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chopped salad with chicken on white plates with salt and pepper

Chopped Salad with Chicken and Lemon Oregano Dressing

If you're looking for something light, bright, and crunchy, this salad is the ticket. It's tossed with a lemony dressing seasoned with oregano and a little kick of heat. Make it vegetarian by swapping in chickpeas or eggs for the chicken.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 461 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

Dressing/Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 11/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

Chicken/Salad

  • 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 large head Romaine lettuce or several heads Little Gems
  • 1 cup diced Persian or English cucumber (about 2 Persian or ½ English)
  • 6 thinly sliced radishes
  • ½ cup diced fennel
  • 1 cup diced sugar snap peas (about 3 ounces)
  • cup roasted almonds, chopped (I prefer salted)
  • 3 tablespoons minced chives
  • Optional: handful of baby kale or arugula

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk until blended. Add the smashed garlic cloves.

  2. Put the chicken in a medium bowl or storage container and add 2 tablespoons of the dressing, including 1 of the garlic cloves. Smother the chicken with the dressing and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight (cover and refrigerate if longer than an hour or so). If you don't have time to let it marinate, not to worry. It will still be tender and tasty.

  3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put the chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake until the chicken is just cooked through in the center, 13 to 18 minutes depending on the thickness of the breasts. I aim for an internal temperature of 150 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast (the temperature will continue to rise as it rests). It's worth noting that this is lower than the USDA recommended 165 degrees.

  4. While the chicken bakes, chop the crunchiest leaves of Romaine until you have 6 cups. Wash, dry well, and transfer to a large bowl with the cucumbers, radishes, fennel, and snap peas. Add a handful of kale or arugula for a boost of color and nutrition, if desired.

  5. When the chicken is done, cool for at least 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Remove the garlic cloves from the dressing, whisk well, and dress the salad. Portion salad onto four serving plates, arrange the chicken on the side of the plates, and scatter the almonds over the top.

  6. Serve immediately.