar for up to 3 days. Dress salad no more than 1–2 hours before eating to prevent vegetables from wilting. Not suitable for freezing. This is a fresh salad and does not require reheating."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, cooled. Use store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking from raw; skip steps 1–2 and shred the chicken, then proceed directly to step 3 (preparing vegetables)
kalamata olives → Castelvetrano or mild green olives. Use an equal amount of milder green olives for less brine and a buttery, less intense flavor if you prefer a gentler olive taste
fresh dill → Fresh mint or fresh basil. Replace dill with fresh mint for a brighter, more herbaceous note, or use basil for an Italian-inspired variation
crumbled feta cheese → Crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata. Use tangy goat cheese for a softer texture and more pronounced tang, or ricotta salata for a firmer, nuttier alternative