Lebanese Chicken Fattoush Salad

Fattoush is a popular Levantine bread salad, that originated in rural Lebanon as a way to repurpose stale bread and seasonal vegetables, evolving into a beloved dish enjoyed throughout the Middle East. The name “Fattoush” comes from the Arabic word “fatt,” meaning “to crumble” or “to crush,” referring to the use of crumbled, stale flatbread in salad. As with so many other recipes, it developed out of necessity as a way of using up leftover food before it went bad. It was a creative way of reusing and repurposing everything in the times before food preservation methods were developed and regularly used.

I was looking for a way to reuse my leftover Lebanese chicken Lebanese Chicken as well as a way to reuse the last of some garlic sourdough bread. It was a warm day and a salad just sounded perfect. So I made a chicken fattoush salad, with croutons made from the last of my garlic sourdough bread. I also added some of my leftover couscous. This whole delicious and healthy salad was from leftovers. WHOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! I LOVE it!!!! Of course I made it in my own special way. Recipes are just guidelines for me. They inspire me to create my own version of whatever it is I am cooking.

Lebanese Chicken Fattoush Salad – The Dressing

I made my dressing first and let it set for awhile to get the flavors to blend together.

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2-3 TBSP lemon balsamic vinegar, optional

2 TBSP sumac

1/2 TBSP garlic

2 tsp dried mint

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP honey

Mix everything together well and let rest for a bit before using.

The Salad

This will make enough for 2 large dinner salads or 4 smaller side salads. You can also add cucumber. I just didn’t have any cucumber on hand this time.

1 cooked chicken breast, sliced thin or cubed

Romaine lettuce, shredded

2 Campari tomatoes, diced large

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1 carrot, shredded

1/3 cup croutons, preferably freshly made

1/4 cup olives, cut in half

1/4 cup cooked couscous, warmed

feta cheese crumbles, optional

You can assemble your salad ahead of time and put in the refrigerator until ready to eat, but add the dressing right before serving.

I served our fattoush with warmed pita bread and hummus (lemon hummus this time) with a chilled, cool, crisp chardonnay on the side. It was a perfect spring or summer time meal. If you don’t want chicken, it is perfectly fine just the way it is, or with some tofu as a protein option.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.