Looking for a flavorful, protein-packed lunch that doesn’t involve mayo? This Tzatziki Chickpea Chicken Salad is here to shake up your usual routine. It’s fresh, crunchy, herby, and creamy all at once thanks to a homemade tzatziki sauce that doubles as the dressing. With rotisserie chicken, chickpeas, cucumbers, and kalamata olives, this salad is bursting with Mediterranean flavor and makes the perfect meal prep option for busy weeks.
Friends, this one is for all of us who love chicken salad…but hate mayo. Personally, I’ve never been able to get behind the classic mayo-based version. So I took matters into my own hands and gave it a Mediterranean glow-up. What you get is everything you crave in a chicken salad — crunchy, creamy, hearty, and satisfying but with a refreshing tzatziki twist that makes it feel lighter and brighter.
The real magic of this Tzatziki Chickpea Chicken Salad is the sauce. If you’ve made my tzatziki before, you already know it’s garlicky, lemony, and packed with herbs. And in this case, it becomes the perfect creamy base for a light yet filling salad. It’s loaded with rotisserie chicken (hello, convenience!), fiber-rich and protein-packed chickpeas, crisp cucumber, and briny kalamata olives to keep every bite interesting.
What I love most is how versatile it is. Stuff it into a warm pita for a quick lunch, spoon it over a bed of greens for something lighter, or pile it into a grain bowl with quinoa or farro. It also keeps super well in the fridge, so lunch is always ready when you are.
What You Need to Make This Protein-Packed Tzatziki Chickpea Chicken Salad
- Rotisserie Chicken: I’m a big fan of shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor, and rotisserie chicken is one of the best! It’s juicy, already cooked, and adds a ton of flavor to this salad.
- Chickpeas: These are the quiet hero here; they’re hearty, packed with fiber and plant-based protein.
- Kalamata Olives: These briny beauties add that salty, tangy punch thats this salad from good to great. If you’re not an olive person, you can scale back, but they really do bring serious flavor to this salad.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onion brings a sharp bite and a pop of color. If raw onion isn’t your thing, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes to take the edge off without losing the flavor.
- Persian Cucumbers: Crisp and mild, Persian cucumbers are my go-to here. They add a refreshing crunch and won’t water down the salad.
- Greek Yogurt: Thick, creamy, and tangy, Greek yogurt is the base of the sauce and gives it that signature tzatziki texture. It’s high in protein and holds everything together like a champ.
- Garlic: This is where the flavor really starts to build.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens up the whole dish. Fresh is the way to go — you want that zingy, citrusy punch.
- Fresh Dill: This is what gives tzatziki its classic flavor. Fresh dill is grassy and bright and plays so well with cucumber and lemon. Don’t skip it!
- Fresh Mint: Yes, mint! It adds an unexpected layer of freshness that makes the whole salad taste even more vibrant.
- Kosher Salt: Just enough to bring it all together. Always taste and adjust once everything is mixed.
How to Make This Chickpea Chicken Salad
To make this chicken salad, start by chopping the rotisserie chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped chicken to a large mixing bowl, then add in the drained chickpeas, kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, and finely chopped cucumbers.
Next, prepare the tzatziki sauce. In a separate bowl, add the Greek yogurt, mashed garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, chopped mint, and kosher salt. Whisk the sauce ingredients together until fully incorporated and creamy.
Pour the tzatziki sauce over the chicken salad mixture. Toss everything together until well combined and coated in the sauce.
Enjoy in a pita, over greens, or straight from the bowl! Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This salad is perfect for meal prep. It holds up well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, it’s naturally gluten-free. Just be sure to double-check any store-bought ingredients.
Stuff it into pita bread, wrap it in lettuce leaves, pile it onto a grain bowl, or enjoy it straight from the bowl. It’s super versatile.
Fresh dill and mint give the best flavor, but if needed, you can use dried. Just reduce the amount by about two-thirds.
Not as written, but you can make it dairy-free by using a plant-based yogurt. Look for a thick, unsweetened variety like coconut or almond yogurt.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Cups Rotisserie Chicken, shredded and chopped
- 15 Ounces Chickpeas, 1 can drained and rinsed
- ⅔ Cup Kalamata Olives
- ½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Persian Cucumbers, finely chopped
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
- 3 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 3 Tablespoons Dill, chopped
- ⅓ Cup Mint, chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- To make this chicken salad, start by chopping the rotisserie chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Add the chopped chicken to a large mixing bowl, then add in the drained chickpeas, kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, and finely chopped cucumbers.
- Next, prepare the tzatziki sauce. In a separate bowl, add the Greek yogurt, mashed garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, chopped mint, and kosher salt.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Pour the tzatziki sauce over the chicken salad mixture. Toss everything together until well combined and coated in the sauce.
- Enjoy in a pita, over greens, or straight from the bowl!
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Thank you for sharing this recipe! We really enjoyed it. Lots of flavour!
So happy you loved it Jill! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂