Salads

Sumac Chicken Salad with Zesty Yogurt Sauce

Name: Sumac Chicken Salad with Zesty Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 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; 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

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

Himi Hunaidi

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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.