Lemon Rosemary Warm Chicken Salad

Lemon Rosemary Warm Chicken Salad

I created this recipe “Johnny-on-the-spot” to be used as a filling for the homemade pita bread I made the other day.  I loved the flavor combination, as well as the great texture – with the use of both cooked vegetables as well as a little fresh cabbage for that added crunch!

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lemon, juiced & zested

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, (a few inches long)

1/2 of a large head of cabbage, chopped (save some back)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil, separated

5 mushrooms, sliced

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 cup of cooked or canned garbanzo beans, drained

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Marinate the chicken in a zipped bag containing 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 sprig of rosemary (several inches long) which has been crushed, the juice of 1 large lemon, and lemon zest.  Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

Drain the marinade, & discard the sprig of rosemary.  Cook the chicken in a skillet containing the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, allowing it to brown & cook through.  Add the onions & cook until golden, then add the remaining vegetables,  & cook until just crisp – tender.   Add the garbanzo beans just long enough to heat through, & season with salt & pepper.  The tomatoes & mushrooms should create just a little juice that you can use to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan (or you can deglaze with a little water, or additional fresh lemon juice).  Taste & adjust seasonings, add additional lemon zest if desired.  Remove from the heat, & toss with the remaining (uncooked) cabbage which will add a little crispness to the warm salad.  Serve as is, over rice, or as a stuffing for pita bread as I have done.

Pita Stuffed with Lemon Rosemary Warm Chicken Salad

Recipe Notes:  

You can make up a little Italian type of dressing to drizzle over the top as I have done in the photo above, either with oil & lemon juice (or oil & vinegar) & seasonings.  Yum!