This Mediterranean chicken salad is made with all sorts of flavorful ingredients — shredded chicken, olives, peppers, and feta cheese — and tossed with a light and bright dressing. It’s perfect for meal prep lunches or light meals and can be served in so many different ways. While I love chicken salad ideas, I really love so many protein-based salads like ham salad, egg salad, avocado egg salad, buffalo chicken salad, and avocado tuna salad. Stuff them into lettuce wraps, serve them with raw veggies, or on your favorite slice of bread. It’s a light and healthy meal.
What Is Mediterranean Chicken Salad?
Mediterranean chicken salad is just like a traditional chicken salad, but with major Mediterranean flavors from feta cheese, black olives, and a light and flavorful mayonnaise-based dressing that’s lightened up with mustard and lemon juice.
Mediterranean Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for lemon Mediterranean chicken salad, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For the salad:
Shredded chicken – This is a great item to prep ahead. I like to use Instant Pot chicken breast, but you can also use rotisserie chicken or shred leftover baked chicken thighs. Feta cheese – You can buy it already crumbled, or buy a block and crumble it yourself. High quality will really shine here. Black olives – Buy them sliced so you don’t have to do it yourself! Bell pepper – Adds color, sweetness, and crunch! Use any color you like.Red onion – Red onion is the best pairing for the flavors in this Mediterranean chicken salad, but green or white onion could also be used. Fresh basil – Gives the salad great fresh flavor. For perfect ribbons without bruising, roll the leaves together, then slice using a sharp knife.
For the dressing:
Mayonnaise – Use store-bought or make your own with this homemade avocado oil mayonnaise. Lemon juice – Use fresh for the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice is convenient and works just fine. Extra virgin olive oil – The extra flavor is perfect for salad dressings. You can use any olive oil, or even avocado oil, if that’s what you have.Dijon mustard – Dijon gives this chicken salad an elevated flavor. Feel free to use any kind of mustard, though.Italian seasoning – This is optional, but if you have it, add it for extra depth. Sea salt & black pepper
How To Make Mediterranean Chicken Salad
This section shows how to make Mediterranean shredded chicken salad with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Mix salad. In a large bowl, stir together shredded chicken, feta cheese, olives, peppers, red onion, and basil.
Mix dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper.
Toss together. Pour dressing over chicken salad mixture and stir until combined.
Storage Instructions
To store: Store chicken salad in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.To meal prep: Cook shredded chicken, chop veggies, and mix together dressing. When ready to eat, simply toss everything together.Freezing: Not recommended.
What To Serve With Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Lettuce Wraps – Wrap up the chicken salad into lettuce leaves for a light and healthy lettuce wrap meal.Greens – Serve the chicken salad over a bed of greens for a more complete meal, with less fuss than Mediterranean chicken salad lettuce wraps.Bread – Turn your chicken salad into a sandwich! I prefer healthy bread recipes like almond flour bread, 90-second bread, or cloud bread. Crackers – Scoop up the salad on your favorite cracker. My faves are almond flour crackers and low carb cheese crackers.
More Chicken Salad Ideas
If you like this chicken salad with feta cheese recipe, you might also like some of these other chicken salad recipes:
Avocado Chicken SaladKeto Chicken SaladCaesar Salad with ChickenMason Jar Greek Salads
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