Za’atar Chicken Couscous Bowls with Hummus and Lemon Feta Sauce

These za’atar chicken couscous bowls layer warm, savory ingredients with cool, crunchy ones for a satisfying bowl dinner. A swipe of hummus anchors the dish, while tender Israeli couscous and sliced chicken make it hearty.

A quick tomato-cucumber salad brings lemony freshness and the feta sour cream sauce adds a salty, tangy finish. It is simple, colorful and built for scooping up every last bite.

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Ingredients

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Heirloom Grape TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Persian CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce DillView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Israeli CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Za'atar SpiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon HummusView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Halve and peel the shallot. Thinly slice one half and mince the other half. Place the sliced shallot in a small bowl of cold water and let it soak while you prep the remaining ingredients.
2. Quarter the tomatoes. Trim and dice the cucumber. Zest the lemon, then quarter it. Pick the dill fronds from the stems and finely chop the fronds.
3. Drain the sliced shallot and transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, juice from half the lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and 1 tablespoon chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the Israeli couscous to the pot along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Stir in 0.75 cup water and the chicken stock concentrate. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the couscous is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess water if needed, then season with salt and pepper. Keep covered off the heat.
7. Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season all over with 0.5 teaspoon za’atar spice, salt and pepper.
8. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed.
9. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice it crosswise.
10. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the feta, sour cream and lemon zest to taste. Mash with a fork, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time until the sauce is thin enough to drizzle. It does not need to be completely smooth.
11. To assemble, spread the hummus along one side of each serving bowl. Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide it between the bowls beside the hummus.
12. Top the couscous with sliced chicken. Drain any excess liquid from the tomato-cucumber salad and spoon the salad over the hummus. Drizzle everything with the feta sauce. Garnish with remaining dill if desired and serve with the remaining lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Does the feta sauce need to be perfectly smooth?

No. The sauce is mashed with a fork, so a few small bits of feta are expected. Thin it with water until it is easy to drizzle.

Why soak the sliced shallot?

A short soak in cold water mellows the shallot’s sharp flavor while keeping the slices fresh and crunchy for the salad.

What should I do if there is extra liquid in the couscous?

Drain off any excess water once the couscous is tender, then taste and season it with salt and pepper.

How is the bowl layered?

Spread hummus on one side of each bowl, add fluffed couscous beside it, top the couscous with sliced chicken, spoon the drained salad over the hummus, then finish with feta sauce and dill.