For many, ringing in the New Year comes with resolutions. And many of those resolutions involve eating better. But lest you think that means bunny food and giving up flavor, Seasoned Cooking is here to help you with great meal ideas that are brimming with flavor, great ingredients, and the nutrients your body craves. This time, we take a hint from the Middle East and a popular bulgur based salad that's good for you while being downright tasty. We amp it up with chicken and extra vegetables for a main dish salad that you will be making again and again.
The vegetables in this salad are somewhat tweakable, though fresh herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes are pretty standard. You can swap red onions for green and use a different color of bell pepper or none at all. Keep the lemon juice in the bulgur mix as it gives the salad the extra tang expected of a tabbouleh salad. And you can skip the nuts in this salad if you have an allergy or just an aversion, but I just love the extra crunch!
This salad pairs absolutely beautifully with a warm lentil soup for a perfect winter lunch or dinner. In fact, I've been known to make a big batch of both and set myself up for a week's worth of lunches in one afternoon. However you choose to serve it, enjoy this healthy, delicious salad that brings thoughts of sunshine and sea breeze your way!
Chicken Tabbouleh
- 1 cup bulgur
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 cups chopped cooked chicken - rotisserie chicken works great
- 1 cup finely chopped scallions
- ⅔ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 European seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ⅓-inch dice
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
In a large heatproof bowl, combine the bulgur with the boiling water and lemon juice; let stand until the water has been absorbed and the grains are tender, about 1 hour.
Add the olive oil, black pepper, salt, chicken, scallions, and parsley to the bulgur and let stand for 15 minutes. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and almonds; season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 75minutes - mostly waiting for the bulgur to soften