Mediterranean
Chicken Chopped Salad
Skillet chicken stays juicy and picks up a little browning, then lemon and olive oil dress the chopped romaine, tomato, cucumber, and chickpeas. The salad tastes bright and savory, with no heavy dressing hiding the vegetables.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Skillet chicken gives the salad enough protein for lunch or dinner.
- Lemon and olive oil keep the dressing light without a creamy base.
- Chickpeas add body so the bowl is more than lettuce and meat.
- Chopped pieces make it easy to pack and eat with a fork.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry, season with half the salt, the pepper, and oregano, and warm 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 2
Cook the chicken until both sides are browned and the center is no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes per side, then rest 5 minutes.
- 3
Whisk the remaining oil with lemon juice and the rest of the salt until it looks blended and tastes sharp but not bitter.
- 4
Chop the romaine, tomato, and cucumber into similar pieces so each bite gets lettuce and something juicy.
- 5
Slice the rested chicken against the grain and check that the juices run clear before adding it to the bowl.
- 6
Toss the vegetables and chickpeas with the dressing until the leaves look lightly coated, then add the chicken and serve while the lettuce is still crisp.
Pro tips
- Rest the chicken so the slices stay moist instead of drying on the board.
- Dry the chickpeas so they do not water down the lemon dressing.
- Dress the salad just before serving if you are packing it for later.
Easy substitutions
- Chicken breast
- chicken thighs, cooked until no longer pink
- Romaine lettuce
- chopped little gem lettuce
- Dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the chicken and vegetables separately from the dressing for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Serve the salad cold; if you want warm chicken, reheat slices in a covered skillet with a splash of water until hot, then cool slightly before tossing.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 450
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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