Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Mediterranean Chicken Salad – with a dressing that doubles as the marinade – is vibrant, hearty, healthy and 5 star delicious!

This Mediterranean Chicken Salad is a hypnotic, fresh, bright, satisfying symphony of SO many bold alluring flavors and textures that will have everyone swooning – my husband was obsessed! It’s loaded with succulent pesto marinated chicken, smoky salami (or bacon), juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, tangy pepperoncini, fruity Kalamata olives, punchy red onions, buttery mozzarella and creamy avocados all tossed in a vibrant pesto dressing.  This Chicken Salad recipe is endlessly customizable, so you can add or swap in any of your favorite ingredients that you have on hand. And the best part- the marinade doubles as the dressing – no double work! This Mediterranean Salad is also prep ahead friendly for a hassle free lunch, light dinner or entertaining.   Add a side of fruit salad and raspberry bars and you have the perfect summer meal!

We are loving chicken salads lately – all the fresh flavors and textures without turning on the oven!  Some of our go-to recipes include Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco SaladBuffalo Chicken SaladMango Chicken Salad, Lemon Basil Chicken Salad and Greek Chicken Salad along with this Mediterranean Chicken Salad – you will have them on repeat!

HOW TO MAKE Chicken Salad Recipe VIDEo

top view of Mediterranean Chicken Salad with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, croutons, red onions and mozzarella in a big bowl


 
showing how to serve Mediterranean Chicken Salad by adding to a big bowl and garnishing with croutons and parsley

chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients

This Mediterranean Chicken Salad is loaded with flavors and textures galore.  If you find green salads boring, this recipe will change your mind!  The below ingredients are what we love in our chicken salad recipe, but feel free to omit or swap in ingredients that you love.  (Full recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

  • Chicken: chicken breasts or thighs will work in this recipe. I recommend using boneless chicken to make slicing or chopping easier. 
  • Pesto marinade: the 5-minute stir-together marinade combines pesto, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and seasonings to create a flavorful marinade that doubles as the salad dressing.   For a full description of the ingredients, you can read about the in my Italian Chicken recipe post.
  • Lettuce: I’ve combined 5 ounces spring salad mix and 5 ounces baby spinach for diverse flavor and texture, but feel free to mix and match your favorite greens.
  • Genoa salami: is a kind of salami believed to have originated in Genoa, Italy. It is seasoned with garlic, salt, black and white pepper, and red or white wine. You can purchase Genoa salami either at the deli counter or they often have it pre-packaged with the specialty deli meats. If you can’t find Genoa salami, you can use your favorite salami.
  • Mozzarella pearls: I prefer to use fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite size pieces. They are often labeled “snacking balls” which is appropriate because I could eat them by the handful. They are soft and buttery and melt-in-your-mouth YUM. They can be found in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. You can also use a fresh mozzarella log and cube it.
  • Cucumber: I prefer using English cucumber in my salads as the skin is more tender and the flesh is crisp but not watery.
  • Cherry tomatoes: please use ripe cherry tomatoes for the best texture and flavor.  Cherry tomatoes are inherently sweeter than grape tomatoes, so aim for cherry if you can.
  • Red onion: you can thinly slice the red onions or chop them. If they are too strong for you, add the sliced/chopped onions to a bowl and submerge them in cold ice water for 10 minutes before draining, drying and using.
  • Kalamata olives: please use Kalamata olives and not just black olives for their dark, rich intensely fruity flavor.
  • Pepperoncini: are slightly sweet but mostly tangy with a slight zip of heat.  The pepperoncini (100 to 500 Scoville heat units) is much closer to a bell pepper than a jalapeño (jalapenos are about 40x hotter) so don’t be scared away. Their sweet heat tang is explosively delicious. Pepperoncini typically come in a glass jar and are easy to find at your grocery store next to the sandwich condiments, such as pickles, banana peppers and jarred roasted red bell peppers.
  • Avocado: slice or chop a large avocado for satisfying creamy bursts to complement the crunchy textures. Take care the avocados are ripe but not overly ripe or they will turn to mush. To tell if an avocado is ripe, squeeze it gently. A ripe avocado should yield slightly to pressure but not feel overly soft. If your avocados ripen before you are ready to use them, they can be stored in the refrigerator which will dramatically slow down the ripening process.
  • Almonds: every salad needs nuts! Crunchy almonds bolster the salad with their nutty flavor and CRUNCH. You can use sliced almonds, slivered almonds or chopped almonds.
  • Croutons: I provided my go-to homemade crouton recipe in the recipe card below, but you may use your favorite store brand, if desired. 
showing how to serve Mediterranean Chicken Salad by adding to a big bowl and garnishing with croutons and parsley
  • Lettuce:  swap in Romaine or any combination of your favorite greens
  • Cucumber: substitute the English cucumber with a peeled, slicing cucumber.
  • Salami: swap the Genoa salami for another variety of salami, pepperoni, prosciutto or bacon.
  • Almonds: can be replaced with roasted pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, etc. 
  • Mozzarella pearls: if this kind of mozzarella is too expensive or you don’t want to make a separate trip to the store, substitute with regular mozzarella and chop it into cubes (the flavor/texture won’t be quite as tasty).

How to Make Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Juicy chicken is marinated in an Italian-inspired marinade before being grilled (or pan-fried) to perfection. It’s then tossed with an abundance of vegetables, briny olives, and Genoa salami before being topped with homemade croutons and sliced almonds.  This chicken salad recipe requires some advance planning so the chicken can bathe the marinade before it can be cooked; otherwise, it’s a straightforward recipe that tastes fabulous every time! 

Step 1: Make the Marinade / Dressing 

  • Whisk all of the marinade/dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl or freezer bag. Use whatever container you plan on marinating the chicken in. 
  • Remove some of the marinade to a jar to use as the dressing later on.   
showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe by whisking the marinade ingredients together in a bowl that doubles as the dressing

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken 

  • To the remaining marinade, add the chicken and turn to coat.
  • Marinate at room temperature while you prep the salad ingredients (up to 30 minutes) OR refrigerate for up to 12 hours. 
showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad by marinating the chicken in a pesto marinade

Step 3: Make the Croutons 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
  • Add the cubed bread, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with spices, then toss to coat. 
  • Spread the cubed bread into an even layer and bake until golden.
showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad by toasting the cubed bread in the oven to make croutons

Step 4: Cook the Chicken 

  • If you marinated the chicken in the fridge, be sure to take it out about 30 minutes before you plan on cooking it. This ensures that the meat cooks evenly once it’s on the grill or in a pan. 
  • You have two options for cooking the chicken: on the grill or in a hot skillet (or grill pan) on the stovetop. 
  • Whichever method you choose, I recommend cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Then, remove it to a plate or cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. The heat will carry over and finish cooking the chicken to 165 degrees F. 
showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad by cooking the chicken and then slicing

Step 5: Assemble the Salad

  • Add all of the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl. 
  • Chop or thinly slice the chicken and add to the salad.
  • If not expecting leftovers, drizzle salad with the dressing. If expecting leftovers, add dressing and croutons to individual servings.  
top view showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad by assembling the chicken salad recipe with chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onions and avocado
  • Alternative proteins: the chicken marinade would also be delicious on shrimp, salmon, pork or steak, so feel free to mix it up!
  • Alternative vegetables: add any vegetables your heart desires!  Asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, snap peas, etc. would all be tasty. 
  • Alternative cheese: swap the mozzarella for chunks of provolone, feta, goat cheese or gorgonzola. 
  • Swap salami for pepperoni: American pepperoni would give the salad a different flavor while still imparting that spiced salami flavor. 
  • Different nuts: I used sliced almonds to make this Mediterranean salad recipe, but pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, and so on would also be delicious.
  • Alternative onions: use bright, tangy, punchy pickled red onions recipe instead of raw.  They’re ready in 30 minutes!  fF red onions aren’t your thing, you can swap them for chopped green onions.
  • Add capers:  a common addition in Dodecanese islands. Capers are actually flower buds that have been brined to mellow their bitterness.  The resulting brined capers are tangy, salty, lemony doses of flavOR. 
  • Add radishes: thinly slice radishes for a spicy, crispy, zesty kick.
  • Add artichokes hearts:  tender, slightly sweet and nutty additions.
  • Add roasted red bell peppers: for a complex roasted sweetness.  You can roast bell peppers yourself or pick up a jar at the grocery store located near the jarred sandwich fixings such as pepperoncini. Make sure to drain the jar of bell peppers very well before using.
  • Add sunflower seeds:  can be added in addition to the almonds or instead of.  Make sure to purchase roasted and salted sunflower seeds for the best flavor.
  • Add some heat: spice up your chicken salad with jalapenos! Remove the seeds and the white veins of your jalapenos because these pack the fieriest heat.  You can add the seeds back to the salad after you taste it and still want more heat.
  • Add hard boiled eggs: for a Cobb-salad flair.  You may need to google “How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs” as I have found some methods that work for some, don’t work for others.  For me, I fill my small pot rim to rim with eggs so there is no wiggle room for the eggs to rattle around and break.  I then fill the water so it is almost covering the eggs.  I bring the water to a boil then reduce the temperature to low for 10 minutes. Next, I remove the eggs from the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  At this point, I sacrifice an egg to see if it’s done, if not, then I cover the eggs for another 5 minutes or so.   Once done, immediately rinse eggs in cold water to keep from cooking.  
serving Mediterranean chicken salad recipe in a bowl garnished by parsley
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serving Mediterranean chicken salad recipe in a bowl garnished by parsley

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top view showing how to make Mediterranean Chicken Salad by assembling the chicken salad recipe with chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onions and avocado

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

This Mediterranean Chicken Salad is a hypnotic, fresh, bright, satisfying symphony of SO many bold alluring flavors and textures that will have everyone swooning – my husband was obsessed! It's loaded with succulent pesto marinated chicken, smoky salami (or bacon), juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, tangy pepperoncini, fruity Kalamata olives, punchy red onions, buttery mozzarella and creamy avocados all tossed in a vibrant pesto dressing.  This Chicken Salad recipe is endlessly customizable, so you can add or swap in any of your favorite ingredients that you have on hand. And the best part- the marinade doubles as the dressing – no double work! This Mediterranean Salad is also prep ahead friendly for a hassle free lunch, light dinner or entertaining.   
Servings: 8 servings
Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 medium chicken breasts (approx. 20 ounces)

Marinade/Dressing

Salad

  • 5 ounces spring salad mix
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 4 oz. Genoa salami, chopped (may sub bacon)
  • 1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
  • 3 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
  • 8 oz. mozzarella pearls
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

EASY CROUTONS (OR STORE-BOUGHT)

  • 1/2 loaf French bread (preferably day old), cubed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp EACH dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder
  • freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

MARINADE/DRESSING

  • Whisk all of the marinade/dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl or freezer bag (whatever you are going to marinate the chicken in). Remove a heaping ¾ cup to a jar to use as the dressing. Add the chicken to the marinade and turn to coat.
  • Marinate at room temperature while you prep the salad ingredients (up to 30 minutes) or refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Refrigerate the dressing separately. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

CROUTONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray or use a nonstick baking mat. Add cubed bread to the baking sheet and drizzled with olive oil then sprinkle with spices; toss until evenly coated. Spread bread into an even layer and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until golden, stirring halfway through.

TO GRILL CHICKEN:

  • Preheat grill to 400 degrees with the lid closed, clean and grease grates.
  • Grill chicken undisturbed with the lid closed for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through. (Cook to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allow to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.)

TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE STOVE:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.
  • Flip chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allowed to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.

ASSEMBLE

  • Add all of the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl. If expecting leftovers, serve the croutons and avocado on the side.
  • Chop or thinly slice the chicken and add to the salad.
  • Whisk in a couple tablespoons olive oil to the dressing if it seems extra thick (it will naturally be on the thick side due to the pesto).
  • If not expecting leftovers, drizzle salad with the dressing. If expecting leftovers, add dressing to individual servings. Serve with freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste.

Video

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • Customize ingredients: The salad ingredients and measurements are simply suggestions. After you load a large salad bowl with lettuce, you can pile on your ingredients in whatever ratios your taste buds desire. Some will like less meat, others will like less cheese – your call!  See post for all sorts of add-ins such as artichokes, roasted bell peppers, capers, corn, asparagus, etc.
  • Salad bar: If you have picky eaters or want a fun entertaining idea, then consider a salad bar where everyone can pile on as much or as little of their favorite toppings.  Everyone’s a winner with a salad bar!
  • Storage: The salad without dressing will last about 3 days in the refrigerator, although the wet ingredients such as the pepperoncini and tomatoes can soften the crunch of the lettuce a bit. The chicken will last up to 5 days and the croutons will last for up to 2 weeks.

Meal Prep

This Chicken Salad recipe is great to prep ahead for meal prep. You can prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time or just the dressing, croutons or salad ingredients. To prep ahead:
  • Fully assembled: This salad can be fully assembled ahead of time if you layer the ingredients in the correct order and store the croutons, avocados and dressing separately. The salad should be layered with the wettest ingredients on the bottom (tomatoes, pepperoncini, olives, cucumbers) and the driest on the top (salami, mozzarella, almonds, lettuce) to prevent soggy salad. Cover, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
  • Salad ingredients: can be chopped 24 hours in advance and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. I add the vegetables/olives/pepperoncini to separate paper towels, fold up the paper towels around the contents and place in sandwich bags – this keeps excess moisture away from the veggies to keep them fresh.
  • Croutons: can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time and stored in a resealable plastic bag with as much air removed as possible or in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Marinade/dressing: can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead, take care not to use fresh garlic or herbs because they will only last a day or so in the refrigerator.
  • Chicken: can be added to the marinade up to 12 hours ahead of time. Or, it can be frozen in the marinade up to 3 months in advance. You can also cook the chicken and store it separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

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