Summer Chicken Salad
Made with our delicious free-range chicken, hearty grains, fresh herbs and a yoghurty dressing, this healthy recipe shows that salads can really satisfy – best of all, it doesn’t take long to rustle up, making it an ideal midweek meal when time is tight. Serves 4.
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6). Place the chicken thighs in a large roasting tin, then drizzle over one tablespoon of the oil and add a good pinch of salt and some black pepper. Throw the garlic cloves into the tin and turn everything together gently until mixed, then put the tin in the hot oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and is starting to brown.
While the chicken is roasting, cook the bulgur wheat; put it into a saucepan and cover with cold water, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the grains are tender (they will still be slightly chewy, which is perfect). Drain the wheat through a sieve, then tip it into a bowl and stir in the remaining tablespoon of oil, and set aside. Next, use a potato peeler to slice the courgette into long, thin ribbons, then whisk the dressing ingredients together in a jug or bowl with a splash of water (it should be drizzlable). Season the dressing to your taste with salt and pepper.
When the chicken has cooked, leave it to cool a little, then shred the meat by pulling it gently apart with two forks. Take the garlic cloves out of the tin and squeeze the soft flesh out of their skins, then discard the skins, mash the flesh and return it to the tin. Next, tip the bulgur wheat, courgette ribbons and chopped herbs into the tin, and mix everything together until well combined, ensuring it all has a good coating of the roasting juices from the tin. Check you are happy with the seasoning, then transfer the salad to a serving dish, drizzle over the dressing and take to the table.