Brace yourself for the most satisfying salad ever, featuring chickpeas and Greek-seasoned chicken.  Feta and Kalamata olives add a punch of flavor that ascends to Mount Olympus and back.  When all ten layers meet in your entree-sized bowl, the result is no less than extraordinary.

I never knew how beloved a Mason jar salad could be until my friend  Jane sent me this recipe out of the blue.  After making and devouring it, I may never be able to order salad at a restaurant again.

For those of you with food sensitivities, this recipe has options.  Back when my children were dealing with a milk protein intolerance, I found that I could get away with indulging in sheep’s milk feta cheese on occasion.  So if you have someone who is sensitive (but not allergic) to milk, sheep cheese might be something to cautiously try.  The taste of sheep feta is amazing, and I would still seek it out if you’ve only ever tried goat’s or cow’s milk cheese.

If dairy milk products are out of the question for you, I suggest substituting hard-boiled eggs or seasoned tofu for the feta cheese layer, and using 1/4 cup mayonnaise in place of a cup and a half of Greek yogurt for the dressing.  Depending on how much chicken you are marinating, you may need to double or triple the dressing recipe to adjust for the loss in volume with the dairy free substitution.

Another option to save time and eliminate dairy allergies is to use a store bought Caesar or green goddess dressing. Read the labels to make sure it meets your personal dietary guidelines, but a number of commercial dressings don’t contain milk.

As a person who loves variety, I can enjoy this salad several days in a row–it’s that appealing.  And for such a fantastic alternative to boring sandwiches, I am grateful.  This salad recipe also inspired a new Greek chicken dinner recipe, which you can find here in my next post!

I’m sharing the goodness here.

Also shared at Allergy Free Thursday and Fiesta Friday, co-hosted by  Jhuls @ thenotsocreativecook and Suzanne @ apuginthekitchen.