Grilled Chicken and Halloumi Salad with Lemon Dressing

If you're looking for a summer recipe that feels fresh, filling, and a little bit fancy without being fussy, this Grilled Chicken and Halloumi Salad with Lemon Dressing is it. Think smoky charred chicken, golden brown halloumi, blistered peppers, ribbons of cucumber, briny olives, and crunchy pistachios all tossed over a bed of herbs and greens. It's the kind of dish you can serve warm off the grill or at room temperature, which makes it perfect for backyard dinners with family and friends.

What is Halloumi Cheese?

Halloumi is a brined, semi-hard cheese that originates from Cyprus and is popular in Mediterranean cooking. It's usually made from a blend of sheep's and goat's milk (sometimes cow's milk too) and is well known for its high melting point. That means instead of turning gooey, it holds its shape when cooked, making it perfect for grilling or pan-frying. The outside gets golden and crisp while the inside stays soft and chewy, with a salty, savoury flavour that pairs beautifully with fresh vegetables and herbs.

Why We Love This Recipe

• Perfect balance of smoky, salty, tangy, and fresh flavours
• Hearty enough for a main course but light enough for summer dining
• Flexible - can be served warm or at room temperature
• Impressive presentation for gatherings without extra fuss
• Naturally gluten-free and easy to adapt

Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients

• Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh oregano (or dried oregano)
• Garlic
• Red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Salad Ingredients

• Herb salad mix (spring mix + parsley, dill, and cilantro)
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Halloumi cheese
• Red bell peppers
• Red onions
• Persian cucumbers
• Lemons
• Olives (We used a mix of Kalamata & pitted Halkidiki)
• Dried oregano
• Pistachios

Dressing Ingredients

• Reserved marinade
• Lemon juice
• Honey
• Olive oil

See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken and halloumi

In a mini food processor (or bowl with whisk), mix lemon juice, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until combined.

Reserve ¼ cup of marinade for the dressing.

Toss chicken with ¼ cup marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Toss halloumi with 2 tablespoons of marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prep the grill and skewers

Preheat the grill on high.

Thread chicken onto 2 skewers. Thread halloumi onto 1 skewer.

In a small grill-safe skillet, combine olives, dried oregano, and lemon zest. Set aside.

Make the salad dressing

Whisk reserved marinade with lemon juice and honey, then drizzle in olive oil. Set aside.

Grill vegetables and protein

Place red peppers on the grill and char until blackened and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam.

Reduce grill heat to medium-high.

Brush onion halves with olive oil and place cut side down on the grill along with chicken skewers. Grill 5-6 minutes, turning chicken once.

Flip chicken again, then add lemons (cut side down), olives, and halloumi skewers. Grill 6-8 more minutes, turning everything once.

Tip: Chicken should be cooked through with crispy edges, and halloumi should be golden with grill marks.

Finish peppers and assemble

Peel charred skin from peppers, remove seeds and stems, and slice into strips.

Remove chicken, onions, lemons, and halloumi from the grill. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Leave olives on grill (with lid open, heat off) to stay warm.

Assemble the salad

Place salad mix on a large platter.

Add cucumber ribbons, pistachios, roasted peppers, and grilled lemon halves.

Slice grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces and scatter on top.

Cut halloumi cubes into 3 pieces (total 12) and add to salad.

Cut onion halves into quarters and add.

Serve with warm olives and lemony dressing.

Tips & Substitutions

• Halloumi alternatives: Use grilled feta if halloumi is unavailable.
• Vegetarian option: Replace chicken with grilled eggplant, zucchini, or portobello mushrooms.
• Nut-free: Swap pistachios for roasted chickpeas or sunflower seeds.
• Greens substitute: Use baby spinach, baby kale, arugula, butter lettuce, or any fresh herb mix.
• Extra veggies & toppings: Add pomegranate seeds, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, avocado, sesame seeds, or pine nuts.
• Meal prep tip: Grill extra chicken and halloumi for salads, grain bowls, or sandwiches later. Place in airtight container and refrigerate. 
• Serving suggestion: Serve with warm pita, hummus, or tzatziki for a complete Mediterranean meal.

📖 Recipe

Grilled Chicken and Halloumi Salad with Lemon Dressing

If you're looking for a summer recipe that feels fresh, filling, and a little bit fancy without being fussy, this Grilled Chicken and Halloumi Salad with Lemon Dressing is it. Think smoky charred chicken, golden brown halloumi, blistered peppers, ribbons of cucumber, briny olives, and crunchy pistachios all tossed over a bed of herbs and greens. It's the kind of dish you can serve warm off the grill or at room temperature, which makes it perfect for backyard dinners with family and friends.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Marinating Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• 3 long metal skewers or 3-5 wooden skewers (Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes)
• 1 Grill-safe skillet (or small pan if warming olives on the stove)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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Marinade Ingredients

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Salad Ingredients

• 5 oz herb salad mix spring mix + parsley, dill, and cilantro
• Substitution: Use baby spinach arugula, or any fresh greens with a handful of chopped fresh herbs
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1¼ inch cubes
• 6 oz halloumi cheese cut into 4 pieces (about 1 x 2-inch cubes)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 red onions or one large red onion, cut in halves
• 3-4 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, sliced lengthwise into ribbons (a mandoline works best)
• 1 lemon halved
• 30 olives We used a mix of Kalamata & pitted Halkidiki
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup lightly salted pistachios shelled

Dressing Ingredients

• ¼ cup reserved marinade
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

 

Marinate the chicken and halloumi

• In a mini food processor (or bowl with whisk), mix lemon juice, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until combined.
• Reserve ¼ cup of marinade for the dressing.
• Toss chicken with ¼ cup marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Toss halloumi with 2 tablespoons of marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prep the grill and skewers

• Preheat grill on high.
• Thread chicken onto 2 skewers.
• Thread halloumi onto 1 skewer.
• In a small grill-safe skillet, combine olives, dried oregano, and lemon zest. Set aside.

Make the salad dressing

• Whisk reserved marinade with lemon juice and honey, then drizzle in olive oil. Set aside.

Grill vegetables and protein

• Place red peppers on the grill and char until blackened and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam.
• Reduce grill heat to medium-high.
• Brush onion halves with olive oil and place cut side down on the grill along with chicken skewers. Grill 5-6 minutes, turning chicken once.
• Flip chicken again, then add lemons (cut side down), olives, and halloumi skewers. Grill 6-8 more minutes, turning everything once.
• Tip: Chicken should be cooked through with crispy edges, and halloumi should be golden with grill marks.

Finish peppers and assemble

• Peel charred skin from peppers, remove seeds and stems, and slice into strips.
• Remove chicken, onions, lemons, and halloumi from grill. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Leave olives on grill (with lid open, heat off) to stay warm.

Assemble the salad

• Place salad mix on a large platter.
• Add cucumber ribbons, pistachios, roasted peppers, and grilled lemon halves.
• Slice grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces and scatter on top.
• Cut halloumi cubes into 3 pieces (total 12) and add to salad.
• Cut onion halves into quarters and add.
• Serve with warm olives and lemony dressing.

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Keyword chicken & halloumi recipes, chicken and halloumi recipes, chicken halloumi, chicken halloumi salad, grilled halloumi salad, halloumi cheese salad

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