I remember tasting my first gyro in New York City when I moved to the Lower East Side after college. I was standing on the street in my Loubs, mentally outlining my “Sex and The City” column (I wish!), when I bit into a world of new-to-me seasonings. My mind was blown at the soft pita hugging tender morsels of seasoned lamb and—what was this dressing? Once I tasted that fresh, cucumbery, garlicky tzatziki sauce, I was hooked.
Fellow cuke lovers, Alton Brown’s Greek chicken salad has total tzatziki vibes. Fresh lemon juice and parsley (also tucked into the dressing) add zing and pepperiness, chopped cucumbers and red onions stay crunchy forever, and soft feta makes the whole thing feel substantial yet light.
Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair
How I Make Alton Brown’s Greek Chicken Salad
I love that Alton calls for grilled chicken in the form of leftovers from last night or even a store-bought rotisserie bird—a.k.a. the easiest chicken you can find. Since I’m currently living the no-grill-space apartment life, I bought two packages of unseasoned grilled chicken strips from Trader Joe’s and have zero regrets.
First, grab a medium bowl and mix your dressing (Greek yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper). Then, chop up your meat and veggies and toss your “salad” ingredients into the bowl: chicken, red onion, cucumber, Roma tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta.
You’re not hallucinating; the tomato is indeed missing from the instructions, but I added it along with the cucumber, and since the recipe suggests removing the cuke seeds, I did the same for the tomato. If Greek chicken salad without extra liquids pooling at the bottom of the bowl is wrong, I don’t want to be right!
Once you let it chill in the fridge for about an hour to marinate, this salad stays fresh for up to three days. Stuff a pita, top a bunch of leafy greens, or just spoon it straight outta the bowl.
My boyfriend thought there should be more cheese involved. “There’s half a cup in there already,” I confirmed. “Maybe goat cheese then?” [Please direct all further suggestions to management.] While we disagreed about the cheese, I did add a little extra salt.
This chicken salad is a deliciously easy lunch to keep in the fridge all week. That is if it lasts that long. We’re eating it so fast that I’d like to formally add “disappearing” somewhere in the title. Alton’s “It’s All Greek [Disappearing] Chicken Salad To Me” just might become a go-to for you, too.
#Alton #Browns #Easy #Chicken #Salad #GoTo
