About
The bold flavors of the Mediterranean come alive in this Chicken Tzatziki Salad! When you start with a homemade tahini dressing, with its creaminess and subtle nuttiness, how can you go wrong? Certainly, the roasted sweet, savory, and slightly spicy chicken only adds to the Grecian goodness, as do the juicy cucumbers, the creamy avocado, and the tangy feta cheese. Chicken Tzatziki Salad is a vacation for the senses... and yes, it comes with tzatziki! Yum!
Ingredients
- For the tahini dressing:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 cup water, optional
- salt, to taste
- red chili flakes, to taste
- For the salad:
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, cubed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons honey
- red chili flakes, optional, to taste
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 5 cups kale, shredded, can substitute a mix of kale and romaine
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 1 avocado, diced or sliced
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup mixed herbs, such as basil, dill, and parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 cups prepared tzatziki sauce
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 -In a bowl, add the tahini, the garlic, the toasted sesame oil, the lemon juice, the rice wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of the honey and whisk until smooth.
Step 3 -Add the water, as needed and a little at a time, to thin the dressing out. You may not need all of the water.
Step 4 -Taste the dressing and add the salt and the red chili flakes, as needed.
Step 5 -On a baking sheet, add the chicken pieces, the olive oil, the chili powder, the garlic powder, the paprika, the onion powder, the remaining honey, the red chili flakes, the salt, and the black pepper and toss to coat.
Step 6 -Roast until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and is lightly charred, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 7 -In a large salad bowl, add the kale, the cucumbers, and the sun-dried tomatoes.
Step 8 -Add about 1/2 of the dressing to the salad and toss to combine.
Step 9 -Add the roasted chicken pieces, the avocado, the feta, the herbs, and the sesame seeds to the salad.
Step 10 -Top the salad with the remaining dressing and lightly toss to coat.
Step 11 -Top with the tzatziki sauce and serve.
