saag-paneer chicken flatbreads / minted cucumber & chickpea salad

Contents of your meal kit:

chicken
cucumber
chickpeas
mint sprigs
indian-spiced vinaigrette
tomato
naan flatbread
spinach
paneer cheese
spicy garlic sauce

Cookware needed: salad bowl, foil-lined baking sheet, medium or large skillet

Finishing steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. To prepare salad, slice cucumber in half lengthwise then thinly slice crosswise. Place in salad bowl. Rinse and drain chickpeas and add to bowl with cucumbers. Cut or tear mint leaves into the bowl. Toss with indian-spiced vinaigrette, season with salt & pepper, and set aside.
  3. Thinly slice tomato for flatbreads. Begin assembling flatbreads, by placing naan on foil-lined baking sheet. Spread with HALF of the spicy garlic sauce (reserve remaining half of sauce). Pile on as much spinach as you’d like and top with tomato slices. Top spinach and tomato with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt & pepper. To finish, crumble paneer cheese over the top, then bake for 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt & pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
  5. After flatbreads have baked for 5 minutes, switch oven to broil setting and watch closely until cheese is golden brown and the edges of naan are crispy.
  6. Mix in any remaining spinach to the cucumber and chickpea salad. Cut finished flatbreads into quarters, and top with another drizzle of spicy garlic sauce. Serve chicken on the side. Enjoy!

Notes: A special favorite with North Indians, paneer has a delicate milky flavor is used all over India to make delicious dishes ranging from curries to desserts. It readily takes on the flavor of the spices with which it is cooked.