High-Protein Greek Chicken Salad Bowl — 40g Protein, Under $4.50
A salad that is also a proper meal is one of the hardest things to pull off, and this Greek chicken salad bowl does it without compromise. Sliced pan-seared chicken breast, crisp romaine, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta, dressed in a sharp lemon and oregano vinaigrette. Every element adds something — the feta for saltiness, the olives for depth, the lemon dressing for brightness — and the chicken pushes the protein to 40 grams, making this one of the most macro-complete salads on the blog. It takes twenty minutes to make and costs under four dollars and fifty cents. The lunch that makes eating healthily feel genuinely easy.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the sliced chicken with dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and rest for 2 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken rests, make the dressing: whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Build the salad: add the chopped romaine to a wide bowl as the base.
- Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and kalamata olives over the lettuce.
- Slice the rested chicken and lay it over the salad.
- Scatter the crumbled feta over everything.
- Drizzle the lemon dressing over the entire bowl.
- Finish with fresh mint leaves and a lemon wedge if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Buying a block of feta and crumbling it yourself is almost always cheaper than pre-crumbled feta, and the quality is noticeably better. Kalamata olives bought in a jar are more economical than those from a deli counter — a jar lasts for weeks in the fridge and a small amount goes a long way in flavour. Chicken breast bought in a larger pack and frozen in individual portions keeps the per-serving cost low without sacrificing quality.
