Paleo Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken

Spring’s coming – let’s lighten things up with an easy paleo recipe for a flavor-packed Greek salad filled with earthy goodness and hearty protein. 

whole30 compliant recipe markOn a recent trip to the grocery store I was surprised to find colorful mountains of early spring veggies in the produce section – all the inspiration I needed to raid the overflowing bins for everything to make a fresh salad.

I decided on a Greek salad – I just love crunchy veggies paired with a little saltiness from the olives and artichokes. And why not add some juicy grilled chicken?

There’s a restaurant close to our home with a wonderful Greek chicken salad on the menu. It’s always crispy with a nice tang to the lemon vinaigrette. Sometimes hubby and I grab that one and take a seat on the restaurant’s sidewalk tables – it would be nice if we were looking out over the Aegean Sea instead of a parking lot, but it’s still a great Greek salad.

I wanted the same flavors for my homemade version, but it needed a bit of Italy thrown in – just a splash of balsamic vinegar to soften the lemon in the dressing. I have to say the dressing was perfect for this salad. It’s very light, sunny and bright – a really nice way to enhance the natural flavors of the vegetables.

And yes, there are a ton of veggies in this paleo dish…that’s just how I roll. I know when you tell some people you’re paleo they think you’ve turned into some kind of ravenous carnivore not to be trusted around small pets. Not true with most paleo peeps I know – they make sure to get healthy servings of veggies with just about every meal and that’s the way it should be. [av_sidebar widget_area=’Lockerdome’ av_uid=’av-ok97de’]

That said, there is some juicy hot-off-the-grill marinated chicken in this salad for protein (instructions for oven baking yours is below too). I also tossed in some fresh omega-3 rich avocado which is not usually in a traditional Greek salad. But since I’m dairy-free, a little avocado is a great substitute for cheese and adds a little extra creaminess to the salad.

Chopped and beautiful, this Greek salad is easy on the eyes and easy to eat. In fact, you might want to keep this one in mind for entertaining or bringing to a party this summer – your friends will love it!

So get busy chopping and dig in! Like all Paleo Newbie recipes, there’s a ton of fresh flavor in this one. Enjoy!

Paleo Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken Recipe

Paleo Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

    Chicken
  • 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts
  • Greens & Veggies
  • 8 cups of chopped Romaine lettuce
  • 1 English cucumber, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped artichokes – jarred or canned
  • 1 avocado, pitted and diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
  • Dressing/Marinade
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 clove garlic - minced or pressed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil

Instructions

    Make the dressing/marinade first
  1. Mix all ingredients – except the oil – together
  2. Add the oil slowly to the mixture while whisking
  3. Set aside a 1/4 cup of the mixture as a marinade for the chicken
  4. Marinate the chicken
  5. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towel
  6. Season with salt and pepper
  7. Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag
  8. Add 1/4 cup of the marinade/dressing
  9. Seal and allow chicken to marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes up to a few hours
  10. Grill or bake the chicken
  11. Grill breasts over medium-high fire (375-450ºF) 4-7 minutes per side, turning frequently until cooked through (internal temperature 160º F)
  12. Oven roast chicken breasts at 400º F about 30 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. For extra browning to finish, place under oven's broiler for about 2 minutes
  13. Let cooked chicken rest covered with aluminum foil about 10 minutes, then cube
  14. Toss everything together
  15. Place all salad ingredients in large mixing bowl
  16. Add chicken plus reserved dressing and toss together
  17. Serve and enjoy!
https://www.paleonewbie.com/paleo-greek-chopped-salad-with-grilled-chicken/

Join the Conversation

  1. I make this all the time now. Today Sue and I are going to the farmers market.

    1. I don’t know what I’m more jealous of – you hanging out with Sue Francetic Trollman or you guys going to a local German farmers market. Seoul’s markets are a little out of my comfort zone.

    2. We walk every weekday since I can’t run and who can resist the farmers market produce during the spring? Can we send you oranges?

    3. Send me a freakadella

    4. Lol, if we could send meat.

    5. We will be wishing you were with us Zoey FH

  2. @TruePrimal i want!

  3. @TruePrimal on point with this salad!

  4. Get the FACTS about NUTRITION for FREE!!! Subscribe to http://www.nutritionfacts.org

  5. Im definitely going to have to try this one!!!

  6. I posted the same salad:)

  7. I love the colours of this salad…. as we say in France… paleo fan i am… i inform you the paleo style is arriving in France but I m afraid it will be the fashion diet for summer here… i think they don t understand the benefits

    1. Oh thanks Trina Griffin-Beck but i m too little… for such mission…

  8. Heyy babe-guess what’s for lunch?! Yummy

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