Salty, sweet and a little heat, this Green Olive Cherry Tomato Salad, served on top of Za’atar Chicken is a dish you’ll crave all summer long! Made with my favorite italian olives – Castelvetrano, this cherry tomato salad is just the thing for exhausted tastebuds.
This cherry tomato salad or, Nar Eksili Yesil Zeytin Salatasi, is a Turkish dish and one of my favorites from my newest cookbook acquisition “Istanbul and Beyond, Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey” by Robyn Eckhardt. Delicious on it’s own, it’s even better served on top of Za’atar chicken – making this an easy summer meal that’s perfect for weeknights and weekends!
What you’ll need to make this Cherry Tomato Salad:
- Green olives – I prefer Castelvetrano olives
- cherry tomatoes
- pomegranate molasses
- good olive oil
- green onions
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh parsley
- fresh green chiles
What you’ll need for the Za’atar Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Za’atar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Speaking of Za’atar seasoning…
What is Za’atar?
- Za’atar is a seasoning blend that is used throughout most of the middle east.
- Sprinkled on pita, used to season meats and mixed with oil as a dipping sauce Za’atar is pretty much a standard condiment on any middle eastern table!
- Za’atar is made up of a mixture of oregano, thyme, marjoram, sumac and sesame seeds.
Salty green olives, juicy cherry tomatoes, a little heat from chiles all wrapped in a lemon and pomegranate molasses dressing.. is your mouth watering yet?
Did you enjoy this Cherry Tomato Green Olive Salad with Za’atar Chicken? If so, you might enjoy…
- One Pan Moroccan Lemon Olive Chicken
- Roasted Pepper, Tomato and Farro Salad
- Baharat Chicken Skewers with Pomegranate Relish
Sweet, salty and a little sour, this Green Olive, Tomato and Pomegranate Salad can double as an appetizer, main course or snack!
- 1/2 cup fruity green olives I used castelvetrano olives
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 long sweet or hot red chiles, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced holland or cayenned
- 1/4 cup fruity olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 5 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon za atar spice blend
Taste the olives. If they are very salty, drain, place in a medium bowl, cover with cold water and set aside for an hour. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Place the olives in a medium bowl and add the green onions and chiles. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses.
If the olives contain pits, slice and remove the pits.
Toss and adjust the seasoning with more lemon juice, molasses and/or salt.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature and add the tomatoes and parsley. Stir and serve!
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Add the chicken breasts and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle Za 'atar over chicken breasts.
Add the chicken breasts and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
Place in the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.
Remove from the oven and serve with the Cherry Tomato Green Olive Salad.
Thank you Nancy! Great idea to serve over chicken breasts!
Happy Holidays…..
Hi Robyn! You are so welcome and Happy Holidays to you as well! I absolutely adore your book!! Is there a way to get on your list for your next photo workshop in Istanbul?? I am really, really interested in going!!!
This olive salad is so unique and now one of my favorite dishes.
Me too Cathy! After making it to shoot, I had some for lunch, then spooned it over greens and chicken for dinner – come summer I think this will be on the menu A LOT!!!
This looks great…and so colorful. I just pinned it!