About the Recipe
Za'atar is one of those spice blends that makes everything taste more interesting without being overwhelming. The sumac in it gives you this lemony tang without actual lemon, which I love because it won't make your marinade too acidic. Chicken thighs stay juicy on the grill way better than breasts, and they soak up that za'atar flavor deeper. I segment the cara cara oranges because the membrane can be bitter, and reserve the juicing for the dressing. Wild rice has this nutty chew that brown rice just can't match. The sherry vinegar in the dressing is key. It's mellower than red wine vinegar but more complex than white. Room temperature is perfect for this salad. You want all those flavors to meld together, not be shocked by cold.
Ingredients
5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 T lemon juice (one lemon)
1 T olive oil
2 tsp Zaatar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups cooked Rice Blend
3 radishes, cut into sticks
4 green onions, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced, small sticks
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
3 oranges, segmented, juice reserved
1 T Dijon (Maile is best)
2 T orange juice
2 T lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T sherry vinegar
1 T honey
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, zaatar, salt and pepper with the chicken thighs and let mariante for 1 hour. Once marinated, grill until cooked through. Let rest. If you are not using cooked rice; cook and cool your rice.
Step 2
Cut the vegetables and segment the oranges, reserving the orange juice for the dressing.
Step 3
Whisk the orange and lemon juice with the olive oil, minced garlic , dijon and sherry vinegar. toss with the cooled rice, vegetables, and sliced chicken thighs. Top with the goat cheese and orange segements.