Greek Chicken Salad with Pita Croutons
The flavors of Greece come together in this main-dish salad packed with lemon zest, oregano and mint for that life- on-the-Mediterranean feel. To perfectly cook the chicken breast, first sear it in a hot pan to develop a golden crust, then reduce the heat and cover to trap in all the moisture.
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
step 2
Zest and juice Lemon (1) into a large bowl. Add Dried Oregano (1 tsp) and stir. Finely chop Fresh Mint (1/3 cup) and Garlic (2 cloves) and add to the bowl. Add Red Wine Vinegar (1 tsp), Salt (1 tsp) and Ground Black Pepper (1/2 tsp). Slowly whisk in Olive Oil (4 Tbsp).
step 3
Pat dry Chicken Breasts (2) with paper towels and off-trim excess fat. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat with Olive Oil (1 Tbsp). Season chicken on both sides with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste). Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side until golden brown.
step 4
Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
step 5
Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
step 6
Cut Pita Bread (1) in half and slice across 1/4 inch thin to make strips. Place on baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle with Olive Oil, Salt (1/4 tsp), Ground Black Pepper (1 pinch) and toss. Spread out on a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes.
step 7
Carefully move the pita around in the pan and bake for additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
step 8
Coarsely chop Kalamata Olives (4 Tbsp). Add olives and Feta Cheese (2/3 cup) to large bowl with dressing. Halve the Cherry Tomato (1 cup), slice Shallots (2) in half then thinly across, add to bowl.
step 9
Slice Mini Cucumber (1) in half lengthwise, then in half again lengthwise. Next, slice ¼" across to create triangles; add to bowl. Slice the Romaine Hearts (2) in half lengthwise, remove the core, slice the romaine across into ¼" thick slices. Add to the bowl.
step 10
Slice the chicken ¼" thick at a 45-degree angle. This is called a “bias” cut. Transfer one sliced chicken breast to each plate and fan the chicken across bottom rim of plate. Drizzle chicken drippings from plate over sliced chicken.
step 11
Gently toss the salad and divide evenly between two plates behind sliced chicken. Plate salad with height, being sure to showcase all ingredients. Top each salad with crispy pita crisps. Drizzle remaining dressing over sliced chicken on both plates
step 12
Serve and enjoy!
