Chicken salad takes on a European flavor in this fresh summer recipe! Mediterranean chicken salad features feta cheese with tomatoes and green beans, spicy capers and aromatic oregano for a light and delicious spin on the classic lunchtime favorite.
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How many of you out there own the SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK? (Raises hand.)
How many of you have a version that is splattered and dog-eared and slightly falling apart because you have used it so much? (Raises hand.)
If you have this book and it doesn’t look like it has been through the wars, well then, you are missing out, because this book (along with its brethren, the SILVER PALATE GOOD TIMES COOKBOOK and SILVER PALATE NEW BASICS) are packed with some of the best, most creative recipes you will find anywhere. Including one of my faves, Mediterranean chicken salad, which I’ve made my own version of about one million times.
The original recipe involves poaching a chicken breast to use in the recipe, and includes olives which I wish I loved but I just don’t.
So my version uses no olives (but lots of capers!) and a grilled chicken breast to get some of that great summer grilling taste in there (although you can totally poach a chicken breast for this if that is your jam, and here’s my favorite method for chicken breast poaching).
I also added a little feta cheese, but the basic approach of swapping out the classic mayo and and celery for some olive oil and crunchy green beans and merry cherry tomatoes is completely based on the Silver Palate version.
ingredients you need for this delectable chicken salad!
Here’s How You make The best Chicken Salad!
STEP 1: Shred your chicken into bite-sized pieces, pop it in a large mixing bowl and mix it up with a quarter cup of really good olive oil and a teaspoon and a half of dried oregano. Cover it with a dishcloth or a plate and let it marinate for an hour (you can put it in the fridge or leave it on your counter.
STEP TWO: Add some lemon juice, a couple teaspoons of capers, some halved cherry tomatoes, a half pound of cooked green beans (or uncooked! We like our local beans that way!), a handful of crumbled feta cheese and some salt and pepper. Mix it all up. You. Are. Done.
Tips for making this chicken salad scrumptiousness
Yep! As long as they are cooked and shredded, you use whatever part of the chicken tastes best to you.
Capers are actually little baby flower buds from (you guessed it!) a caper bush. They are little and green and usually packaged in a jar filled with salty brine so they have a kind of pickle-like taste. You can usually find them near the mustard and other condiments in your supermarket.
Not only YES, but it will taste even better if you let it sit and marinate in all its delicious ingredients for a while – pop it in the fridge if you are going to do this for more than an hour or so.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
So with so many thanks over the years to the Silver Palate Cookbook…if you don’t already have it, run, don’t walk, to the nearest bookstore.
If you do, go get it off your shelf and browse through those classic pages. It’s one in a million. Do you have a favorite recipe from this cookbook? Tell me in the comments!
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Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Chicken salad takes on a European flavor in this fresh summer recipe! Mediterranean chicken salad features feta cheese with tomatoes and green beans, spicy capers and aromatic oregano for a light and delicious spin on the classic lunchtime favorite.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast halves (about a pound total), cooked and torn into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup really good olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 pound cooked green beans
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Combine chicken in large bowl with oil and oregano. Cover and marinate for one hour.
- Add remaining ingredients, toss and season to taste with salt and pepper
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
OTHER CHICKEN SALAD RECIPES WE LOVE!
 Chicken salad is even better with herbs and walnuts! This creamy tarragon chicken salad is guaranteed to be a summer lunch favorite. |
 Your favorite already cooked chicken nuggets makes this shortcut fried chicken salad recipe both super easy and super delicious! |
 This speedy recipe for avocado chicken salad comes packed with veggies and tossed with a smooth avocado lime dressing for maximum lunchtime deliciousness! |
Thanks for the recipe and for the cookbook rec.!
purchased for .32 on amazon used…
thanks!
Hi Kate,
My absolute, favorite, go-to recipe for entertaining during the late 80s/ early 90s was Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella. Do you remember that one? Although, maybe you didn’t make it because it has olives. It also involves prunes which at first I thought was not appetizing but it did add just the right amount of sweetness. I just used to take them out before I served it. Now, off to look for my Silver Palate Cookbook.
Hi Ellie – I DO remember that one because it had such a pretty name, but you are right about the olives. I wonder if I can sub in capers? I’m going to look at my copy too. :)
The lemon chicken recipe melted many young women’s hearts on a picnic lunch. It should come with a disclaimer.
That’s the second comment on here for that lemon chicken – must try it!
I visited the Silver Palate shop in NYC in 1986 – right before they closed. It was about the size of my closet. I too can’t stand olives, or green peppers. Yuck to both!
Oh wow! I would have loved to have seen it. :)
My all-time favorite chicken recipe is Lemon Chicken from the Silver Palate cookbook.
I’m going to have to try that one!