Mediterranean Chicken Salad

If my family's immediate reaction to this recipe is anything to go by, it is a surefire winner! Without prompting, it was met with a chorus of approval. It is quick and easy enough to make for a midweek dinner, or it will travel well for picnic fare.

Basil Pesto

I have been making this Stephanie Alexander Pesto for years. It is featured in her magnificent book The Cook’s Companion and her school's Kitchen Garden program. I only used half in this recipe, with the remainder used in Pesto Chicken later in the week (another crowd-pleaser).

• 1 cup firmly packed basil leaves

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to seal

• ¼ cups pine nuts (you can toast or roast these if you fancy)

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• Sea salt

• 60 grams parmesan, grated

Put basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth. Stop the machine once or twice and scrape the sides with a spatula. Add the parmesan and mix well. Spoon pesto into a clean and dry 250 ml-capacity screw-top jar.

If you are storing the pesto, press it down with the back of a spoon to ensure no air pockets, and seal it with a film of olive oil. Store in the refrigerator.

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Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Yield: 4

Author: Lee Newcombe

In the words of Darryl Kerrigan from The Castle, this salad is 'going straight to the pool room' with its delicious burst of fresh Mediterranean flavours and colour.

Ingredients

• 3 medium chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 120g baby spinach leaves
• 1 punnet cherry
• 2 Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways and chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives,
• 1 cup baby bocconcini balls
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Whisk together the pesto, olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and a big pinch of sea salt.
2. Add all but ¾ cup (set aside as the dressing) of this mixture to a bag or bowl with the chicken, toss to coat the chicken and let marinate.
3. If you are using the chicken immediately, there is no need to refrigerate it, but if you refrigerate for longer, bring it out of the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking to allow the chicken to come up to room temperature. Refrigerate the dressing separately.
4. To cook the chicken, heat a cast iron grill pan or skillet, add a thin layer of olive oil to coat the surface and grill until cooked. The BBQ also works well. The time it takes to cook will depend on the cooking method; you will know it is cooked when the juices run clear, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 75°C. Remove from the grill and sit for a few minutes before slicing on a diagonal.
5. To assemble the dish, add all of the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl. Place the sliced chicken on top.
6. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and sprinkle with the toasted almond slivers. Serve and enjoy.