Meal: Lunch or Dinner  
Dietary Type: Omnivore 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

The Dish
Looking for a healthy and delicious salad, one that borrows some amazing flavor inspiration from the Mediterranean and Middle East? Well, look no further.

To start with, the salad dressing is made using tahini (a savory sesame seed paste, that’s peanut butter-like in texture and consistency), lemon juice, dijon, honey, and olive oil. Then, the chicken is marinated in a za’atar spice blend (za’atar is made using dried herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac) before being skewered and grilled. Yum! Finally, the salad itself is a combo of spinach, chickpeas, quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a smattering of feta cheese crumbles. 

There are oodles of modification options for this salad as well. For our vegan and vegetarian friends, tofu is a great alternative to the chicken in this recipe. 

Ingredients
Tahini Dressing: 
1 lemon, juiced 
3 tablespoons (45 ml) tahini 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dijon mustard 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey 
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil 

Chicken Skewers: 
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes 
2 tablespoons (14 g) za’atar seasoning 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil 
1 teaspoon (4 g) salt 

Salad: 
1 5 oz pack (142 g) spinach, chopped 
1 15.5 oz can (439 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/2 cup (90 g) cooked quinoa 
1 cup (100 g) cucumbers, sliced 
1 1/2 cup (175 g) cherry tomatoes, halved 
1/3 cup (70 g) feta cheese crumbles 

Preparation 

• Preheat grill to medium high heat. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together (lemon juice, tahini, dijon, honey, and oil) until blended. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 
• Place chicken pieces in a bag or sealable container. Season with za’atar, oil and salt, cover or seal and shake to coat. Place chicken pieces on prepared skewers and place on the grill. 
• Grill skewers for 12-15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
• Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl (spinach, chickpeas, quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta) and toss to combine. 
• Serve salad topped with skewers and drizzled with dressing. 

Vegetarian and Vegan Modifications: Tofu, seitan, and tempeh all work very well in this recipe (and with the za’atar seasoning). Substitute maple syrup for honey in the salad dressing ingredients to round out a vegan alternative.  

Gluten Free Modifications: N/A  

Have you ever considered planning out your meals more carefully, just like you do your workouts? Check out our calendar-based Meal Plan, which was built with registered dietitians and nutritionists, so you know it's going to be good. It's a healthy, whole food meal plan that details 3 meals and 3 snacks, every day for four weeks.