Typically Greek salads are heavy on fat and calories. In this enlightened version, I use grilled shrimp marinated in a zesty lemon vinaigrette that doubles as a flavorful dressing. The croutons are a unique twist to traditional bread croutons that add a delicious crunchy element to this beautiful summer salad. By adding a little feta cheese, this chopped salad is a satisfying lunch or light dinner!
WATCH THE VIDEO ON KUTV2CHICKPEA INGREDIENTS:
1 can chickpeas, thoroughly drained and rinsed
¼ C cornmeal
2 T olive oil or olive oil pan spray
1 t ground cumin
1 pinch ground chipotle powder
Sea salt to taste
SHRIMP INGREDIENTS:
1 # 16-20 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 C parsley, minced
1 T oregano, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T fresh lemon juice plus zest
6 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 ea cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 pt grape tomatoes, halved
½ C pitted Kalamata olives, halved
¼ red onion, slivered
2 ea romaine hearts, torn into ½” pieces
1 ea small jar artichoke hearts, packed in water
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
METHOD:
Heat oven to 400 degrees and arrange oven rack in the center position.
Place chickpeas in a large bowl and toss with cornmeal, chipotle powder and cumin. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove excess cornmeal.
Place chickpeas in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil pan spray. Bake until crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, combine parsley, oregano, garlic, lemon and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Reserve and refrigerate ¼ C to dress salad. Toss remaining vinaigrette with shrimp. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the grill.
Grill shrimp over medium high heat until lightly charred and just barely cooked through. Remove from heat.
In a large shallow serving bowl, toss remaining salad ingredients together. Add reserved vinaigrette. Place cooked shrimp and chickpea croutons on top and serve.
Serves 4
