Tzatziki chicken salad is the perfect make-ahead cold lunch recipe. Shredded rotisserie chicken is topped with a tangy tzatziki sauce that's filled with fresh flavors from cucumber, dill, and Greek yogurt.
Chicken salad is the perfect lunch when you're on the go and need to plan ahead. Served cold, this tzatziki chicken salad is filled with fresh, bright flavor - the perfect summertime lunch.
Rotisserie chicken saves you some major time in the kitchen - this chicken salad comes together in minutes and lasts for days in the refrigerator. Perfect for your lunch meal prep!
Serve your chicken salad on a pita, sandwich bread, with crackers as an appetizer, or over a bed of lettuce as a salad.
Ingredients and substitutions
Rotisserie chicken is my favorite option when making chicken salad. But, it can be substituted with 16 ounces of cooked and shredded chicken or canned chicken. If cooking your own, lightly season your chicken with salt and pepper. Taste your chicken salad before serving and season more as needed.
Fresh dill can be substituted with fresh mint or parsley, or a combination of all three. However, I highly recommend dill for the best flavor. Dried dill can be substituted if needed (at ⅓ the amount). But, I highly recommend using fresh herbs for best flavor.
Lemon juice can be substituted with red wine vinegar.
Make sure you you squeeze the extra water out of your cucumber before adding it to the chicken salad. Extra moisture will make your sauce runny.
What is tzatziki?
Tzatziki (pronounced zat-zee-key) is a dip or sauce found commonly in Southeast Europe and the Middle East.
If you've ever had a Greek gyro, it is often filled with lamb, chicken, or pork, served with sliced vegetables and tzatziki sauce.
It is made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs like dill, mint, or parsley.
Tzatziki is a creamy, mild, and tangy sauce. Cucumber and dill give it a refreshing and light flavor, making it perfect for spring and summer.
For more information: Wikipedia - Tzatziki
Make ahead and storage
This chicken salad is excellent to make ahead for weekday meal prep and keep on hand for lunches all week.
Your chicken salad will keep for 3 to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
If your chicken salad has been sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it should be discarded. If packing your chicken salad for lunch, store it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack!
Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cooked rotisserie chicken
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, grated
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Remove the meat from your rotisserie chicken and shred into bite size pieces. Add to a large bowl along with red onion. Set aside.
- Squeeze the excess moisture from your grated cucumber, then add to a bowl along with Greek yogurt, dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour sauce over chicken and onions, then toss until coated.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Chicken salad will keep for 3-5 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Chicken salad that has been sitting out for more than 2 hours at room temperature should be discarded.
- Rotisserie chicken can be substituted with 16 ounces of cooked and shredded chicken, or canned chicken.
- Fresh dill can be substituted with dried dill at ⅓ the amount listed.
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