Lemon Chicken Salad With Spicy Couscous

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 1 red chile, seeded and finely diced
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed, lightly crushed
• 4 spring onions, finely diced
• 450 ml chicken stock
• 250 g couscous
• 2 tablespoons pickled ginger, finely chopped
• 1 grated limes, juice and rind of
• 2 plum tomatoes, peeled,seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 50 g baby salad leaves, well picked over
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

Recipe

• 1 remove the skin and sinew from the chicken breasts and pull off the breast fillets.
• 2 using a very sharp knife, cut all the meat on the diagonal into very thin slices across the grain.
• 3 place in a non-metallic bowl and pare over the lemon rind, then add half the garlic and lemon oil.
• 4 add a pinch of salt and give about twelve turns of the pepper mill.
• 5 stir to combine, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to six hours.
• 6 melt the butter in a large pan and add the remaining garlic, the chilli and coriander seeds.
• 7 cook for 1 minute, stirring and then add the spring onions and stock.
• 8 bring to the boil and season to taste, then pour in the couscous in a thin steady stream, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until the stock is absorbed.
• 9 add the pickled ginger and lime rind and mix well to combine.
• 10 remove from the heat, cover and set aside for 5 minutes, fluffing up with a fork half way through to help the grains swell up.
• 11 add the tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice and fresh coriander, stir well again and cover with clingfilm.
• 12 set aside for up to six hours.
• 13 heat a heavy-based frying pan until very hot.
• 14 add the sunflower oil and flash fry the chicken until tender and lightly caramelised.
• 15 add the juice of half a lemon then tip out on to kitchen paper to drain.
• 16 the couscous can be served at room temperature or it can be heated in a microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, just make sure you puncture the clingfilm first.
• 17 place a pile in the centre of each the serving plate and scatter around the chicken.
• 18 place the salad leaves in a bowl, season and then dress with the remaining olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• 19 pile on top of the couscous and drizzle the remaining lemon oil around the edge of the plate to serve.