Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

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The creamy feta dressing steals the show in this protein-rich salad that makes a perfect lunch or quick and easy dinner. While you can buy feta cheese already crumbled, we like crumbling our own fresh from the block for this salad. While we prefer the slightly sharper flavor of sheep’s-milk feta, cow’s-milk feta works just as well.

a recipe photo of the Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing
Photo:

Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Servings:
4
the ingredients to make the Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Ingredients

Creamy Feta Dressing

  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

  • 1/2 cup whole-milk plain yogurt 

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salad

  • 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach

  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

  • 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed 

  • 2 medium Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced on an angle

  • 1 cup sliced bell pepper

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Directions

  1. Prepare dressing: Combine feta, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a mini food processor; process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Stir in dill.

    a step showing the ingredients to make the dressing in a food processor

    Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

  2. Prepare salad: Divide spinach, chicken, chickpeas, cucumbers, peppers and almonds among 4 plates. Drizzle each with 1/4 cup dressing before serving.

    a photo of the salad mixed together with the dressing beside it

    Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Tip

For the best flavor, toast nuts before using in a recipe. To toast sliced nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

To make ahead

Refrigerate dressing (Step 1) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: about 2 1/3 cups salad & 1/4 cup dressing

Calories 378, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 6g, Cholesterol 77mg, Carbohydrates 25g, Total Sugars 6g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 31g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 659mg, Potassium 559mg

EatingWell.com, January 2024

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