Salads aren’t always for just Summer or when you are trying to loose an odd pound or too. They can be very exciting and that is what I wanted to show you this week and maybe introducing you to some flavours you haven’t tried yet.
I love this time of year for Comfort food but in-between I have to eat things like this to give me a little break. Plus theres going to be some more indulgent foods in a couple of weeks so this recipe might help to keep you feeling lighter along the way.
The key to this recipe is using lots of fresh herbs in the salad but if you cant get some of them, I’ve given alternatives. The sumac in the cous cous gives a lovely citrus vibrancy and along with the Harissa chicken will still give you a warming touch. A light dish but yet still very comforting.
Harissa Chicken with sumac cous cous salad:
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
Chicken
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken thighs (add more if you want it )
- 2-3 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, bashed
- 1-2 tsp Harissa spice, add more if needed ( I use Spice Kitchen )
Cous cous
- 200g Cous cous
- 400 ml chicken stock or to just cover the cous cous
- 2 tsp sumac ( I use Spice Kitchen )
- Handful of chopped cucumber
- handful of cherry/baby plum tomatoes quartered
- 1 small red onion sliced
- 1/4-1/2 fennel sliced thinly
- 75g white cabbage shredded
- a couple of handfuls of baby leaf salad such as spinach, rocket, red chard, red ruby chard etc…
- Selection of herbs chopped (a good sprig of each, the more the merrier)
:- Mint
:- Lovage (Use celery leaves if cant get)
:- Lemon verbena (use lemon zest if cant get)
:- I also used Salad burnet (which tastes like cucumber, I got mine from my local garden centre)
- Cracked black pepper to season
- sea salt ( I used pink himalayan salt ) to season
To finish
- a good sprig of chopped fresh coriander leaves
- Some fennel fronds
- drizzle of rapeseed oil
Method:
- In a bowl cover your cous cous with the stock just so its covered and cover the bowl with foil. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle your chicken thighs with the Harissa spice and place into a hot frying pan. Cook until your chicken is cooked throughout. Whilst your chicken is cooking throw in your 2 bashed garlic cloves to the pan.
- In the mean time whilst this is cooking, go back to your cous cous. By now it should be nice and fluffy.
- Place the cous cous into a mixing bowl along with all other ingredients. Mix well.
* When your chicken is cooked, Place the cous cous salad onto a plate or bowl, slice up the chicken, add your “to finish ingredients” and done.
ChezJ9 