Spiced Grilled Chicken Salad (Printable)

Aromatic Middle Eastern salad combining grilled spiced chicken with crisp vegetables and creamy yogurt dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
04 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
11 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Salad

12 - 1 large cucumber, diced
13 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
14 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
15 - 3.5 ounces mixed salad greens
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Yogurt Dressing

17 - 7 ounces plain Greek yogurt
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
20 - 1 garlic clove, minced
21 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
22 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
02 - Add chicken pieces to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor development.
03 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and lightly charred. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a large bowl, combine diced cucumber, tomatoes, sliced red onion, mixed salad greens, and chopped parsley.
05 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and well incorporated.
06 - Divide salad mixture among serving plates, arrange sliced chicken on top, and drizzle with yogurt dressing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The yogurt dressing is so good youll want to put it on everything for the next week.
  • Leftovers actually get better overnight as the chicken soaks up all that tangy, garlicky flavor.
02 -
  • Dont skip resting the chicken after cooking, cutting it too soon makes all the juices run out and you lose that tender, moist texture.
  • If your spices have been sitting in the cupboard for over a year, replace them, old spices taste like dust and ruin the whole dish.
  • Make the dressing right before serving so it stays bright and fresh, it can get watery if it sits too long.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken to an even thickness before marinating so it cooks evenly and you dont end up with dry edges and raw middles.
  • Use a meat thermometer if youre unsure, chicken is done at 74 degrees Celsius and youll never have to guess again.
  • Double the dressing recipe, you will want extra for dipping vegetables or drizzling over grain bowls later in the week.
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