Weekday Dinner: Bulgur Wheat Leftover Salad

Obviously there are some nights when you just don't feel like making dinner. And there are nights when you have lots of leftover bits and bobs but nothing is really looking all that appealing. The best nights are when those two elements come together. Tonight was one of those. I was hungry but everything looked super boring and I didn't have any new and interesting groceries. So I had to make do with what I had: leftovers! This is a great recipe to jazz them up and make something completely different and it's easily adjusted to whatever you have on hand. For example, I used bulgur wheat because that's what I had but couscous would be equally nice. I also had some leftover chicken breast and sweet potato but sausages and roast veg might also go well here. The secret is the dressing: spicy, takes seconds to make and can completely change the whole flavor of a dish. I had hoped to make a recipe from Smitten Kitchen but I didn't have lemons (since I used the last of them to clean my shower glass... seriously, try it. Amazing) so I went with cider vinegar and it was still delicious. So use what you have and give it a go - leftovers reborn! I also made 1/2 a cup of bulgur wheat so that I'd have some for my lunch as well.

Inspired by www.smittenkitchen.com

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 chicken breast, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 sweet potato, chopped
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp - 1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Method: 

Place the bulgur wheat in a heat proof bowl and cover with boiling water. There should be about a centimeter of water above the top of the bulgur wheat. Cover with a plate and leave for half an hour.

Meanwhile, place the chopped chicken breast, bell pepper, onion and garlic into a pan over medium high heat with a splash of olive oil. Saute for a few minutes until the chicken is heated through, the pepper and onion is softening and the garlic is fragrant. Add the sweet potato and turn the heat to medium-low. Continue to saute gently until everything is warmed through.

When the bulgur wheat is ready, start on the dressing. Mix the cider vinegar, honey, cumin and cayenne in a small jar. Add the salt and pepper before slowly pouring in the olive oil while mixing continuously. When the dressing is ready, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!