Za’atar Chicken Thighs with Watermelon and Feta Salad

A refreshing watermelon and feta salad with some mouth-wateringly succulent marinaded chicken thighs. I love the addition of fruit in salads, and the crisp, sweet juiciness of watermelon chunks with salty crumbled feta, kalamata olives and a light lemon, balsamic and honey dressing is hard to beat. The salad is delicious on its own or as a side to a big bbq spread, but it also goes so well with my marinated chicken recipe.

Serves 4
1. First, prepare the chicken thighs. Trim off any excess fat from the skinless thighs and place in a a glass bowl or dish. Make the marinade from 4 tbsps of olive oil, the juice and zest of a lemon, 2 heaped tbsps of zaatar, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, some freshly chopped oregano (or 1 tbsp dried oregano) and some seasoning. Pour over the chicken, mix well and ideally marinade in the fridge for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
2. For the salad, chop the watermelon into chunks and add to the bowl with some finely sliced red onion, a good handful of kalamata olives, plenty of fresh mint, some salad leaves and some crumbled feta (the more feta the better).
3. For the dressing, mix 2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic granules and mix well. Pour over the salad just before serving.
4. Allow the chicken to come to room temp 30 mins before cooking. Shake off any excess marinade and fry on both sides in a medium/hot pan until golden. Place in a lined roasting tin with the leftover marinade and cover with foil. Bake for 15 mins at 200C. For the last 5 mins of cooking, remove the foil, drizzle the chicken with honey and place under the grill until charred.
5. Serve with the salad and enjoy. Also goes well with some ciabatta or flatbreads.