Recipe and images by Fiona Hugues
My feathered flock brings me endless joy, and it’s no secret that I completely adore my chooks. For a couple of decades now I’ve fancied them, raised them, named them, and relished in their noble egg-laying careers. They’ve raised me heritage breeds from other mothers, hatched random orphaned eggs and they’re brilliant recyclers of my organic kitchen waste. But let’s face it, loving chickens doesn’t stop me from hankering for a good poultry recipe, and I regularly feature their cousins trussed, dismembered, torn and chopped in my kitchen.
Alas, of late I’ve been slammed with work projects and my time to conjure a golden blistering bird in the oven or searing delicious chunks in a pan to great length has been scarce, literally like their teeth. So, get ready to meet one of my two favourite fresh ingredient recipes at the moment to make last-minute with the humble ol’ supermarket rotisserie chook – each one a tribute to new season flavours and both to the birds outside my window and to the array of flavourful possibilities they inspire.
NOTE
This recipe feature ingredients that benefit from a bit of salt to enhance their crunch. Bathe your chopped celery in an icy solution of four cups of water and two tablespoons of salt for ten minutes then drain. For cucumbers, smash or chop them and toss in salt. The salt will draw out moisture, so set them in a colander for 30 minutes to drain. Lightly rinse if you prefer and press the last bit of moisture out on paper towels before using.
Spring Chicken Salad with Green Things
“Eat your greens,” they say. Ok then, sweetheart, here’s my leafy culinary answer to all the parents and preachers of wellness and virtuosity saying such things. This recipe is literally a stand back and biff all the green things you can get your hands on in a bowl together with a balance of chooky nut protein for good measure, all doused in my trusty creamy mustardy dressing. It’s very adaptable, so get creative with what veg you fancy and don’t hesitate adding fruit because, as you know, I’m a huge advocate for fruit in savoury dishes, simply because it’s nearly always damn delicious.
Ingredients are approximate, and the dressing will keep in the fridge for a week.
as many torn bits of roast chicken as you fancy, boneless
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup or so green grapes
½ cup walnut halves, gently toasted
1 sliced avocado
½ green apple, sliced
handful of green leaves (I used lettuce here but spinach, rocket, celery tops or shaved cabbage all work just as well)
4–5 Medjool dates, pitted & sliced
small handful of blanched baby peas
(I’d have loved some chopped spears of asparagus in here too but at time of writing still none to be found.)
FOR THE DRESSING
1 heaped tbsp seed mustard
½ clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup Champagne or good white wine vinegar
flaked salt & fresh ground pepper
⅓ cup Tatua crème fraiche
1 tbsp runny honey
½ cup olive oil / to taste
Whisk everything together except for the olive oil. Once everything is well combined, drizzle in the olive oil to taste. Store in the fridge.
Put all your greens and fruit in a bowl, pour over dressing and toss to coat everything well.
Lay on a platter and top with the torn chicken and a sprinkle of toasted walnuts. Devour with a crisp glass of wine and some crusty bread.
Editor’s Note
This is also a great recipe for using up leftover roast chicken. Click here for more recipes to help you cut down your food waste
