Shawarma and Chickpea Salad

Recipe by Mirel Freylich

Photo by Chana Rivky Klein

Although this salad has a lot of detail, the actual prep time is not too lengthy. Each component of this wonder-salad contributes to its outstanding outcome. Serve it with pita and you’ve got an exciting, wholesome dinner!

Yield: 2–4 servings

Ingredients:

Salad:

½ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 lb. chicken cutlets, cut into nuggets

2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

6 oz. lettuce

Spice blend:

2 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons barbecue spice

1 teaspoon chicken grill spice

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon za’atar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Israeli salad dressing:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Chickpea salad dressing:

¼ cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained

6 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon za’atar

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small pot, place ½ cup chickpeas and water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, place all spice blend ingredients and whisk until well combined. Add chicken nuggets and chickpeas and toss until well coated. Spread onto the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Cut nuggets into small cubes.

In a medium-sized bowl, place tomatoes and cucumbers. Add Israeli salad dressing ingredients and toss. Set aside.

In a bowl, place chickpea salad dressing ingredients and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

To assemble: Layer lettuce, Israeli salad, chickpeas, and chicken cubes. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss before serving.