This Sumac and Lemon Chicken Skillet with Herbed Cauliflower Rice is beautiful to look at and eat. This is a one-pan meal, so cleanup is a breeze!
Start by marinating chicken in beautiful flavors like Sumac, lemon, garlic, and cumin. The longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will be, but I recommend a minimum of 45 minutes to as long as five hours.
Sumac is definitely the star spice in this dish. Not sure what Sumac is? Sumac is one of my favorite spices from the Middle East region. It’s a red, tangy spice made from pulverized dried sumac berries. It has a tart, citrus-like flavor with deep, earthy notes, adding beautiful flavor and color to dishes. If you’ve never tried Sumac before, this is your sign to do it. Once you do, I’m sure it will become a staple in your pantry.
How else can you use Sumac?
- It’s lovely to add a lemony, earthy zing to any dish.
- It’s great over salad, roasted sweet potato, and dips like my Whole30 Cashew Hummus.
For this dish, we cook the chicken first, remove it, and cook the cauliflower rice in the same skillet. All those charred little bits will infuse the cauliflower rice with a ton of flavor. Next up are sliced almonds and dates to add texture and a bit of sweetness to complement the lemony tones of the chicken. Once our cauliflower rice is almost ready, add the chicken back, cover, and let everything cook together for a bit.
This dish is excellent for meal prep, and leftovers keep beautifully for four to five days. I love finishing this dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and pomegranate, and if you’re feeling a bit extra, a drizzle of this simple tahini dressing on top is chef’s kiss!
Sumac and Lemon Chicken Skillet with Herbed Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 lemon juiced (about 4 tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 2 cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
Cauliflower Rice
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds or any nuts
- 2 tsp ghee
- 3 cups riced cauliflower
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper optional
- salt to taste
- 1/4 lemon juiced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped dates or dried compatible cranberries or raisins
Optional garnish
- lemon slices
- fresh chopped parsley
- pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- MARINATE the chicken in 1/2 tbsp of olive oil along with your lemon juice and spices for 45 minutes up to 5 hours.
- HEAT a heavy-bottomed skillet or pan on medium heat, and add your remaining olive oil. Once oil is hot, add chicken breast and allow to cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the second side until well browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 165ºF).
- REMOVE your chicken from the pan and cover to lock in the juices.
- ADD the almonds to the skillet and stir them around the pan until they are fragrant and lightly toasted. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the toasted almonds to a bowl and save for later.
- RETURN the skillet to the heat and add the ghee. When the ghee is melted and hot, stir in the cauliflower rice, turmeric, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice starts to turn light brown in places. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes.
- STIR in the lemon juice, fresh herbs, toasted almonds, and chopped dates. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
- ADD back your chicken, cover, and let everything cook for 5 minutes.
- TURN off heat, garnish, and enjoy.
