Za'atar Chicken Chopped Salad

This za'atar chicken chopped salad is everything you want in a satisfying salad. It's bright, herby, and loaded with layers of flavor from za'atar roasted chicken, crispy pita chips, cool cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and a tangy sumac lemon dill vinaigrette.

Recipe

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Za'atar Chicken Chopped Salad

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: chicken, salad

Servings: 2

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Za'atar chicken

• 1 pound chicken breast boneless, skinless
• 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves grated
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Pita chips

• 2 pita bread
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

Sumac lemon dill vinaigrette

• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil

Remaining ingredients

• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup diced English cucumber
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ⅓ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine za'atar seasoning, olive oil, and garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Place the marinated chicken on a lined baking sheet. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
• While the chicken roasts, cut 2 pieces pita bread rounds into bite-sized squares. Toss with olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on a separate baking sheet and bake at 425°F until golden and crisp, about 8-9 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the sumac lemon vinaigrette. Combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dill, honey, sumac, and salt in a blender. Turn on the blender and slowly stream in olive oil until emulsified and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Combine chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, and mint in a large bowl. Add chopped chicken and as much salad dressing as needed. Toss gently to combine.
• Portion salad onto plates and top with pita chips. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe makes additional salad dressing. Use as much as needed.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Marinate chicken

There are two key components for this za'atar chicken chopped salad: the chicken and the dressing. Let's start with the chicken.

Pat your chicken breasts dry with paper towels, which helps the seasoning stick and gives you better color in the oven.

In a bowl, combine za'atar seasoning, olive oil, grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken. Let it marinate at room temperature for about 20 minutes while the oven heats up.

If you have more time, you can marinate it in the refridgerator overnight for an even deeper flavor.

When buying za'atar, look for a blend that includes dried thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. The quality of your za'atar will make a real difference here since it's one of the star flavors of this dish.

Step 2: Make dressing

Once the chicken is marinated, place it on a lined baking sheet and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 20 to 25 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer so you don't overcook it.

Remove the chicken from the oven, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before chopping it into bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken roasts, cut your pita bread into bite-sized squares, toss them with olive oil and salt, and spread them in a single layer on a separate baking sheet. Bake at 425°F until golden and crisp, about 8 to 9 minutes.

Keep an eye on them because they can go from golden to burnt quickly. Set the pita chips aside to cool so they stay crunchy.

While everything is in the oven, make the sumac lemon dill vinaigrette. Add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, fresh dill, honey, sumac, and salt to a blender. Turn it on and slowly stream in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you've never cooked with sumac before, it has a beautiful, tangy, almost citrusy flavor that pairs perfectly with the lemon and dill.

Step 3: Putting it all together

To bring the salad together, add chopped romaine, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, crumbled feta, chopped red onion, and fresh mint to a large bowl. Toss in the chopped za'atar chicken and drizzle with as much vinaigrette as you'd like.

Give everything a gentle toss so the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.

Portion the salad onto plates and top with the pita chips right before serving so they stay nice and crispy.

If you're meal prepping this, store the chicken, chopped vegetables, dressing, and pita chips in separate containers and assemble everything just before you're ready to eat.

Every bite of this za'atar chicken chopped salad hits differently. You get the warm, herby crunch of the za'atar chicken against the cool, crisp romaine and cucumber. The cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness, the feta adds a salty creaminess, and the fresh mint and dill keep everything feeling light and bright. Then the sumac lemon dill vinaigrette pulls it all together with that tangy, slightly sweet acidity that makes you want to go back for another forkful.

And those pita chips on top? The perfect finishing crunch.

For another fantastic salad that was just as popular with my clients, check out this fall harvest apple salad, cinnamon chile spiced steak kale salad, and the ultimate Mediterranean salad!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can marinate the chicken overnight. You can also bake the pita chips and prepare the salad dressing the day before.
• Store: Store the salad components in separate containers in the refridgerator for up to 3 days. Toss salad together with salad dressing right before serving.

More chicken salad recipes

Looking for more chicken salad ideas? Try these: