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Bringing you all some springtime vibes with this Lebanese Chicken with Charred Lemon Cauliflower. Grilled (or roasted) Lebanese style chicken, served with a charred lemony cauliflower and herb salad, and the most deliciously addicting garlic yogurt sauce. It doesn’t get more delicious than this grilled chicken…simple, healthy, extra colorful, super flavorful, and so delicious. A fun switch-up from the usual chicken dinner.
And just like that, I’ve really begun to embrace the springtime recipes. We’ve been in quarantine “lockdown” mode for so long now that I’m craving anything fresh and anything different. Yes, I love my pasta and all my cheesy comfort food recipes, but some nights need to be different. And let’s be real, it might not feel like spring here, but we’re in the last week of April. I sure hope it feels more like spring where you are, because, you guys, it’s definitely spring!
So springtime eats it is. This means herbs (fresh or dried) on just about everything, and strawberries for dessert.
Enter this chicken. It’s my favorite recipe of the week. Inspired by Lebanese Shish Tawook (grilled chicken skewers) and my eldest brother’s love for Persian cuisine. I view this recipe as street food, but a bit healthier, and much more colorful too.
Honestly, we can’t get enough of this recipe. I actually served this dish two nights in a row. My brother Creighton, who has been quarantined here with us in Colorado, is obsessed. He said it beats out his favorite Cleveland Lebanese “street food” spots. If you know Creighton, then you know this means the recipe is GOOD. And since I had all the ingredients in the fridge…and we’re avoiding the grocery stores…I figured why not. I love making that kid happy!
The details…start with the chicken!
I want to say that this Lebanese chicken with charred lemon cauliflower. isn’t as hands-off as some of my other recipes, but the extra prep time is worth it. And please do know, this recipe is still so simple. It comes together in under an hour using a good mix of pantry, fridge, and freezer staples.
Start with the chicken. I marinate the chicken in quite possibly one of my favorite marinades. It’s a combination of olive oil, tomato paste, smoked paprika, plenty of garlic, and lots of lemon (always so much lemon). If you’re familiar with Lebanese style chicken, this is the more traditional marinade for Lebanese Shish Tawook, grilled chicken skewers. It’s simple yet delicious. The tomato paste, garlic, and lemon are key.
Now, when I say marinate, I really just mean toss the chicken in this mix and let it sit while you get everything else for the bowls together. I’m not sure about you guys, but I can never plan ahead enough to cook a recipe requiring a long marinating time.
It almost never happens…
So, I do a quick marinade. It works.
Moving onto the cauliflower.
While the chicken “marinates” roast the cauliflower. Find yourself a good sheet pan and toss the cauliflower with some olive oil, lemons, and salt. Roast this mix at a high heat to char the cauliflower, but yet still leave it with a bit of a bite.
As the cauliflower roasts, make the herb sauce for the cauliflower. This sauce is extra special. Its main two ingredients are the roasted lemon slices and herbs. You use not only the lemon juice, but the lemon rind as well. Yes, I’m about to tell you to chop up the WHOLE lemon, rind and all, and add it to your herb sauce. I know this seems odd, but roasting the lemon removes any bitterness and makes them extra sweet and tangy. Once the lemon is finely chopped and stirred together with the olive oil and herbs it becomes vibrant and incredible! The perfect marriage of flavors to coat the cauliflower.
For the herbs, I love to use a mix of tender herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and dill. But you can use a mix of whatever you have on hand, fresh or dried.
Once the cauliflower comes out of the oven, toss it with the sauce, then add the cucumbers and toasted pumpkin seeds. And that’s the cauliflower. It’s basically a charred lemon cauliflower and herb salad, and it’s delicious.
Finish it up and put it all together.
And then finally, the garlic sauce. It’s simple, plain Greek yogurt, lots of lemon, grated garlic, and salt.
Once the cauliflower is tossed together and the garlic sauce is made, grill or roast the chicken and put it all together. I served the cauliflower and chicken with fresh naan and homemade fries. I used homemade naan, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought pita or flatbread.
I then added a very generous amount of that garlic sauce, fresh herbs, and a few extra slices of lemons to top the dish off.
Super pretty, on the (very) healthy side, and so very delicious.
Substitutions, suggestions, and ideas.
You can use all pantry staples or a mix of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. It’s all about using what you’ve got on hand. So if fresh herbs aren’t available, use dried…or maybe think about ordering some. I keep mentioning these guys (and this is not sponsored), but here is my go-to source for herbs right now. I am obsessed.
No yogurt? Try sour cream or mayo.
And if you don’t have cauliflower? Try broccoli, carrots, or beets. Any heartier vegetable that roasts up nicely will work well.
The ingredients that you need most…chicken, olive oil, lemons, garlic, spices, and dried herbs. If you’ve got these you can make your version of this recipe. And yes, it’s going to be great.
Sooo, how about a Lebanese street food style inspired dinner tonight? Promise it is going to be good!
Lastly, if you make this Lebanese chicken with charred lemon cauliflower, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lebanese Chicken with Charred Lemon Cauliflower.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1236 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
Cauliflower and Garlic Yogurt
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lemons, 1 quartered, 1 juiced
- 1 cup fresh parsley, cilantro, and or dill, chopped (I use a mix)
- 1/2 cup green olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, tomato paste, paprika, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, and a large pinch of salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.2. Meanwhile, make the cauliflower. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Arrange the lemons around the cauliflower. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until tender and charred.3. Remove the charred lemon slices from the baking sheet. Finely chop the lemons, rind and all, discarding any of the seeds. Add half of the chopped lemon to a salad bowl. Add the parsley/cilantro, olives, red wine vinegar, and remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the cauliflower, cucumbers, and seeds, and toss well.4. To make the yogurt, combine the yogurt, grated garlic, and 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt. Taste, adding more of the lemon as desired.5. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Take skewers and thread the chicken pieces on. Grill the skewers until lightly charred and cooked through, turning them occasionally throughout cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Alternately, you can roast the chicken at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.6. To serve, spread the yogurt sauce onto plates. Add the cauliflower salad and chicken. Top with fresh herbs and serve with naan. Enjoy!
Notes
Herbs: if fresh herbs are not available, use 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 tablespoon dried coriander, and 1 tablespoon dried dill.
This was delicious! My husband and I really liked the chicken (I didn’t make the cauliflower because I didn’t have any)! I think 3 of my 5 children really liked it too!
Hi Virginia,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your review!? xT
Been following and cooking your recipes for a handful of years now, but this is my first post. This is such a simple, delicious, fast and healthy meal – hands down my favorite of yours I have ever made. Tieghan my dear, you are the bomb.
(Bonus addition : more red Pepper flakes and a splash of hot sauce in the sauce!)
Hi Lauren,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Oh. My. Goodness. Charred lemons have changed world. This recipe is astounding. I usually don’t follow recipes to a “t” but I did with this one except I ate mine with brown rice instead of pita as I am gluten free. I will make this again and again. Thank you so much!
Hey Mary Jo,
Awesome!! Love hearing that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight exactly as written, minus the olives, and it was such a hit! My teenage son hates cauliflower and absolutely loved this whole dish, including the cauliflower/cucumber salad. Thanks for such a great recipe, will be added to our list of favorites
Hi Cassie,
Awesome! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Made this tonight, and just threw the salad together with what I could find in the fridge, and ended up just using the Greek yogurt sauce as the dressing.
And added the grilled lemon to the top of the salad and the Greek yogurt sauce such a hit!
Thank you for the fab recipe!
Hi Rochelle,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xxT
Love this recipe! Made this whole recipe to entertain some friends. It was a HUGE hit. So delicious and different. We’re making it again in a few days for some other folks!
Hi Mona,
Fantastic! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!? xx
One of the first recipes we ever made by HBH. After this, we were hooked on HBH recipes! The lemon just captivates your tastebuds and the mediterranean flavors all mold together nicely! We were taken back by how much flavor this recipe provides. It’s complex with flavor but also light and great to eat in the summer. I’d easily make this for a dinner party of guests.
Hey Lindsay,
Awesome!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! xTieghan
This recipes is so good!! I’ve already shared the link with friends and promised to make it again. I was a bit skeptical how the cauliflower and cucumber would go together but was excited to see since I love fresh herbs and olives. Even my veggie hating fiancé loved it and asked what I put in the cauliflower. Love your creative recipes!
Hey Amanda,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Fabulous layering of flavors (as always!). Everything melded so well. Thank you!!
Hi Beth,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
My family loves your recipes but we don’t like cucumber. Can the cucumber be left out or subbed for something else?
Thank you
Hi Lauren,
You can totally skip the cucumber! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I am confused because the recipe says 2 lemons, one quartered, one juiced. But then the directions say arrange the lemons (plural) around the cauliflower to roast. So do you use one or both lemons to roast with the cauliflower?
Nvm. I figured it out. You quarter one lemon, roast with the cauliflower but then only use half of it chopped in the salad.
Hey Mary,
You are going to use the quartered lemon in step 2 and the juiced lemon in step 4. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My husband and daughter are allergic to chicken (so weird) so I’ve made several of your chicken recipes just using pork tenderloin and they’ve turned out great! Love the variety of your recipes! Keep ’em coming!
Hey Katie,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I threw this together on a Wednesday night, and it was super easy and tasty! I wanted to cut down the fat content, so for the salad I only used 2 Tbsp olive oil instead of 1/3 cup – it was plenty. I also used avocado oil instead of olive oil when roasting the cauliflower because of the high oven temperature. Skipped the olives and nuts because I didn’t have any. Even with those tweaks, this came out great – and that yogurt sauce slaps!
Hey Anna,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
We made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!
If I may make a suggestion, you could mention in the recipe that you save the other half of the roasted lemon for a future use. I spent a decent amount of time reading and re-reading the article and recipe trying to find out what to do with it. I thought I was missing where it was mentioned. I even had my husband look to make sure I wasn’t crazy. It wasn’t until I finally did a search for “half of” that I saw the answer in the comments.
Thanks of this and all of your recipes that have come out so wonderfully!
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
I made this with some adjustments to suit my personal tastes (e.g., no olives, subbed grape tomatoes for the cukes) & dietary needs (less oil than called for). Still, really outstanding. I agree with the chef, do NOT forgo the roasted, chopped lemon in this recipe. It’s fantastic.
I used fresh, flat-leaf parsley & mint for the “salad” — it was quite refreshing!
This is a keeper!
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Made this last night for my mom’s birthday dinner and it went over incredibly! It was a bit more prep than I expected, but it was well worth it. We used the roasting method, I cut the chicken breasts into 1.5 inch cubes and put 5 on each kabob skewer and roasted it for 25 minutes. The food was delicious and there was no chicken left afterwards. Next time, I’ll make more chicken.
Hey Cindy,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
made the cauliflower part of this recipe tonight but with broccoli instead and it was SO good, my entire family loved it and they can be hard to please. Would definitely recommend this recipe!! I’m sure the rest of it is just as good and I’m planning on making the entire thing soon!
Hey Jen,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am it was enjoyed! xTieghan