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Salads

Sumac Chicken Salad with Zesty Yogurt Sauce

Bright and tangy sumac stars in this crowd-pleasing salad.

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If you’re not super familiar with sumac, you’re about to become a big fan. In this Sumac Chicken Salad with Zesty Yogurt Sauce, we’ve put the ingredient to use in two ways to make one can’t-miss kale salad.

What, exactly, is sumac? You’ll notice right away that it’s impressively colorful. Sumac is a tart, citrusy berry that’s ground into a brilliant pink powder, and it adds an unexpected acidic pop to whatever it’s sprinkled over or mixed into. In fact, it’s bright and lemony in flavor – and you can use sumac in place of lemon zest. The pinker the sumac, the fresher it is.

But sumac isn’t just gorgeous in its color and flavor. The vibrant spice is also a superfood that’s rich in antioxidants, which help to neutralize free radicals. It also packs a powerful anti-inflammatory punch.

As you make this recipe, you’ll likely have extra sauce left over – don’t let it go unused! You can use it as a delicious dip for veggies. Or, you can turn the ingredients (including the dip) used to make this salad into a Mediterranean-inspired bowl with a bed of grains. No matter how you enjoy it, you’ll get a big serving of good-for-you nutrients.

Sumac Chicken Salad with Zesty Yogurt Sauce

Servings
4
Prep Time
20 min
Duration
50 min

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 breasts)
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 small eggplant, cut into 1⁄2-inch half-moons
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 bunch kale, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 1⁄2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp sumac
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1⁄2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 1⁄2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

Preparation

  1. Prepare salad: Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chicken on one side of baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine sumac and 1 tbsp oil; brush mixture over chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Toss eggplant with cumin, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper.
    Add to the other half of the sheet and continue baking for 25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and eggplant is tender and lightly browned. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then slice chicken.
  2. To a medium bowl, add kale and cabbage and massage with remaining oil. Add onion and vinegar and toss.
  3. Prepare sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients except yogurt in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes, then
    stir in yogurt.
  4. When ready to serve, divide kale mixture among bowls. Top with sliced chicken, eggplant and yogurt sauce.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size ¼
  • Calories 330
  • Carbohydrate Content 18 g
  • Cholesterol Content 67 mg
  • Fat Content 16 g
  • Fiber Content 7 g
  • Protein Content 30 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 3 g
  • Sodium Content 498 mg
  • Sugar Content 8 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 10 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 2 g