Greek chicken chopped salad with creamy poppy seed dressing {gluten-free}

One of my pet peeves is a recipe that requires you to make another recipe first (remember the beloved China Moon cookbook, filled with recipes composed of sauces you needed to make before you even got started?). Yet here I am, asking that very thing of you. Forgive me. If you didn't make a batch of shredded slow cooker Greek chicken right away when I shared the recipe last week, you can do it now, or substitute rotisserie chicken or even grilled shrimp in this chopped salad. Or, omit the protein and have yourself a dandy meatless salad. However, trust me when I tell you that the Greek chicken absolutely makes this dish. The hints of lemon and garlic work their way all through the salad, balanced by the sweet poppy seed dressing. It's irresistible. And you can freeze leftover chicken for roll-ups, salads or pasta dishes at another time. My husband Ted and I make the whole salad recipe, and the two of us eat every bit of it for our main course dinner. It's that good.

Greek chicken chopped salad with creamy poppy seed dressing

From the pantry, you'll need: mayonnaise, sugar or sugar substitute, cider vinegar, poppy seeds, kosher salt.

Serves 2-4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

For the dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute, or less, to taste
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp poppy seeds
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, optional, to taste

For the salad:
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce (1-2 heads, depending on size)
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped bell pepper, any color (or a mix of colors)
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried or slow roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
2 cups shredded slow cooker Greek chicken

Directions

In a large jar with a tight-fitting lid (or in a blender), add the first 4 dressing ingredients. Shake the jar until the dressing is combined. Taste, and adjust with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use (can be made several days ahead).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together all of the salad ingredients. Toss with as much of the dressing as you need (store leftover in the refrigerator for up to a week). Divide the salad into 4 individual bowls.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More great meal-in-a-bowl salads:
Greek pasta salad with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, from The Perfect Pantry
Farro and kale salad with white beans and slow-roasted tomato, from The Perfect Pantry
Spinach salad with honey mustard vinaigrette, from The Perfect Pantry
Rotisserie chicken Christmas salad with avocado, red pepper and lime, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Vietnamese chicken salad, from White on Rice Couple

Need some new ideas to turn your same-old salad into exciting salad? Download Dress Up Your Salad, my e-book packed with easy mix-and-match recipes, full-color photos and a few fun videos. Fantastic salad recipes can be just one click away, on any computer, tablet or smart phone, with the FREE Kindle Reading app. Click here to learn more.

Greek chicken chopped salad with creamy poppy seed dressing

From the pantry, you'll need: mayonnaise, sugar or sugar substitute, cider vinegar, poppy seeds, kosher salt.

Serves 2-4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

For the dressing:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute, or less, to taste
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp poppy seeds
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, optional, to taste

For the salad:
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce (1-2 heads, depending on size)
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped bell pepper, any color (or a mix of colors)
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried or slow roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
2 cups shredded slow cooker Greek chicken

Directions

In a large jar with a tight-fitting lid (or in a blender), add the first 4 dressing ingredients. Shake the jar until the dressing is combined. Taste, and adjust with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use (can be made several days ahead).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together all of the salad ingredients. Toss with as much of the dressing as you need (store leftover in the refrigerator for up to a week). Divide the salad into 4 individual bowls.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More great meal-in-a-bowl salads:
Greek pasta salad with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, from The Perfect Pantry
Farro and kale salad with white beans and slow-roasted tomato, from The Perfect Pantry
Spinach salad with honey mustard vinaigrette, from The Perfect Pantry
Rotisserie chicken Christmas salad with avocado, red pepper and lime, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Vietnamese chicken salad, from White on Rice Couple

Need some new ideas to turn your same-old salad into exciting salad? Download Dress Up Your Salad, my e-book packed with easy mix-and-match recipes, full-color photos and a few fun videos. Fantastic salad recipes can be just one click away, on any computer, tablet or smart phone, with the FREE Kindle Reading app. Click here to learn more.

Comments

It does sound good; definitely another incentive to make the Slow Cooker Greek Chicken!

This salad looks fantastic, Lydia! I love homemade poppy seed dressing, too.

Thanks! Sharing ...
Shirley

Kalyn, we make a batch of this chicken in the slow cooker every week!

Shirley, I hope you'll try this (gluten-free, too)!