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Donal Skehan
Simple Summer Feast | DonalSkehan.com, Chicken & salad might not sound exciting but when you put in a little effort you get big results!
  • main-meals

Simple Summer Feast

July 06

Meals which take little preparation but are totally delicious are always a plus in my book. This simple supper uses lots of fresh ingredients which, once assembled, look really beautiful on the dinner table. Once everything is prepared you can get your guests to dig in!  I spatchcock the chicken here to speed up the cooking time.  Once the chicken is roasting in the oven you are left with time to assemble the salads to accompany.

 

 

  • serves Serves 4
  • time 75 mins

Method

  1. 1. For the chicken, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
  2. 2. To prepare the chicken, place the bird breast-down and, using a knife or a sharp scissors, cut along either side of the back bone to remove it. Open the bird out and flip it over breast-side up and, using your fist, push down hard on the breast to break the bone.
  3. 3. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin and coat with oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over and roast the chicken for 50–60 minutes or until cooked through. When cooked, carve in to wings, breasts, legs.
  4. 4. For the avocado salad, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and set aside. Assemble the ingredients for the salad on a serving platter, start with the slices of avocado then top with the red onion slices and then the cherry tomatoes. Pick off little leaves of coriander and sprinkle all over the top of the salad. Drizzle over the dressing and then season with sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper.
  5. 5. For the tomato salsa, prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and tossing to combine.
  6. 6. For the salad whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
  7. 7. Wash and dry the salad leaves and assemble on a large serving platter. Drizzle over the dressing when you are ready to serve.

Ingredients

For the chicken:
1 free-range chicken (about 1.1–1.4kg)

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

2 tbsp of cajun seasoning

Sea salt and ground black pepper

For the tomato salsa:

1 small punnet of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely Chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Sea Salt and black pepper

For the Avocado Salad:

2 ripe avocados, in thick slices

1 red onion, sliced in half moons

A generous handful of coriander

Salt and pepper to season

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 tsp of Tabasco sauce

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad and Dressing:

1 tbsp of apple balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of honey

1 tsp of wholegrain mustard

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Sea salt and ground black pepper

A generous selection of mixed salad leaves

 

You'll Need

Large roasting tin

Mixing bowl x 2

Serving platter

 

 

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