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A finished plate of Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Chicken Salad served on a blue and white patterned plate, sitting on a cream countertop. Another plate is visible on the side, the serving bowl of salad, and a small dish of pickled red onions. Another small dish of pepitas and a purple napkin are on the counter as well.
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4.80 from 10 votes

Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Chicken Salad

Dairy-free; gluten-free; grain-free
Servings: 4 people
Author: Alex Snodgrass

Ingredients

For the Sheet Pan:

  • 2.5 pounds bone-in skin- on chicken thighs
  • 1 pound petite rainbow carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon harissa sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 pitted medjool dates, quartered

For the Shallot-Dijon Vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons grainy dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped shallot (or 1 small shallot)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh dill
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

For the Salad:

  • 6 cups baby sweet leaf spring blend
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup pepitas (or roasted and salted pumpkin seeds)
  • ½ cup roughly torn fresh mint leaves plus more for serving
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/3 cup pickled red onions
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (omit for Dairy-Free)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pat the chicken dry and set it on the prepared baking sheet along with the carrots. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, harissa, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the contents on the sheet pan and toss until well combined, massaging the marinade into the chicken so that it is well coated. Spread the chicken and veggies into a single layer and transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown on the top and the carrots are fork tender, about 35 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway through the cook time.

Meanwhile, make the dressing:

  • In a blender or using an immersion blender in a wide mouth jar, add all of the Shallot-Dijon Vinaigrette ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Make the Salad:

  • While the chicken finishes cooking, in a large bowl combine the greens, tomatoes, pepitas, mint, and cilantro. Set aside.

Assemble the Salad:

  • When the cook time to the chicken is complete, set aside enough to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred into bite sized pieces. Discard the chicken bones and add the shredded chicken back to the sheet pan along with the quartered dates and toss once more so it soaks up some of the delicious spices and flavor from the sheet pan and the dates slightly soften. Set aside.
  • Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss until the greens are well coated.
  • To plate, place a generous amount of the roasted chicken and carrot mixture on the bottom of a shallow bowl. Place the dressing greens in a pile over the roasted chicken. Finish by topping with some pickled onions, some crumbled goat cheese, and some more mint.

Nutrition

Calories: 744kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1550mg | Potassium: 1467mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 20576IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 5mg