15-Minute Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad

Here is my favorite Greek chicken mason jar salad recipe, with layers of tangy Greek vinaigrette, fresh vegetables, chickpeas, feta cheese, and seasoned chicken all packed into a convenient mason jar.

This salad has become my go-to lunch prep meal for busy weeks. I usually make three or four jars at once so I have healthy lunches ready to grab from the fridge. Plus, keeping the dressing at the bottom means everything stays crisp and fresh until you’re ready to shake it up and eat!

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this mason jar salad, you can use either grilled or baked chicken breasts, and both methods will give you great results. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken from the store, that’s actually a perfect shortcut and saves you tons of time. You can dice it into cubes for a heartier bite or shred it for a lighter texture that mixes more easily with the other ingredients. Just make sure your chicken is fully cooled before adding it to your jar, otherwise it can wilt your lettuce and make everything soggy.

Options for Substitutions

This mason jar salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Greek dressing: You can use any vinaigrette you like – red wine vinegar, lemon vinaigrette, or even Italian dressing work great. Just stick with oil-based dressings rather than creamy ones for the best results in a jar.
• Chickpeas: White beans, black beans, or even lentils make good swaps if you don’t have chickpeas on hand. They’ll give you the same protein and texture.
• Chicken breasts: Rotisserie chicken is a time-saver, or you can use leftover grilled chicken thighs for more flavor. For a vegetarian version, add extra chickpeas or some cubed tofu.
• Kalamata olives: Any pitted olives work here – green olives, black olives, or even marinated artichoke hearts if you’re not an olive fan.
• Feta cheese: Goat cheese or shredded mozzarella can replace feta, though you’ll lose some of that tangy Greek flavor. For a dairy-free option, just leave it out and add more olives or chickpeas.
• Romaine lettuce: Spinach, mixed greens, or chopped kale all work well. Just make sure whatever greens you choose are sturdy enough to hold up in the jar.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making mason jar salads is putting the ingredients in the wrong order, which leads to soggy lettuce – always keep the dressing at the bottom and the greens at the top so they stay crisp until you’re ready to eat.

Overcooking your chicken breasts will make the entire salad dry and unappetizing, so remove them from heat when they reach 155°F and let them rest for a few minutes to stay juicy.

Another common error is forgetting to pat your cucumber and tomatoes dry before adding them to the jar, as excess moisture will water down your dressing and make everything mushy.

For the best flavor, let your chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking, and if you’re meal prepping, these salads stay fresh for 3-4 days as long as you don’t shake the jar until you’re ready to eat.

What to Serve With Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad?

This salad is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some warm pita bread or pita chips on the side for scooping and crunching. A small bowl of hummus or tzatziki sauce makes a great addition if you want something extra to dip your pita into. If you’re feeding a crowd or want to make it more of a meal, add some lemon rice or couscous on the side – both soak up the Greek dressing really nicely. For a lighter option, just grab some extra veggies like bell pepper strips or carrot sticks to munch on alongside your salad.

Storage Instructions

Store: Mason jar salads are perfect for meal prep! Keep your assembled jars in the fridge for up to 4 days. The key is keeping the dressing at the bottom so your greens stay crisp and fresh until you’re ready to eat.

Make Ahead: I love prepping these on Sunday for the whole week. Just layer everything in the order listed, with the dressing first and lettuce last, and seal them tight. When you’re ready for lunch, just shake it up and dig in, or dump it into a bowl if you prefer.

Serve: These salads are meant to be enjoyed cold, straight from the fridge. Give the jar a good shake to distribute the dressing, or pour everything into a bowl and toss. The longer it sits, the more the flavors meld together, which honestly makes day 2 and 3 even better!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 400-500
• Protein: 28-34 g
• Fat: 20-26 g
• Carbohydrates: 24-32 g

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Greek vinaigrette dressing
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 large tomato (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/3 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp red onion (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Step 1: Prepare and Measure All Ingredients

• 1 large tomato
• 1/3 cup cucumber
• 2 tbsp red onion
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 1/3 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast
• 2 cups romaine lettuce
• 3 tbsp feta cheese
• 3 tbsp Greek vinaigrette dressing
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Gather all ingredients and prepare them according to specifications: dice the tomato into 1/2-inch pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half-moons, finely dice the red onion, slice the kalamata olives, rinse and drain the chickpeas, and cube the cooked chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.

Measure out the Greek vinaigrette, lemon juice, feta cheese, and dried oregano.

Having everything prepped and ready before assembly ensures smooth layering and prevents the jar from sitting open too long.

Step 2: Layer the Salad in the Mason Jar

• prepared ingredients from Step 1

Start by pouring the Greek vinaigrette into the bottom of a 32-ounce mason jar, then add the lemon juice and sprinkle the dried oregano over it—this creates a flavorful dressing base.

Layer the heavier, sturdier ingredients next: add the diced tomato, followed by the sliced cucumber, then the chickpeas, then the red onion, then the sliced olives.

I like to layer the feta cheese next because it won’t dissolve into the dressing, creating a barrier between the wet and dry ingredients.

Add the cubed chicken on top of the cheese.

Finally, top with the chopped romaine lettuce, pressing down gently so the jar closes properly.

The lettuce sits above the dressing line, staying crisp until you’re ready to eat.

Step 3: Seal and Store Until Ready to Serve

Screw the lid tightly onto the mason jar.

The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

When you’re ready to eat, shake the jar vigorously for 10-15 seconds to distribute the dressing throughout all the ingredients, then pour the entire contents into a bowl or onto a plate and enjoy.

15-Minute Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad

Delicious 15-Minute Greek Chicken Mason Jar Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 450

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp Greek vinaigrette dressing
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 large tomato (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup cucumber (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/3 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp red onion (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Method

 

1. Gather all ingredients and prepare them according to specifications: dice the tomato into 1/2-inch pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half-moons, finely dice the red onion, slice the kalamata olives, rinse and drain the chickpeas, and cube the cooked chicken into 1-inch pieces. Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Measure out the Greek vinaigrette, lemon juice, feta cheese, and dried oregano. Having everything prepped and ready before assembly ensures smooth layering and prevents the jar from sitting open too long.
2. Start by pouring the Greek vinaigrette into the bottom of a 32-ounce mason jar, then add the lemon juice and sprinkle the dried oregano over it—this creates a flavorful dressing base. Layer the heavier, sturdier ingredients next: add the diced tomato, followed by the sliced cucumber, then the chickpeas, then the red onion, then the sliced olives. I like to layer the feta cheese next because it won't dissolve into the dressing, creating a barrier between the wet and dry ingredients. Add the cubed chicken on top of the cheese. Finally, top with the chopped romaine lettuce, pressing down gently so the jar closes properly. The lettuce sits above the dressing line, staying crisp until you're ready to eat.
3. Screw the lid tightly onto the mason jar. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. When you're ready to eat, shake the jar vigorously for 10-15 seconds to distribute the dressing throughout all the ingredients, then pour the entire contents into a bowl or onto a plate and enjoy.