Fattoush is a salad from the Levantine region made with lots of fresh herbs, crunchy raw vegetables – cucumber, tomatoes, radishes and toasted pieces of toasted flat bread, drizzled in a lemony dressing. I’ve included grilled spiced chicken (a rotis chicken would also be delicious and create a speedier meal) and chickpeas, neither of which are traditional in fattoush but I’m not claiming authenticity here. Chicken Fattoush combines what I consider one of the best salads with protein making it more of a meal salad than simply a side. I like to top this particular salad with Spiced Tahini Chickpeas but plain canned, jarred or cooked, dried chickpeas would be more than acceptable.
Jump to RecipeThere are many things appealing about this salad: the texture of the crunchy cucumber, bell pepper and the toasted bread, the ease in which it comes together (minus the chicken) and the herbs – mint, parsley and cilantro with the lemon dressing all come together to make this such a lively, summery salad that you know is both good for you and completely delicious. I also love this Pork Souvlaki with Fattoush recipe. I hope both become your new summer favorites. Fattoush epitomizes summer’s bounty and thankfully, summer is now upon us.
CHICKEN FATTOUSH
Ingredients
SPICED CHICKEN
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
LEMON DRESSING
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
PITA SALAD
- 4 pita breads
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 4 medium, ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 8 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro coriander
- 4 oz feta cheese, sliced
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- Combine the spices in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and chill for 4 to 8 hours or overnight if you have the time.
- Cook chicken on a greased grill over medium heat for 15 minutes turning once or twice until the chicken is cooked but not overcooked. Remove to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.
To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.
To assemble the salad:
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Brush pitas with a little oil. Place them on 2 baking sheets. Cook in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden; cool. Break pita into pieces and set aside.
- Combine remaining ingredients, except for the cheese, in a medium bowl. Add the 3/4 of the dressing and toss to combine. Arrange the chicken on the salad. Add the feta, remaining salad dressing and pita pieces. Serves 4.
Nutrition