Greek Halloumi & Chicken Salad | Around the Table

Shea’s cookbook has officially launched 🎉 and in this edition of Around the Table she’s sharing her recipe for Greek Halloumi & Chicken Salad, so follow along! It’s light, fresh, full of flavor, and finished with a with a simple Mediterranean vinaigrette. Effortless yet elevated — perfect for this time of year. See the recipe below, and enjoy.

Yields: 4 servings | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Mediterranean Vinaigrette & Marinade

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
1 garlic clove
4 teaspoons kosher salt

Chicken & Halloumi Salad

About 2 pounds chicken breast, boneless and skinless
2 bell peppers, any color
1 pound on-the-vine tomatoes
1 English cucumber
1/2 red onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 ounces halloumi
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. In a small bowl whisk together the oil and vinegar. Finely mince the oregano, mint, and garlic, then whisk into the vinaigrette. Transfer 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette to a bowl or plastic bag, then add the salt to create a marinade. Set aside the remaining vinaigrette for later.

2. Butterfly the chicken breasts, then add them to the marinade and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. While the chicken marinates, dice the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Use a colander to rinse the diced onion under cold water. Transfer all of the diced vegetables to the colander with the onion and place over a large bowl. Toss the veggies with the salt and set aside to drain off any excess liquid.

4. Dice the halloumi into ½-inch pieces and preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the halloumi. Let the halloumi sear for about 3 minutes, then toss and sear for another 3 minutes. Once at least 2 sides of the halloumi are browned, remove them from the pan.

5. To the same pan, add the marinated chicken. Cover the pan and sear for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken and sear, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Continue flipping the chicken every 5 minutes, covering while it cooks, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest.

6. Transfer the drained vegetables and seared halloumi to a large bowl and toss with the remaining vinaigrette. Slice or chop the chicken, add it to the salad, and serve.