Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Isn’t this Mediterranean Chicken Salad gorgeous?  You bet your sweet ass, it is!

I am an absolute sucker when it comes to beautiful produce. I mean, I get weak in the knees and my eyes glaze over. Then I hear this robotic voice in my head: Must Buy All the Produce. I call it Blog Brain Frenzy where I buy anything and all that is beautiful because in some manner or fashion I can use it in something. Right? In the history of never have I been able to pass up beautiful produce. Today I had to borrow a truck to get it all home.

But the positive side of being a produce glut is salads like this Mediterranean Chicken Salad, replete with all things good: leafy greens, creamy avocado, briny olives, salty feta, and ripe tomatoes bursting with goodness. Oh, and don’t forget those gorgeous red onions and baby cukes. AND the rotisserie chicken. All topped with a tangy fresh herb oil + vinegar dressing. You can never go wrong with a simple oil + vinegar combo because rather than competing with your salad, it lets all the delicious personalities of your ensemble shine. Mmmmmmm!

And did I mention it took only minutes to assemble?  I swept through the store for cheese and olives on my way home from work and managed to produce this portrait of perfection in just minutes–thanks, of course, to the rotisserie chicken. (This salad is also fabulous without the chicken!)

This recipe includes a generous dose of dressing. If you have portion control issues like The Man does, you will understand.  Otherwise, refrigerate the leftover portion. It is delicious as a marinade, fabulous as a drizzle over baked or grilled chicken or roasted potatoes, yummy as a dressing for a pasta salad, and ambrosial as a dip for your pita bread or pizza bones. You will find 1,001 uses.

I have listed two types of lettuce here. I like the body of iceberg, and I like the color and frilly-ness of Romaine. Use some of both or choose one. You do you. And about that feta cheese…buy the block and crumble it yourself. Just trust me on this.

This salad pairs beautifully with a swill of citrussy white such Sauvignon Blanc or perhaps a light-fruit rose.  Or maybe you’re looking to pair with sparkling wine? You can never go wrong with bubbles.

Cheers!

XXOO AB

If you make this Mediterranean Chicken Salad, I’d love to hear your feedback. Leave a comment and tag your photos #nakedepicurean on Instagram so we can celebrate together!

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

The Salad

• 1 rotisserie chicken (cube the breast meat)
• 1 small head of iceberg lettuce + 1 Romaine heart, chopped
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 2 mini cukes, sliced
• ½   red onion, thinly sliced
• 20 Kalamata olives, pitted
• 15 grape tomatoes
• 4-6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
•           mint leaves

The Dressing

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt + more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper + more to taste
•           sprigs of mint

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together the vinegar, oregano, olive oil, S&P in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, onion, feta, and olives. Top with chicken. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine.