Do you know what I don’t always have in my kitchen? Tahini. Do you know what I almost always have on hand? Hummus. As delicious and versatile as tahini is, it hasn’t quite reached the same kitchen staple status as hummus or even peanut butter so when I’m craving that nutty tahini flavor I reach for my hummus. After all, it has tahini in it, right?
To get my tahini fix without buying a whole jar of the stuff, I’m making a chicken kale salad with a super simple lemon hummus dressing. Super simple as in I whisk lemon juice and hummus and – ta da – dressing. The hummus I buy already has olive oil and seasoning so I don’t need to add anything else to get the flavor I want.
To drive that sesame flavor home, I season my chicken with sesame seeds along with ground thyme. The chicken can either be grilled or cooked on the stovetop so this is a great recipe for summer or winter.
The salad gets topped with sun dried tomatoes and crunchy, slivered almonds. I also add sliced avocado for an additional creamy element. Because I’m using hearty kale as my base, this salad can be made ahead of time making it perfect to bring along for lunch.
This dish is simple and packed with fresh flavor. Make it for dinner or pack it for lunch and tell me about it in the comments below!
Mediterranean Chicken Kale Salad with Hummus Dressing
Serves 2
For the Chicken
- 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tsp Ground Thyme
- 2 Tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- Zest from 1 Lemon
Preheat your grill to medium or use a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Coat the chicken in the olive oil and set aside. Mix the thyme, sesame, and salt in a small bowl and season the chicken with the mixture. Cook the chicken on the grill or on the stovetop for 4-5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 160. Sprinkle with lemon zest and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Salad
- 4 Cups Chopped Kale
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
- 1 Avocado, Sliced
- Fresh Lemon Juice, Optional
Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Massage the oil into the kale until the kale is broken down and tender. Divide into two bowls and top with sun dried tomatoes, almonds, avocado, and chicken. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if using.
For the Dressing
- 1/2 Cup Hummus
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Whisk the hummus and lemon juice together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
