Sunday Roast Chicken Salad for a summers day
At 10am on most Sundays, my oven is turned on. The gentle hum and warm heat it emanates wakes me from my slumber. As my eyes scan what’s left of this weeks pantry, my mind dances with the different possibilities on the horizon. If a good loaf of bread is intact, Chicken Salad Sandwiches. Fresh Greens lend way to a Salad. Green Beans, a meal haveth. Avocados, ripe, and calling out to me. Tahini and Pine Nuts, for some Middle Eastern flair. Et Voila, the perfect Salad for a summers day.
Organic Ingredients: Serves 4-6
1 Whole Pastured Chicken
Greens, whatever you fancy and enough to line the bottom of your serving dish
1 Cucumber
1 Pack/ 2 Cups Green Beans
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Celtic Sea Salt & Black Pepper
2 Avocados
10 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
1 Cup Pine Nuts
1 Cup Parsley, homegrown, leaves only, diced small
1/4 Cup Mint, homegrown, leaves only, diced small
A few springs of Oregano & Thyme, homegrown, leaves only
Dressing
1 Clove Garlic
3 Sprigs Thyme, homegrown, de- stemmed
1 Sprig Oregano, homegrown, de- stemmed
Juice of 2 Lemons
1/2 Cup Tahini
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
Celtic Sea Salt & Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method
Place your Whole Chicken on a roasting rack in your roasting pan. Pat dry with Kitchen Towels and season generously with Olive Oil and Salt. Bake in a 450f oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400f and bake for an hour or until fully cooked and its juices run clear. Rest Chicken on your carving board for 20 minutes before carving.
Fill a large serving plate with your favorite Greens.
Peel a large Cucumber a cut into small uniform bite size pieces. Scatter on top on your greens.
Slice 2 avocados into thin crescents and place on top of your Greens.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, place your Green Beans in, cover and cook on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat straight into a sifter in the sink to discard the water. Put your Green Beans back into your pot, void of heat, and season generously with Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper if desired.
Scatter your Green Beans on top of your greens.
Place your carved Chicken slices on top of your Beans.
Place Pine Nuts on a baking sheet lined and bake in a 375f oven for approx. 3 minutes. Shake your tray and bake for a further 2-3 minutes until browned but not burned. Check frequently. Remove from oven and scatter on top of your Salad.
De-stem, wash, dry and chop a generous amount of fresh Herbs, I’m using Parsley and Mint and Oregano and a little Thyme. Scatter on top of your Salad. Nestle in your Cherry Tomatoes.
Crush Garlic, Thyme and Oregano in a pestle and mortar. Throw into your food processor with the rest of the ingredients and Blitz unit smooth.
Lather your Salad with Dressing, add some fresh Pepper and serve.
