Moroccan Chicken, Chickpea, Carrot & Spinach Salad

Created by Lyndey for Selector Magazine July – August 2016
Photography by Brett Stevens

Moroccan Chicken, Chickpea, Carrot & Spinach Salad

My Moroccan chicken salad will transport you far away with it’s fresh and fragrant flavours.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15-20minutes

Ingredients

3 – 4 (600g) free-range chicken breast fillets
2 cups (500ml) organic chicken stock or water
1 cup (250 ml)) dry white wine
1 bunch coriander, washed, leaves chopped, stems reserved
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots (300g), peeled, cut into rough chunks
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, finely sliced
60g dates, chopped or raisins
100g baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup seed mix e.g. pepita, sunflower , sesame seeds, pine nuts or similar, toasted
Dressing
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (40 ml) lemon juice (1 lemon)
3 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

1. Place stock or water, wine, garlic and coriander roots and stalks in a small deep frying pan. Bring to the boil, add chicken and return to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and poach chicken for 10 minutes, turning half-way, then add the carrots. Cook another 5 – 10 minutes or until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile in a large bowl combine the chickpeas, onion and dates.
For the dressing, whisk all ingredients together and pour all but 1-2 tablespoons over the
chickpea mixture and allow to marinate.

3. Remove coriander stalks and roots form poaching pan. Remove chicken from pan and roll in chopped coriander leaves. Pour remainder of pan contents through a sieve and reserve the poaching liquid. Add the carrots and garlic and any remaining coriander leaves to the chickpea mixture and toss through with spinach leaves and seed mix and stir to combine.

4. To serve, place a generous mound of chickpea salad on each plate, slice chicken on an angle and plate on top. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve immediately.

Lyndey’s Note: Save the poaching liquid and use in stocks, soups or sauces.

Other Salad Recipes:
Thai salad lettuce bites
Blood orange salad with baby beets feta and pinenuts
Salad with Pancetta, Goats Cheese and Pomegranate Molasses Dressing