SUMMER SALAD WITH ROAST CHICKEN & KUMARA
Garlic butter chicken drumsticks and roast kumara are the perfect match for a refreshing summer salad.
Layers of rocket, chargrilled eggplant, juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella make up the salad, in a slight twist on caprese salad. Homemade fennel and pine nut dukkah adds the perfect finishing touch.
You’ll probably find you have a little of the dukkah left over – try it sprinkled on avocado on toast, or top some hummus with dukkah before using it as a dip.
The chicken drumsticks and kumara are roasted in the oven, giving you plenty of hands off time to prepare the salad and dukkah.
Drizzle the chicken and roasties with a little garlic butter before serving – yum!
SUMMER SALAD WITH ROAST CHICKEN & KUMARA
Garlic butter chicken drumsticks and roast kumara pair beautifully with this tomato, mozzarella and eggplant summer salad. Moreish homemade dukkah adds the perfect finishing touch!
Ingredients
KUMARA
- 1 kg kumara (mixture of red and orange) (2lb 3oz)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
CHICKEN
- 1.2 kg chicken drumsticks (2lb 10oz)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp garlic butter, melted
DUKKAH
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
- 1 1/2 Tbsp pine nuts
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
SALAD
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 large tomatoes
- 150 g fresh mozzarella (5.3oz)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 tsp red wine vinegar
- 60 g baby rocket or baby spinach (2.1oz)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF) fan bake and line two large oven trays with baking paper.
PREPARE KUMARA
Peel kumara and cut into 2-3cm chunks. Place in a large saucepan, fill with water to cover, drain and then refill again. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Drain well, tip onto one of the prepared trays and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
PREPARE CHICKEN
Place chicken on second prepared tray. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano and a little salt and pepper. Place kumara above chicken in oven. Cook for 20 minutes, then switch the positions of the trays and cook for a further 15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
MAKE DUKKAH
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on medium-high. Add all dukkah ingredients and cook until toasted and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a blender or mini food processor and process until roughly chopped (you want a chunky mix, not powdery).
MAKE SALAD
Slice eggplant into 1cm / 0.4in rounds. Thinly slice tomatoes and mozzarella, then tear mozzarella into smaller pieces. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in pan used to toast dukkah. Fry eggplant for a couple of minutes each side, until tender.
SERVE
Layer up rocket, eggplant, tomatoes and mozzarella on serving plates. Drizzle with remaining 4 teaspoons oil and red wine vinegar. Add chicken and kumara to plates. Drizzle chicken and kumara with garlic butter. Spoon dukkah over salads.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: Go for a Rosé.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: This meal is naturally gluten-free.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: You could swap the kumara for potatoes, if you prefer, or use a combination of both. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken drumsticks (reduce quantity to 600g / 1lb 5oz).
STORING AND REHEATING: Refrigerate chicken, kumara and salad separately. Kumara is best reheated with a little oil in a frying pan, for crispier edges. Chicken can be reheated in the microwave. Eggplant can be warmed in microwave or pan, or served cold. Salad is best assembled just before serving (in particular, avoid adding the dukkah until right before serving).
