Summer Recipe: Middle Eastern Chicken Salad

I tried this summer salad from one of my recipe books (Canadian Living Barbecue Collection, pg 319) last night, and it will definitely be one to revisit throughout the warm season. The super flavourful dressing, combined with a fresh chicken marinade and bitter greens makes it a tasty meal that soothes hunger pains without the carb/gluten intake. I imagine it would also be delicious for vegetarians, substituting the chicken for chickpeas or other proteins.

I adjusted the recipe for 2 people, keeping the proportions the same for the dressing, since I’m not a fan of dry salads. Follow these steps and let me know if you enjoyed it!

INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 servings

Marinade:
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Tahini Dressing:
1/4 cup Balkan-style plain yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Salad:
1 head Belgian endive, chopped
1 bunch watercress (tough stems removed), coarsely chopped
Half head radicchio, chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup slivered almonds or hulled pistachios
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

– Mix together dill, oil, shallot, lemon rind, salt and pepper
– Place in ziplock with chicken breasts, refrigerate for 4 hours (up to 12 hours)

– Whisk together yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, water, cumin, salt and pepper until smooth

– Toss together endive, watercress, radicchio, celery, onion, tomatoes, half of the almonds/pistachios and the mint; toss with all but 2 tbsp of the dressing

– Grill chicken over medium-high heat, turning once until no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, let sit for 5 minutes before slicing

– Divide salad among 2 plates; top with sliced chicken; drizzle remaining dressing over top; sprinkle with remaining almonds/pistachios – Enjoy!