Okay, so maybe it’s below freezing outside today.  And maybe it will be in the single digits a few times this week.  That doesn’t mean I can’t make a summery salad of awesome, right?

I went into dinner prep last night a little bit worried.  You see, the recipe calls for a lot of parsley.  A lot of parsley.  But I can safely say from the other side of the experience that it’s tasty.  So tasty that I’ll even eat this salad without the suggested pita wrapping.  You know it’s a good salad if I’ll eat it without a recommended serving of carbs on the side.

What is this wonder?  It’s tabbouleh salad, found in Mad Hungry Men (still a great cookbook).

This is how I made it…

Tabbouleh Salad (with Chicken)

Serves 4 hungry people, more if portions are dainty.  Takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
• 2 tomatoes, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 scallions (both white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced (1 cup or less)
• 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh curly parsley, stems removed
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil + 1-2 tablespoons to cook chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (plus extra for chicken)
• black pepper
• 2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
• feta cheese
• pita bread

Directions

1. Rinse the bulgur wheat in cold running water. Cook according to package directions (approx. 12-15 minutes for mine).
2. Combine the tomatoes, scallions, parsley, cucumber, and mint.  Toss together.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet, bring to medium heat, cook chicken until cooked throughout, 4-5 minutes (more or less depending on size of chicken pieces).  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. While chicken cooks, whisk together the lemon zest, juice, olive oil, and salt (or pour in a jar and shake… my favorite whisking method).  Stir the dressing into the salad to combine.
5. Fill your pita bread with salad, chicken, and feta.  Make sure you don’t run out of feta for your leftovers.  You’ll be sad if you do.

And for some reason, I find it amazing that just a little bit of lemon juice and zest can make the dressing into this color naturally: