Vegan Options for Zankou Chicken

As you might expect from the name, Zankou Chicken is known primarily for its chicken and the delicious garlic sauce that goes with it. What you might not expect is that ZAnkou Chicken has an extensive offering of vegan friendly options that are sure to leave any vegan full and happy.

When Zankou was founded in Beirut, it was just known as “Zankou” and the falafel was one of the earliest additions to the menu. People couldn’t get enough of the garlic sauce, and falafel was an excellent way to enjoy even more of it.

Recently, the falafel recipe changed to make it truly something special. The family searched for the proper blend of local spices. It also orders its garbanzo beans fresh from local farms, which it was doing already for the hummus (which is also vegan friendly). Each ball is fried to perfection and served by itself as part of a plate, or in a warm pita as part of a sandwich. The crunch is simply amazing, and the garlic paste to top it off is a surefire winner.

For side dishes, vegans have more options than meat eaters! In the middle east, vegan-friendly side dishes are basically second nature. Tabbouleh is made of fresh parsley, sourced locally, with bulgar, fresh tomatoes, onions and mint. It’s tossed in olive oil and lemon juice for flavor.

If you’re feeling adventurous, then you’ll want to try muttabal. It’s a dish not unlike baba ghanoush. It starts with eggplant that has been grilled perfectly, then tahini and locally purchased garlic are added to the mix to create a thick paste. It’s earthy, garlicy and flavorful.