CHICKEN WITH WATERMELON FETA SALAD & LEMON GRANITA

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  3. CHICKEN WITH WATERMELON FETA SALAD & LEMON GRANITA

🍗 GRIDDLED CHICKEN WITH WATERMELON FETA SALAD & LEMON GRANITA 🍋

📱 OVERVIEW

  • Total Time: 45 Minutes (plus 3 hours freezing for granita)

  • Servings: 2 to 4 People

🛠️ THE KIT

  • 🍳 1 Heavy griddle pan (or large frying pan)

  • 🥣 3 Mixing bowls (chickpeas, salad, granita)

  • 🧊 1 Shallow metal tray (for freezing granita)

  • 🍴 1 Fork (for scraping the ice)

  • 🔪 1 Sharp knife & Cutting board

  • 🧤 1 Oven mitt

🛒 THE INGREDIENTS

Lemon-Basil Granita (Start 4 hours ahead!)

  • 🍋 Lemons 7 large (juiced) + 1 lemon (zested)

  • 🤍 Caster sugar 1/2 cup

  • 💧 Water 1.5 cups

  • 🌿 Fresh basil 1 small handful (chopped)

Griddled Chicken & Chickpeas

  • 🍗 Halal Chicken thighs 4 to 6 pieces (boneless, skin-on)

  • 🫒 Olive oil 3 tablespoons

  • 🥣 Chickpeas 1 can (400g, drained and rinsed)

  • 🌶️ Piquillo peppers 1/2 cup (chopped)

  • 🧪 Capers 1 tablespoon

  • 🍋 Lemon juice 2 tablespoons

  • 🥣 Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon

  • 🌿 Fresh basil (torn)

Watermelon-Feta Salad

  • 🍉 Watermelon 3 cups (cubed)

  • 🥒 Cucumber 1 large (peeled, seeded, and sliced)

  • 🧀 Greek Feta 100g (crumbled)

  • 🥜 Pecans 1/4 cup (toasted)

  • 🌿 Fresh mint 1 handful (torn)

  • 🧂 Sumac 1 teaspoon

👨‍🍳 THE METHOD

1. Lemon-Basil Granita (The Freezer Treat)

  1. 🥘 Dissolve: In a Small saucepan, heat Lemon juice, Zest, and Sugar until the sugar disappears.

  2. 💧 Dilute: Add the Water and Chopped basil.

  3. 🧊 Freeze: Pour into a Shallow metal tray. Put it in the freezer.

  4. 🍴 Scrape: Every 30 minutes, use a Fork to scrape the ice crystals from the edges to the middle. Do this for 3 Hours until it looks like fluffy snow.

2. The Watermelon Salad

  1. 🥒 Prep: Peel the Cucumber, cut it in half, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds (this keeps the salad from getting soggy!). Slice into crescents.

  2. 🥣 Toss: In a Large bowl, mix the Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta, Pecans, and Mint.

  3. 🧂 Dress: Drizzle with Olive oil, Lemon juice, Salt, Pepper, and a dusty coating of Sumac.

3. Griddled Chicken & Chickpeas

  1. 🍗 Grill: Season Chicken with oil, salt, and pepper. Place Skin-side down in a hot Griddle pan.

  2. 🔄 Turn: Flip the chicken every 2–3 Minutes. Cook for about 10–12 Minutes total until the skin is crispy and the meat is cooked through.

  3. 🥣 Chickpea Base: While the chicken cooks, mix Chickpeas, Piquillo peppers, and Capers in a bowl.

  4. 🧪 Dressing: Whisk Mustard, Lemon juice, and Olive oil.

  5. 🥩 The Rest: Place the hot chicken directly onto the chickpeas. Pour the dressing over the meat while it is warm so it drinks up the lemon flavor. Top with Torn basil.

🛡️ SAFETY FIRST

  • 🧤 Griddle Heat: Griddle pans stay hot much longer than thin pans. Never touch the pan with your bare hands, even 10 minutes after turning off the stove!

  • 🥒 Slippery Cucumber: Once you peel a cucumber, it becomes very slippery. Hold it firmly against the Cutting board when slicing to avoid nicks.

  • 🍋 Citric Acid: If you have any small cuts on your hands, the juice from 7 lemons will sting! Wear gloves or wash your hands immediately after juicing.