This is such a quick and simple, but amazingly delicious dish that works really well as a starter or light lunch. Aside from cooking the chicken and making the dressing it’s more or less just a case of assembling the dish together on a plate. In other words, anyone can do this and it only takes about 15 minutes. Although this recipe doesn’t have it, if you prefer some crunch in your salad, you can also add some toasted pine nuts or pistachios or go old-skool and add some garlic croutons.
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 chicken breasts (skin off)
- 400g prosciutto or Serano ham
- 10 – 12 figs, quartered
- a bag of mixed salad leaves such as rocket, spincach
- a large handful of fresh basil
- 4-5 anchovies
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 50 g creamy blue cheese such as St Agur, finely chopped
- 100ml of creme fraiche (mayo or salad cream would also work)
- a teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- juice from half a lemon
- sour dough bread or French bread to serve alongside
METHOD
Start by cutting your chicken breasts in half horizontally so you end up with 6 thin breasts. This will help the chicken to cook quickly and evenly. Add a little bit oil to a large frying pan and fry the chicken breasts over a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes each side, or until completely cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to rest.
While the chicken is cooking make the dressing. Finely chop the anchovies and add to a bowl. Crush in the garlic with a garlic crusher or, if you don’t have one, finely chop it. Add the cheese, mustard and the creme fraiche and a small glug of olive oil and mix together well until smooth. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix. The dressing may split a little at this point but just keep mixing and it will come back together again. Add some water to loosen up the dressing if needed. Ideally you want it to be the consistency of single cream. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Now it’s time to bring the dish together. Add a large handful of salad leaves to each plate followed by some basil leaves, 3 or 4 strips of the ham and the figs. Slice the chicken into bit sized pieces and arrange randomly over the top. Finish it all off with a generous drizzle of the dressing and serve with toasted or griddled slices of bread.
