I’ve been wanting to post a greek-marinated chicken recipe and while exploring for inspiration, found another tasty alternative to traditional green leaves and zucchini noodles…cucumber noodles! And how perfect is that with a greek-inspired dish right!? This recipe is so flavorful, yet so light and summery. The light saltiness of the Kalamata olives and feta cheese really compliment the bright herby and lemony flavors of the chicken and dressing. Being a huge cucumber fan (He just snacks on it whole, like a giant carrot), my husband said he prefers this over any other type of salad!

 -Melanie

Health tips: Heart healthy, low fat, anti-inflammatory, diabetes friendly, low carb

Ingredients (4 servings)

Chicken Marinade

• 1/3 cup lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 full chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (about 2 lbs.)

Cucumber Salad

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 English cucumber, cut in two halves
• 1/2 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small jar (about 6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

Steps

1. Whisk together all chicken marinade ingredients.
2. Butterfly slice the chicken down the middle so there are now 4 thinner pieces.
3. Submerge the chicken in the marinade in a bowl or freezer bag, and marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
4. In the meantime, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. Set aside.
5. Spiralize both cucumber halves. Snip cucumber noodles occasionally to shorten the strands. Place the cucumber noodles into a strainer lined with a paper towel or coffee filter, and blot any excess moisture with another paper towel. Allow excess water to drain prior to assembling salad.
6. In a medium bowl, mix together the cucumber noodles, onion and tomatoes. Pour in half the dressing and toss. Set aside in the fridge to marinate a bit.
7. When chicken is done marinating, preheat outdoor or indoor grill to medium high.
8. Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side until you get browned grill marks. Turn heat to low and continue to slow cook, covered, about 2 minutes until inside temperature reads 165-170 degrees F. Take chicken off heat and let rest it a minute.
9. In the meantime, take cucumber salad out of the fridge and drain out any excess liquid. Add in the artichoke hearts, olives and 2 tablespoons of feta cheese. Drizzle with remaining dressing and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings if desired.
10. Slice chicken across the grain and place on top of salad. Garnish with remaining feta cheese, and more lemon juice and pepper on top if desired. Enjoy!