This recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver’s chicken, broccoli and bulgur wheat salad in Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals. It makes a healthy, flavourful lunch or dinner for midweek or weekend.
Jamie Oliver and his 15 Minute Meals
Sometimes you want something ready quickly, and Jamie Oliver’s 15 Minute Meals are perfect for that. I’ve long been a fan of Jamie’s approach to simple, tasty food. The recipes are inspiring and practical, although I often end up with more washing up than expected. Still, the results are worth it — quick, fresh and satisfying meals that work any night of the week.
Why I first made this salad
I first tried this chicken, broccoli and bulgur wheat salad as part of a Random Recipe Challenge. The recipe on page 30 of Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals — listed as “Incredibly Delicious Chicken Salad” — stood out to me. It combined ingredients I don’t always think to pair together, like broccoli on the griddle after boiling, and it worked beautifully. The salad came together quickly and tasted fresh and bright.
How I adapted the original recipe
I made a few practical substitutions when I cooked this. I didn’t have preserved lemons or cress, so I left them out. Those ingredients can add extra brightness and peppery notes, but the salad still tasted excellent without them. I also swapped harissa for piri piri sauce — that changes the spice profile a little, but it added a pleasant heat. Lastly, I used white wine vinegar instead of red wine vinegar; both work fine depending on what you have.
Notes from later cooks
I’ve made this salad several times since I first posted about it. Preserved lemons do add a lovely citrusy tang, so they’re worth seeking out if you can. The dish is also great with either harissa or piri piri; both bring a warm spice that complements the mint and bulgur. And broccoli in a salad is now a staple for me — it adds texture and colour and takes well to a quick char on a griddle.
Leftover storage and uses
This salad keeps in the fridge for up to three days, although I usually finish leftovers the next day. It’s portable and makes a tasty packed lunch or picnic option — just keep dressings or yoghurt separate if you prefer a less soggy result.
Easy substitutions and variations
The recipe is flexible. If you don’t have bulgur wheat try spelt, barley or rice. Fresh herbs can be replaced with dried if needed, and any nut or seed can stand in for sunflower seeds — pumpkin seeds or toasted almonds work well. If you don’t want to coat the chicken in ground coriander, simply season it with salt, pepper and paprika or another spice you enjoy.
Recipe
Jamie Oliver’s Chicken, Broccoli and Bulgur Wheat Salad
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the chicken)
- 300 g bulgur wheat
- 2 preserved lemons (optional)
- 16 radishes
- 4 spring onions
- 15 g fresh mint (about half a small bunch)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
- 3 tablespoons vinegar (white wine vinegar recommended)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
- 2 tablespoons natural yogurt
- 2 tsp harissa (or piri piri or another hot sauce)
Instructions
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the broccoli. After 5 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli and add the bulgur wheat to the boiling water.
- Char the broccoli on a griddle or hot frying pan, turning so it blackens slightly on each side.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly browned — watch them so they don’t burn.
- Rub the chicken with ground coriander, salt and black pepper. Place between two pieces of baking parchment and gently pound to flatten slightly. Cook the chicken in a frying pan with a little olive oil, turning halfway through until cooked through.
- Make the dressing: mix the vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, chopped mint and sliced spring onions in a bowl.
- Drain the bulgur wheat and rinse under cold water. Combine the bulgur with the charred broccoli and sliced radishes, then drizzle over the dressing.
- Slice the cooked chicken and arrange on top of the salad. Scatter over the toasted seeds, add dollops of yogurt and finish with a drizzle of harissa or piri piri to taste.
Nutrition
Pin for later!
More of my tried and tested Jamie Oliver recipes
If you enjoy this salad, try some other favourite Jamie Oliver recipes:
Grated Rainbow Vegetable Salad with Sesame Feta Fritters
Jamie Oliver’s Favourite Chicken Curry
Jamie Oliver’s Piri Piri Chicken
More easy dinner ideas
This salad is ideal for preparing ahead. For more easy, make-ahead dinners or main-meal salads, explore collections of recipes that focus on preparing once and enjoying meals multiple times. If you like bold flavours, try recipes with a spicy twist to suit your taste.
Where I’m sharing this salad
Shared as part of Cook Blog Share, a community food blogging event celebrating simple, seasonal recipes.