Chicken and herb tabbouleh

V If you’re preparing chicken for Shabbat, it’s worth making extra to make this super simple and healthy salad. When you want to make the salad simply shred the chicken into thin strips without skin and bones. Use any herbs you have or prefer — anything goes. Basil, coriander, mint, parsley, rocket and even watercress are all great. Just separate the leaves from the stems and chop coarsely. If you want a more hearty salad, add thinly sliced cabbage and root vegetables. Ideally you need spring onions, but if you don’t have them you can use finely chopped plain onion. Use a good olive oil for the dressing and plenty of lemon. I often add lemon zest and even a preserved lemon. Sumac adds very Israeli sharpness And chilli really takes the salad up a notch, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

Serves: 2 - 4

INGREDIENTS

A large piece of roasted or cooked chicken, without skin and bones

A couple of handfuls of chopped herbs (basil, coriander, mint, parsley, rocket)

2 chopped spring onions ¼ chilli, finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice Grated zest of ½ a lemon

A little sumac

Salt and pepper You can add toasted flaked almonds

METHOD

l Mix the chicken strips with all the other ingredients except the herbs. When ready to serve, add the herbs, mix and serve immediately. l Options:

Classic taboulleh fans may want to soak 50g or so of bulghur wheat in water until softened and puffed nicely, and add that to the salad. l If you want a heartier salad without increasing the total calories, add half a cauliflower blitzed in a food processor until it has turned to crumbs.