Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

4.2
(9)
9 Reviews

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.

By
Julia Levy
Julia Levy
Julia Levy

Julia Levy has been working in recipe publishing for almost a decade, but testing recipes for as long as she's been able to wield a spoon.

EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines
Published on January 22, 2024
Tested by
Amanda Holstein
Amanda Holstein
Tested by Amanda Holstein

Amanda Holstein fell in love with baking at the age of 6, and has continued to grow her passion through culinary school and working in bakeries. For more than 10 years, she worked at multiple well-known restaurants and bakeries in the Orlando, Florida, area, preparing delicious scratch-made desserts and assisting with dinner events, before becoming a test kitchen assistant at Dotdash Meredith.

Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen
Reviewed by Dietitian
Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD
Emily Lachtrupp Headshot
Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston.

EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines
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
Nutrition Profile:
Sesame-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free
the ingredients to make the Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

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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