Name: Labneh Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup labneh, (can replace with skyr, avoid greek yogurt, see Notes); 1 larger, or 2 smaller Persian or mini cucumbers; 4-5 medium garlic cloves, (minced or grated, use as much as you like garlic); zest and juice from half a medium lemon; 1 tbsp dill, (finley minced); 1 tbsp mint, (finely minced); salt and pepper; 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, (no skin); Labneh Tzatziki, (see above); 1/4 cup celery, (diced small); 1/4 cup red onion, (diced small); 3 tbsp parsley, (finely chopped); 1 tbsp dill, (finely chopped); one lemon, (zested and juiced); 1/8 tsp dried chili flakes; Salt and pepper; 2-3 tbsp sliced kalamata olives, (optional)

If you love a good chicken salad, you’re going to love this version!

A creamy and yet crisp chicken salad is one of my go-to’s for lunches during the week. Thanks to rotisserie chicken, some crunchy vegetables, and a creamy dressing to bring them all together, I can make a batch and live on it, along with fresh vegetables and some crisp crackers etc.

This summery version of a chicken salad is my new favourite. I won’t lie, I was inspired to make it when I came across a similar version on social media. I actually don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it years before. I love my Labneh Tzatziki, and we love all things Mediterranean and Levantine cuisines, so combine these with that shredded rostisserie chicken, and we now have my summer chicken salad go-to!

Labneh Tzatziki

The classic elements of a good Tzatziki sauce are Greek yogurt, lemon, cucumber, garlic, salt and pepper. I add some fresh chopped dill and mint. Traditionally you would take the Greek yogurt and drain it through cheese cloth till thickened. Years ago I decided that this step is unnecessary… if you just start with Labneh (a thick yogurt/creamy cheese) or skyr (also a much thicker yogurt than Greek yogurt). No more need for draining, the work has already been done for you.

So let’s move right on to making the Tzatziki. Using a box grater, shred one to two Persian or mini cucumbers onto a clean tea towel. I like to use both the large and small holes on the grater, for texture. Wrap the towel around the shredded cucumber and squeeze it over a bowl or the sink. If you want to save the juice (great in cocktails or smoothies) use the bowl.

Once the last bit of excess liquid is squeezed out, transfer the contents of the tea towel to a bowl. Add in the labneh, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped fresh dill and mint, and salt and pepper. Combine and set aside in the fridge for the flavours to meld.

Tzatziki Chicken Salad

Now that you have the Labneh Tzatziki ready to go, let’s make that chicken salad. When I pick up a rotisserie chicken, I take it apart right away, The amount of meat you can get off a chicken will depend on the size of the chicken of course, but usually 6 to 7, maybe even 8 cups of shredded chicken is normal. I usually divide it into 3 or so containers, along with the bones in a separate bag, to freeze. One container will make a full meal for four for enchiladas, soup, curry etc.

So, for four servings of this chicken salad, I use one container, which is about 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken. If the pieces are large, I cut them smaller, to make the texture of the final salad a pleasant one.

You will also need some crunch. Chopped red onion, celery, red or green pepper, even radishes are all options. Pick your favourites. Chop them small enough that no large chunks stand out, for a consistent texture. To make enough for four servings, I would suggest no more than 1/4 cup of whichever vegetables you choose. The more you want in there, decrease the amounts to 2-3 tablespoons, just so that the vegetables don’t take over the salad.

For more brightness and texture, chopped fresh parsley, dill and mint are my favourite herbs to add to this salad. Aim at about 3 tablespoons total for this

Combine the chicken and chopped vegetables with the Labneh Tzatziki. For this amount of salad, you may end up using half a cup of the tzatziki. Of course, you can use more, depending on how creamy you want your salad. On the other hand, if you want to loosen the salad up, instead of adding more tzatziki, add a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.

Finish with lemon zest and a dash of dried chili flakes. Sometimes I will also add chopped kalamata olives, they add the perfect briny contrast to the creamy salad.

How to Serve

Since most think sandwiches when they think Chicken Salad, let me show you a wrap that celebrates the flavours we are working with today.

Fresh, soft pita is our base. If your pita is meant to be sliced and opened, feel free to put all the ingredients for this ‘sandwich’ inside and call it a day. If you would rather wrap the whole pita around the filling, here’s what I do:

Spread some of the remaining tzatziki downt the centre of the pita. Top with crisp romaine or little gems lettuce. Add as much of the Tzatziki Chicken Salad as you like. Top with sliced tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Of course, sliced red peppers, or cucumbers will also be great additions. Now you have a seriously good way to enjoy that chicken salad. If you have some warm french fries kicking around, add some on top, trust me, it’s great!

The other way I love to serve up this chicken salad, is in a Mediterranean bowl. It’s really just a combination of all the classic Mediterranean/Agean/Levantine ingredients that we all love. So, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, peppers, kalamata olives, extra tzatziki and pita slices, feta cheese, and of course the Tzatziki Chicken Salad.

If you have leftover roasted or boiled potatoes, warm them up in a skillet till crispy along with some lemon juice and salt and pepper, and you have a quick Greek potato addition to your bowl. If you don’t have potatoes, but want to add something carby, make some white rice using chicken stock, plenty of lemon zest and salt. Once the rice is cooked and fluffed up, add a splash of fresh lemon juice and stir in. Once you like the flavour, you now have a rice version of Greek potatoes!

This is a perfect summer chicken salad. Great for picnics, or if you are hosting a shower, party etc, fill mini pita bread with the salad and finely shredded lettuce, and pile them up on a platter, they will go so fast!

Leftover tzatziki is great with grilled kebabs or fish, or even as a dip with fresh cut up veggies.

For other Mediterranean summer inspo, check out Feta Stuffed Greek Meatballs, Mediterranean Pork Souvlaki with Labneh Tzatziki, Mediterranean Rice and Shrimp Bake, Mediterranean White Bean and Tuna Salad

If you make this easy and bright Tzatziki Chicken Salad, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen