This is one of the most simple, easy, and delicious recipes for a healthy chicken salad. It takes less than 20 minutes to make, and you can always make it a little more fancy by adding more vegetables or nuts. The recipe calls for arugula, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and chicken - and then it's all brought together with a beautiful, garlicky green tahini dressing. It's healthy, simple, and full of delicious and warm flavors.
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This salad has a lot of Mediterranean flavors; the chicken is very simply cooked in lemon juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. The real key to getting the chicken SO flavorful is by slicing fresh garlic and adding it to the hot olive oil before placing the chicken in the pan. This gives the oil a beautiful flavor that then gets mixed in with the chicken perfectly. I use boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat. It's unhealthier than chicken breast, but virtually every other component of the dish is healthy so I feel it balances out well. The thigh meat retains a lot of flavor and is super tender when you cook it, but that being said - if you wanted to opt for chicken breast, you can just as easily do that and still have a beautiful plate!
As far as the greens go, I decided to use arugula because it has a naturally pepper taste to it which goes so well with the feta and tahini. There are also so many nutritious benefits to including arugula into your diet, including:
Arugula (also known as rocket), is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which are low-calorie, high fiber vegetables high in Vitamins C, E, and K
The high level of calcium in Arugula contributes to good bone health
Arugula reduces chronic inflammation with its detoxifying properties
Arugula is rich in chlorophyll, which helps prevent liver damage
And then finally, that green tahini dressing. Word to the wise: don't skimp on making this. In fact, make some extra as a dip for vegetables that you can munch on during the week. The dressing is SO, so full of flavor, and you're going to be so happy you made it. I promise that. I know I've personally always been obsessed with tahini sauce, but it's because it is such a versatile and beautiful base for so many different dishes. With this salad, you'll see exactly why.