Tzatziki chicken salad is a delicious twist on a classic chicken salad that is full of Mediterranean flavor. Crisp cucumber, feta cheese, salty olives, and more combine to create a perfect summer meal.
Tzatziki chicken salad is one of my favorite ways to mix things up whenever we need a new meal idea. It takes a classic chicken salad and adds a Greek twist. Briny olives, salty feta, cool cucumber, and fresh dill on top of the chicken salad makes for the best flavor!
Chicken tzatziki salad is also an easy way to use up any leftover roasted chicken from the night before and a great option for meal prep. You can serve it with pita bread, on a bed of lettuce, or even as grain bowls.
Tzatziki chicken salad will quickly become a favorite in your recipe arsenal, especially as an easy spring dinner or quick lunch option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Mediterranean flavors + protein – Shredded chicken and Greek yogurt bring lots of protein for a well rounded meal.
Easy to customize – This recipe is so easy to adjust to your specific desires. If you love olives, add more! Want a light dinner? Serve on a bed of greens, as lettuce cups, or with bell peppers and Persian cucumbers for dipping in the delicious tzatziki.
Great for meal prep – Prep the chicken salad the night before, mix up the homemade tzatziki sauce a few hours before serving, then simply assemble for a quick lunch. This is also a great recipe for using up leftover cooked chicken.
Ingredients
Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is essential for a creamy tzatziki base. Make homemade Greek yogurt or use a high quality store-bought one.
Cucumber – English cucumbers are popular because they have fewer seeds, but any type will work.
Cooked chicken – I prefer to roast a whole chicken the day before making chicken salad. You can also use a rotisserie chicken.
Pita bread – We love to make sandwiches using sourdough pita bread. For something a bit different, serve this healthy tzatziki chicken salad in a large bowl with pita chips for dipping. You can also use sandwich bread if desired.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Step 1: Finely shred the cucumber, then squeeze it very well to remove as much excess moisture as possible (this helps prevent a watery sauce). In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Step 2: Let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Taste and adjust with additional salt or lemon juice if needed. Set aside.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chicken, diced cucumber, red onion, celery, fresh dill, olives, and feta. Toss until evenly mixed.
Step 4: Add about three-quarters of the tzatziki sauce and stir until everything is well coated.
Step 5: Spread a thin layer of tzatziki onto each pita.
Step 6: Top with a few scoops of the chicken salad, then finish with chopped cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic reduction, if using. Serve and enjoy.
Tips
- Make sure to squeeze the excess water from the shredded cucumber for better texture for the sauce. You can wrap the cucumber in a paper towel and squeeze to remove water.
- Making the tzatziki dressing a few hours ahead of time really allows the flavors to improve and helps with meal prep.
- This chicken salad is really great with balsamic reduction drizzled on top!
- If you have leftover sauce, pair with crunchy veggies for dipping or make a round of easy beef gyros.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I prefer to keep the sauce and chicken salad separate.
Absolutely! Whether you’re mixing up this chicken salad or just serving chicken breasts on butter lettuce cups, tzatziki sauce and chicken are the perfect pairing.
Tzatziki is a favorite around here. We love this chicken salad, beef gyros, simple cooked chicken on pita bread with tzatziki, on top of mixed roasted vegetables, and with English cucumber (or regular cucumber) and bell peppers for dipping.
More Chicken Dinners from the Farmhouse
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Easy Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cucumber, water squeezed out
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
Chicken Salad
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken, from rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken
- 1 cup finely diced cucumber, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta
For Serving
- Pita bread, or pita chips
- Diced cherry tomatoes
- Balsamic reduction for drizzling, optional
Instructions
Make the Tzatziki Sauce:
- Finely shred the cucumber, then squeeze it very well to remove as much extra liquid as possible (this helps prevent a watery sauce).
- In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Taste and adjust with additional salt or lemon juice if needed. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken Salad:
- In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chicken, diced cucumber, red onion, celery, fresh dill, olives, and feta. Toss until evenly mixed.
- Add about three-quarters of the tzatziki sauce and stir until everything is well coated.
Assemble:
- Spread a thin layer of tzatziki onto each pita. Top with a few scoops of the chicken salad, then finish with chopped cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic reduction, if using. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze the excess water from the shredded cucumber. You can wrap the cucumber in a paper towel and squeeze to remove water.
- Making the tzatziki dressing a few hours ahead of time really allows the flavors to improve and helps with meal prep.
- This chicken salad is really great with balsamic reduction drizzled on top!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
