Greek Chicken Chopped Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette

A refreshing and savory chopped salad featuring marinated Greek-style chicken, fresh vegetables, and a tangy lemon tahini vinaigrette.

Cook time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 small shallot chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 1 lemon zest and juice of
• 0 red pepper flakes to taste
• 0 kosher salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup ciabatta bread finely torn
• 0 red pepper flakes to taste
• 0 kosher salt to taste
• 6 cups romaine lettuce shredded
• 14 ounces chickpeas drained
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 Persian cucumbers chopped
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 0.33 cup lemon juice juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 0 kosher salt to taste
• 0 black pepper to taste
• 1 pounds marinated chicken from step 1
• 1 pounds cooked chicken from step 5
• 1 cup croutons from step 2
• 0.5 cup lemon tahini vinaigrette from step 4

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, paprika, oregano, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt. Marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.
2. Meanwhile, make the croutons. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the bread and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden and toasted all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Slide bread crumbs onto a plate. Wipe the skillet clean.
3. Make the salad. Combine shredded romaine lettuce, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers in a large salad bowl, gently tossing to combine.
4. To make the vinaigrette. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine or balsamic vinegar, tahini, dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt and black pepper in a glass jar or measuring cup and shake (or whisk) until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Thin the vinaigrette as needed with 2-3 tablespoons of water.
5. Heat the skillet used for the croutons over medium high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-10 minutes.
6. To the salad, add the cooked chicken, croutons, and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Gently toss to combine. Once the salad has been tossed, serve immediately.