Hummus and Garlic Turmeric Chicken

I’ve always loved eating hummus. Growing up, though, it wasn’t nearly as accessible as it is today. Hummus containers from multiple different brands, with different flavors, adorn the shelves of grocery stores. A fair number of restaurant menus feature the popular chickpea dip with some sort of spiced pita chips. At house parties and picnics, it’s not uncommon for someone to bring hummus with bread or veggies as an appetizer or snack.

As a kid, whenever we wanted hummus, we had to make it. And by we, I mean my mom made it. I distinctly remember the white food processor she used to have. It was powerful enough to crush all the ingredients, but not powerful enough to make it as smooth as the chickpea spread that restaurants served. Whenever we ate out at a Middle Eastern restaurant, which were few at the time, I remember asking my mom how they managed to get the hummus so smooth. Well, the blender I’ve got today can make smooth hummus, which is delightful. I still buy hummus from stores, but it’s always more fun to make my own at home; it gives me complete control of the flavor. Add as much garlic or lemon or tahini as you like to satisfy your palate.

Ingredients 

Prep Time: 5 min •  Servings: 4-6

— Hummus —

• 1 can, (15.5 oz) chickpeas
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tbsp chickpea liquid or water
• 2 small cloves, or 1 large clove garlic

Prep Time: 30 min •  Cook Time: 30 min • Servings: 8-10

— Garlic Turmeric Chicken —

• 5 pounds chicken breast
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 8-10 cloves garlic

Directions

— Hummus —

Strain and rinse the chickpeas. Save the liquid and set aside (you can use water instead). In a blender, place the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt, chickpea liquid or water, and garlic. Blend until all the ingredients are combined. Taste. Add anything it might need – salt, garlic, lemon…etc.

Scoop the hummus out of the blender, and spread onto a wide flat plate. Garnish with paprika and parsley.

— Garlic Turmeric Chicken —

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Set aside.

Slice the chicken breasts into short thin strips, about a quarter inch thick. Place the chicken breast in a bowl.

Add lemon juice, olive oil, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, salt, and chopped garlic. Mix the ingredients until all the chicken pieces are well coated. Refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.

Cook the chicken in batches to get a nice sear. Heat about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add 1/3 of the marinated chicken. Let the chicken pieces cook for about 3-4 minutes before tossing them in the pan. Each batch of chicken will take about 8 to 10 minutes to cook. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked. (If some of the chicken begins sticking to the pan, add lemon in between batches to deglaze the pan)

Add a portion of the cooked chicken to the center of the plated hummus. Enjoy the hummus and chicken together, or pita, or with veggies. Bon appétit!