Hummus Crusted Chicken + Couscous Tabbouleh Recipe

I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it! With hummus, that is. More specifically, hummus CRUSTED chicken. Oh, yes. Optionally on a bed of couscous. Drizzled in dressing. Give me Mediterranean or give me death.

A little aggressive, maybe. But Greek food just *gets* me… garlicky, citrusy, fresh, sometimes spicy, typically involves feta… what’s not to love! I know there isn’t chocolate drizzled all over it and it’s not soaked in a bottle of wine, but nonetheless, it’s gooooood.

Want more easy dinners? Try my Low Carb Ground Chicken Taco Skillet, Easy Greek Chicken Pitas, + 5 Ingredient Mediterranean Chicken Plate.

Why Hummus-Crusted Chicken?

This dish has everything—it’s a healthy, flavorful weeknight meal, it’s Mediterranean-inspired, and it’s oh-so-tender with the perfect crispy crunch. Oh, and did I mention it pairs wonderfully with couscous tabbouleh? If you haven’t tried this combo yet, your taste buds are in for a treat. So, get ready to fall head over heels for this hummus chicken recipe.

The first time I made this chicken I served it with a side of the couscous tabbouleh and dressed everything with a lemon vinaigrette, but this chicken would be great in pitas, on a bed of lettuce or even as little dippers in tzatziki. In the photos you’ll see it served with a chopped salad made of sliced hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, avocados, shallots and basil, all drizzled in red wine vinegar. Your opportunities for hummus chicken devouring know no boundaries!

Ingredients you’ll need for Hummus-Crusted Chicken:

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trimmed of fat)
  • ½ cup hummus (any flavor like classic, garlic, or red pepper hummus)
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (GF variety if you prefer)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How to make Hummus-Crusted Chicken:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, patting down to keep seasoning in place.
  2. Coat chicken in hummus by spreading a thin, even layer of hummus on one side of each chicken breast using a spatula. On a separate plate, place your panko bread crumbs into a thin layer. Place the breast hummus-side down into panko to coat, then repeat for all remaining chicken breasts.
  3. In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbs. olive oil and when hot, place one breast in at a time, crust side down to brown – about two minutes. Flip over carefully and cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and place onto a sheet pan lined with tin foil and sprayed lightly with cooking spray. repeat for all chicken breasts, wiping out the pan with a paper towel and heating more oil before cooking the next breast.
  4. Place the sheet pan of chicken into the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing!

This hummus-crusted chicken is perfect on its own, but let’s level it up with a fresh couscous tabbouleh!

Ingredients you’ll need for Couscous Tabbouleh

I love how couscous tabbouleh pairs perfectly with this hummus-crusted chicken. The fresh flavors of lemon juice, cucumber, and parsley cut through the richness of the chicken. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 box (5.8 oz) couscous (I use Near East brand)
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ hothouse cucumber, peeled and diced
  • ½ jalapeño, deseeded and minced
  • ¼ red onion, sliced
  • ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

How to make Couscous Tabbouleh

  1. In a medium bowl, add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeño, red onion and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and let rest while you cook the couscous.
  2. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat then add diced yellow onion. Let cook for 3-4 minutes before adding in garlic, cooking for another minute. Add in couscous, seasoning packet and chicken broth and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. Let couscous steam for 5 minutes before opening the lid. Fluff with fork.
  3. In the veggie bowl, add fluffed couscous. Squeeze lemon juice over the couscous, and drizzle with 1/2 tbsp. olive oil. Toss together and season with salt and pepper as needed!

This couscous tabbouleh is a great option for a side dish—it’s light, refreshing, and packed with flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in some extra veggies 🙂

Storing leftovers

To store leftover hummus, place it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can use it as a dip, spread, or even as a topping for wraps! For leftover chicken, let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s perfect for adding to salads, wraps, or chicken hummus bowls the next day!

Variations of this dish

I love serving this hummus-crusted chicken with my couscous tabbouleh, but you can easily switch things up! Try it in a pita with some feta cheese and Kalamata olives for a quick and tasty chicken hummus wrap. Or, serve it over a salad for a lighter option. You can also add it to a grain bowl with rice or quinoa, along with your favorite veggie, and turn it into some chicken hummus bowls. 

FAQs

Absolutely! Boneless thighs cook a bit faster, but bone-in thighs will take a little longer. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for perfectly cooked chicken.

If you’re looking for a gluten-free option or just want to switch things up, try quinoa or a side of rice instead of couscous. Both will pair well with the other ingredients in the tabbouleh!

Yes! You can prep the chicken up to the point of baking and refrigerate it. Just bake it fresh when you’re ready to eat. This also works great for meal prep!

Add extra jalapeño or even a drizzle of hot sauce to the couscous tabbouleh for some added heat. You can also use spicy flavored hummus, like a jalapeño or red pepper hummus.

This creamy hummus-crusted chicken and couscous tabbouleh have quickly become my go-to healthy recipes for a super easy, healthy weeknight meal. The chicken comes out so moist and flavorful, with that crispy crust that’s impossible to resist, while the tabbouleh is fresh, light, and bursting with flavor. It’s the perfect main dish for busy weeknights, and the best part is that all the simple ingredients are easy to grab at the grocery store. It’s definitely one of my favorite weeknight dinners!

Thank you for being an amazing reader of The Savvy Spoon! If you loved this post, I would so appreciate you rating it below and/or leaving a comment! Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more recipes, twin mom and healthy lifestyle content!

Hummus Crusted Chicken

Juicy chicken breasts are dredged in panko, adhering to the chicken thanks to flavorful hummus!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed of fat
  • ½ cup hummus any flavor like classic, garlic, jalapeño…
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs can use GF variety
  • 3 tbs. olive oil
  • salt + pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper, patting down to keep seasoning in place.
  • Coat chicken in hummus by spreading a thin, even layer of hummus on one side of your chicken breasts using a spatula. On a separate plate, place your panko bread crumbs into a thin layer. Place breasts hummus-side down into panko to coat, then repeat for all chicken breasts.
  • In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbs. olive oil and when hot, place one breast in at a time, crust side down to brown – about two minutes. flip over carefully and cook another 2 minutes, then remove from pan and place onto sheet pan lined with tin foil and sprayed lightly with cooking spray. repeat for all chicken breasts, wiping out pan with paper towel and heating more oil before cooking next breast.
  • Bake sheet pan of chicken for 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing!
Keyword chicken, crust, hummus, panko
Tried this recipe?Share with others how it was!

Couscous Tabbouleh

Looking for an easy, flavorful, Greek-inspired side dish? Look no further than this mouthwatering mix of juicy vegetables with fluffy, warm couscous ready in less than 15 minutes!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
REST 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

  • 1 5.8-oz box couscous I use Near East brand
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes sliced
  • ½ hothouse or English cucumber peeled and diced
  • ½ jalapeño deseeded and minced
  • ¼ red onion sliced
  • ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley rinsed and chopped
  • juice from one lemon
  • 1.5 tbs. olive oil divided
  • salt + pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeño, red onion and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and let rest while you cook the couscous.
  • In a saucepan, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat then add diced yellow onion. Let cook for 3-4 minutes before adding in garlic, cooking for another minute. Add in coucous, seasoning packet and chicken broth and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. Let couscous steam for 5 minutes before opening lid. Fluff with fork.
  • In the veggie bowl, add fluffed couscous. Squeeze lemon juice over top the couscous along with 1/2 tbs. olive oil. Toss together and season with salt and pepper as needed!
Keyword avocado, cherry tomatoes, couscous, cucumbers, greek, herbs, tabbouleh, veggies
Tried this recipe?Share with others how it was!

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my favorite recipe , I end up going back to it week after week!! A little bit of work (Maybe I’m just lazy hah) but worth it for the tastiest chicken ever!!!