This Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad is the ultimate easy yet flavorful meal prep lunch. It’s got shredded chicken tossed in a homemade tzatziki, loads of fresh veggies, and a satisfying crunch from chopped almonds. It’s light, refreshing, packed with protein and Mediterranean-inspired flavors! Plus, it just keeps getting better as it sits in the fridge.
The chicken salad era is still going strong folks! Every time I make it, my husband and I end up devouring all 4 servings in like one sitting…oops! After years of living without it, I’m just catching up on lost time 😉 In case you missed it, I posted this cranberry and pecan chicken salad a few weeks ago and now we’re moving on to this greek tzatziki chicken salad!
There’s one restaurant in Boston, called Krasi, that offers a tableside make-your-own tzatziki. It’s arguably one of the best things I’ve eaten in the city, and I tried to channel that delicious flavor and cool, creamy texture into this greek tzatziki chicken salad! The base is obviously tzatziki and shredded chicken, but then we’re jazzing it up with some chopped celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion & almonds for extra flavor and crisp texture.
I love how light and refreshing this chicken salad is, yet it’s also packed with protein and healthy fats. Serve it inside a whole wheat pita pocket with some greens and you have a full, balanced meal. It only gets better as it sits in the fridge so it couldn’t be more perfect for a quick and healthy meal prep lunch. Hope you love it, and let me know if you have any requests for the next chicken salad flavor!
Why You’ll Love this Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, and holds up great for meal prep!
- Each serving of this greek tzatziki chicken salad has 31g of protein!
- It’s full of Mediterranean-inspired flavors, like fresh dill and lemon.
- Stuff it inside a whole wheat pita pocket and you have the perfect lunch.
- This chicken salad recipe contains NO mayo!
What You Need to Make this Healthy Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: I prefer to boil mine and then shred it, but you could also substitute rotisserie chicken or canned chicken to make this tzatziki chicken salad even quicker!
- Greek Yogurt: The base of tzatziki is a thick, full-fat greek yogurt which offers lots of protein, probiotics and some healthy fats. I would not recommend substituting mayo, or non-fat greek yogurt here.
- Cucumber: We’re using cucumber two ways…1) shredded in the tzatziki and 2) finely chopped as a crunchy add-in for the chicken salad! I recommend using an English (seedless) cucumber.
- Dill: Lots of chopped dill adds that quintessential tzatziki flavor!
- Garlic: Add a flavor boost to the tzatziki with some freshly grated garlic. In a pinch, you can try substituting 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds tang to the tzatziki!
- Red Wine Vinegar: This isa traditional ingredient in tzatziki and it offers a sharp and slightly fruity acidic flavor. If you don’t have this on hand, you can substitute more lemon juice however the flavor will be slightly impacted.
- Celery: I love adding in a bit of chopped celery for a refreshing crunch.
- Cherry Tomatoes: To add a pop of color, quarter some cherry or grape tomatoes and add them into the tzatziki chicken salad.
- Almonds: Roughly chop up some whole almonds, or use slivered almonds. Raw or roasted and salted both work great!
- Red Onion: If you prefer a more mild flavor, you can either substitute shallots or rinse off the red onion before adding it into the chicken salad.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste and don’t be shy!
How To Make this Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Boil the Chicken:
First, add chicken breasts to a medium pot and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Cover with at least 1″ of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. The timing will vary slightly depending upon how large/thick your chicken breasts are.
Shred the Chicken:
Next, transfer cooked chicken to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer and shred it. Alternatively, you can use 2 forks to shred it, but I like the mixer method because it’s quicker!
Mix together Tzatziki:
In another large bowl, mix together the greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, dill, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and kosher salt & black pepper to taste. You now have a delicious homemade tzatziki that will make for a flavorful base to your chicken salad!
Add in Remaining Chicken Salad Ingredients & Let Chill:
Then, add in the shredded chicken and remaining ingredients. Use a spatula to stir until combined. Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper as needed. Place chicken salad in the fridge until it has cooled down. This also gives time for the flavors to meld together and it will continue to taste better as it sits in the fridge. Enjoy as is, or in a whole wheat pita pocket with some arugula!
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken or Canned Chicken Instead?
Absolutely! This tzatziki chicken salad recipes calls for boiled chicken which is honestly quite cost effective and efficient, but if you’re in a big time crunch you can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken or canned chicken. 1 cup of raw chicken breast yields about 2.5 cups of shredded chicken, so that’s how much rotisserie or canned chicken you would want to substitute.
Other Additions to Consider:
I love this greek tzatziki chicken salad as is, but if you want to change it up every week, here’s some inspiration for other delicious add-ins.
- Crumbled Feta: For a salty, rich flavor!
- Olives: I am not an olive girly at all, but they are a staple in greek cuisine so they’d be perfect in this tzatziki chicken salad!
- Fresh Parsley: The more herbs the merrier, am I right!?
What Should I Serve with this Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad?
We are honestly so obsessed with this tzatziki chicken salad that we could literally eat it by the spoonful or forkful! However, to turn it into a full meal I love to stuff it inside a whole wheat pita alongside some arugula or lettuce of your choice. The Whole Foods brand of whole wheat pita pockets have 7g of protein and 3g of fiber, which helps to make this meal even more filling and balanced! This would also be equally delicious on toasted sourdough or in a wrap.
How Should I Store Leftover Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad?
This Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad continues to get better as it sits in the fridge because it allows the flavors to really meld together. So, this recipe is great as a meal prep lunch or healthy snack. I recommend storing it an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Meal Prep Friendly Recipes?
- Cranberry and Pecan Chicken Salad
- Apple Chai Baked Oatmeal
- Tuscan Cottage Cheese and Egg Bake
- Ground Chicken Fried Rice
- High-Protein Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Hibachi Chicken Bowls with Yum Yum Sauce
Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Equipment
- medium pot with lid
- 2 forks or hand/stand mixer
- 2 large bowls
- grater
- thin dish towel or paper towel
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ¾ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr
- 3 tbsp finely shredded seedless cucumber *SEE NOTE
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely diced cherry or grape tomatoes
- ½ cup finely chopped cucumber
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped almonds (raw or roasted)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
Instructions
- First, add chicken breasts to a medium pot and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Cover with at least 1" of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, kosher salt & black pepper
- Transfer cooked chicken to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer and shred it. Alternatively, you can use 2 forks to shred it, but I like the mixer method because it's quicker! Set aside.
- In another large bowl, mix together the greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, dill, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and kosher salt & black pepper to taste.¾ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, 3 tbsp finely shredded seedless cucumber, 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill, 2 small garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- Then, add in the shredded chicken and remaining ingredients. Use a spatula to stir until combined. Feel free to add more greek yogurt if you prefer your chicken salad to be more creamy. Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper as needed.½ cup finely chopped celery, ½ cup finely diced cherry or grape tomatoes, ½ cup finely chopped cucumber, ⅓ cup roughly chopped almonds, ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- Place chicken salad in the fridge until it has cooled down. This also gives time for the flavors to meld together and it will continue to taste better as it sits in the fridge. Enjoy as is, or in a whole wheat pita pocket with some arugula!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
I have made this twice now and it is so delicious!! It’s such a great and easy meal prep for lunches! Filling and so full of flavor!
I love to hear that, thank you so much Valerie 🙂
Wonderful-the most complete, tasty recipes! Do you have any cookbooks out?
Thank you so much! Not yet but hopefully one day 🙂