Greek Chicken With Cucumber-Feta Salad

Name: Greek Chicken With Cucumber-Feta Salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt; 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); Black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried oregano or mint; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry; 1 1/2 pounds cucumbers (preferably Japanese, Persian or mini, seedless cucumbers); 1 pound ripe tomatoes; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed; 4 ounces feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup); 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

By Ali Slagle

Published Dec. 14, 2022

Greek Chicken With Cucumber-Feta Salad — Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4(5,668)
Comments: Read comments

This meal has the flavors of a Greek combination plate with chicken souvlaki, Greek salad and tzatziki, but it is streamlined for the home cook. Boneless chicken thighs are coated with herby, garlicky yogurt, then seared until tender inside and crusty and browned outside. Extra yogurt dresses cucumbers and tomatoes that have had a chance to drain with salt so they taste their most vivid. Feta and olives add briny bites to the creamy, crunchy salad, but feel free to incorporate other elements of Greek salad or tzatziki, like romaine lettuce, bell peppers, mint or dill, toasted walnuts or thinly sliced red onion. Eat with lemon potatoes or toasted pita.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1½cups plain Greek yogurt
3garlic cloves, finely grated
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
1teaspoon dried oregano or mint
2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
1½pounds cucumbers (preferably Japanese, Persian or mini, seedless cucumbers)
1pound ripe tomatoes
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
4ounces feta, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
½cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer ½ cup of the yogurt to a medium bowl and reserve for Step 5.
Step 2
Coat the chicken: To the large bowl, add the oregano and stir to combine. Season the chicken all over with 1½ teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the chicken to the large bowl and turn to coat; set aside.
Step 3
Start the salad: Smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until craggy and split. Rip into ½- to 1-inch pieces and transfer to a colander placed in the sink. Slice or chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Add to the cucumbers along with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. (It may seem like a lot of salt, but most will drain away.) Toss to combine and leave to drain.
Step 4
In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Scrape excess marinade off the chicken, then cook the chicken in batches, adding oil to the pan if necessary, until it’s well browned and releases from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to plates to rest. (For grilling info, see Tip.)
Step 5
To the medium bowl of yogurt, add the feta and mash with a fork until a chunky paste forms. Shake the cucumbers and tomatoes to get rid of any excess moisture. Add to the feta yogurt along with the olives and stir until coated. The balance is dependent on your produce and feta, so season to taste with salt and pepper until flavors are vivid. Eat alongside the chicken.

Tip

To grill the chicken: Heat a grill to medium and clean and grease the grates. Grill the chicken over direct heat until it's well browned and releases from the grates, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes. (For a gas grill, close the lid between flips.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

5,668 user ratings

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Comments

mrs_garver3 years ago

What is the benefit of “ripping” the cukes into small pieces as opposed to chopping them into same?

larry3 years ago

baked the chicken on a sheet pan at 400

Qzie3 years ago

A little bit more info—is there an optimum time to let the salad sit salted and to marinate the chicken? 10 minutes? 20 minutes or….!

Tracy6 hours ago

Another winner. Simple and delicious.

Connie H.19 hours ago

This is a great recipe. I followed it, except I used bone-in thighs with the skin on and cooked the chicken in an air fryer. It was juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside--quite delicious. The salad was wonderful, and I served the meal with some roasted zucchini with some oregano, olive oil and garlic and pita bread, I will definitely make this again.

chris1 day ago

What a mess this salad is. Use small cukes, slice length wise in half and then slice quarter inch pieces, place in a bowl and a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Set it in the freezer for 15 minutes and then drain any excess water, Cut up tomatoes, thin slice a Bermuda onion, add 4 ounces of Feta cheese and mix in with the cucumbers. Drizzle with a good olive oil and one champagne vinegar. Stir. Not only are you done with the salad it doesn't look like the gloppy mess in this recipe.

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