Za'atar Chicken with Peach Cucumber Salad


Although I've been posting somewhat regularly on the blog, I was actually away from my kitchen for over a week. I was in Mendocino enjoying the coastal fog and scenery and taking a break from the everyday stuff. I had some drafted posts lined up to go on the blog from before, so it was easy to update it every now and then. But now I'm back in my kitchen properly and raring to go.
I made this za'atar chicken before my vacation but didn't end up taking pictures since it was too late in the evening to take good pictures. My husband loved the chicken a lot and so I decided to make it again to please him as well as to get this post up. Two birds with one stone ;)


This grilled chicken is garlicky in the best way possible. The grilling mellows out the sharpness to make the garlic sweet and the yogurt does wonders on tenderness of the chicken. The peach-cucumber summery salad is a really good accompaniment to the chicken having some middle eastern flair with the cucumbers, feta, cilantro and za'atar (or dukkah blend) sprinkled on top. I could eat meals like this every day of the summer and not get tired!

Za'atar Chicken recipe adapted from Dinner: Changing The Game
Makes 6 servings (with a light salad)

Ingredients:
150 gm or 2/3 cup greek yogurt
8 fat garlic cloves
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/3 bunch cilantro, stems and all
1 tbsp za'atar
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp water
2 lbs bonesless & skinless chicken thighs

Procedure:
Blend yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, cilantro, za'atar, sea salt and water in a blender and pour over chicken and let marinate overnight. Take out the chicken to come to room temp an hour or so before grilling. Preheat grill on high and grill on same heat for 8 minutes on each side.

Peach Cucumber Salad recipe adapted from Eye Swoon Website
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
12 oz (about 2 large-ish) kirby cucumbers, cut into rough 1 inch chunks
2 peaces, halved and sliced into 1/4" slices
1/2 cup pickled red onions (boil 1/2 cup white wine vinegar with 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp coriander seeds and pour over 1 medium red onion, sliced, and let cool)
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced into rounds
1 cup tender cilantro stems and leaves
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp olive oil (or to taste)
1 1/2 limes, juiced
flaky sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp s\dukkah blend (or even za'atar)- optional

Procedure:
Layer a large platter with cucumbers first and then scatter peaches over it. Do the same with pickled onions, serrano peppers and cilantro. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Drizzle olive oil and squeeze fresh lime juice. Add flake sea salt and fresh ground pepper and serve. Sprinkle with za'atar or dukkah - a seed/spice blend from the middle east. Enjoy!


Comments