PCOS-friendly Middle Eastern chicken salad is full of flavor and delicious!
This salad was inspired by a couple of recipes I found while searching for a use for the carrots and radishes in my CSA share this week. I’m really pleased with how the flavors turned out with it!
In addition to being flavorful, this recipe packs a nutritional punch! It’s got 12 grams of fiber, including soluble fiber from the chickpeas, which helps metabolic and hormone health. It’s also a great source of some key minerals for females with PCOS like magnesium and zinc. And for you perimenopausal ladies here, it’s high in folate which can help with hot flashes. Give it a try!
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
1 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 1/4 tsp sea salt (divided)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/4 tsp black pepper (divided)
1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
1 lb carrots (sliced)
1 cup radishes (halved)
13 1/3 ozs chickpeas (canned, rinsed and drained)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1 1/2 tsp za'atar spice (divided)
1 lemon (juiced and zested)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup pistachios (chopped or pulsed in food processor)
1 head lettuce
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, the minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper, and place chicken thighs in the dish. Sprinkle spice mix all over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. If time allows, let chicken marinate, refrigerated for 1 - 2 hours. When ready to cook, cook chicken for 30 - 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine sliced carrots, halved radishes, drained chickpeas, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp za'atar, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well to evenly coat the veggies. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes or until carrots and radishes are easily pierced with a fork.
In the same bowl you used to mix your chicken spices, combine juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp za'atar, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tbsp mustard. Mix to combine.
To assemble, chop up cooked chicken. Mix with veggie mix and lemon dressing. On each plate, add greens, chicken and veggie mix, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Serves 5
Nutrition Information
The basics:
Calories: 531
Total Fat: 25g
Carbohydrates: 40g
Protein: 40g
Fiber: 12g
Notable vitamins and minerals:
Potassium: 26%
Vitamin A: 26%
Vitamin C: 30%
Calcium: 10%
Iron: 43%
Vitamin B6: 76%
Folate: 46%
Magnesium: 28%
Zinc: 36%
Selenium: 65%