GREEK SALAD WITH CHICKEN RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. I think it’s quite nice to have different shapes and sizes in a salad, so cut your medium tomato into wedges, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the beef tomato into large rounds. Put all the tomatoes into a large salad bowl. Slice the onion very finely so it’s wafer thin and add to the tomatoes. Scratch a fork down the sides of the cucumber so it leaves deep grooves in the skin, then cut it into thick slices. Deseed your pepper, slice it into rings and add them to the salad along with the cucumber.
  2. Roughly chop the dill and most of the mint leaves, reserving the smaller ones for garnish. Add the chopped herbs to the bowl of salad, then squeeze your handful of olives over so they season the vegetables, then drop them in.
  3. Add a pinch of sea salt, the vinegar and the extra virgin olive oil. Quickly toss everything together with your hands. The minute all those flavours start working with the veg is when the magic starts to happen. Have a taste, and adjust the flavours if need be.
  4. To serve, pop the block of feta right on the top of the salad. Sprinkle the oregano over the top along with the reserved mint leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take it straight to the table. It’s confident and scruffy with a bit of attitude. Delicious.
  5. PS I’ve been known to pop leftover Greek salad into a liquidizer with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a few ice cubes, then blitz it up to a smooth consistency so it's basically a Greek gazpacho. It’s not a classic thing to do, but it is very delicious, not to mention a great way of using up leftovers!

Steps:

• 1. Fill a small pan with water, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
  2. Meanwhile, halve, deseed and finely chop the pepper. Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Bash the olives and tear out the stones, if needed, then roughly chop. Halve the cherry tomatoes, then place it all into a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Place the couscous into a bowl, cover with 250ml of the boiling water. Cover with a plate and set aside.
  4. While the couscous is steaming, coarsely grate the cucumber into a small bowl, add a pinch of sea salt and leave for 5 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, place the chicken on a plate. Drizzle over 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the oregano and a pinch of black pepper. Finely grate over the lemon zest, then turn the chicken over to coat.
  6. Using clean hands, gently squeeze the moisture from the grated cucumber into the sink, then return to the bowl. Stir in the yoghurt, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of pepper. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then stir half into the yoghurt mixture.
  7. Using a speed-peeler, peel the carrot, then continue shaving it into long ribbons. Place into a small bowl, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and add a good squeeze of lemon juice.
  8. Heat a non-­stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  9. Meanwhile, fluff up the couscous with a fork, then add stir through the chopped vegetables with the remaining chopped mint. Add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Stir well and season to taste with black pepper.
  10. Place the chicken into the hot pan and fry for 10 minutes, or until cooked through, turning from time to time, then slice into rough strips.
  11. Divide the couscous between plates, top with the carrot salad and chicken, then serve with the tzatziki.