Green Goddess Chicken with Freekeh, Cucumber and Radish

• 600gboneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1.5lcold water
• 2bay leaves
• 3garlic cloves, 2 lightly crushed for poaching and 1 for the dressing
• 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
• ½lemon, sliced into rounds
• 200gcracked freekeh, rinsed
• 600mlvegetable stock
• 25gfresh chives, 15g roughly chopped for the dressing and 10g finely snipped for the freekeh
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 1ripe avocado, peeled and stoned
• 20gfresh flat-leaf parsley
• 10gfresh tarragon leaves
• 3 tbspGreek yoghurt
• 1lemon, juiced, with 2 tbsp for the dressing and 1 tbsp for the cucumber
• 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 1cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal
• 150gradishes, thinly sliced
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspcaster sugar

Method

1. 1Put the chicken, water, bay leaves, crushed garlic, peppercorns and lemon rounds in a wide saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until small bubbles are breaking steadily around the chicken.
2. 2While the liquid heats, toss the radishes with the white wine vinegar, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes until lightly softened and bright pink. Toss the cucumber with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice; leave for 5 minutes until beads of moisture appear, then drain.
3. 3Blend the avocado, parsley, tarragon, 15g roughly chopped chives, Greek yoghurt, remaining garlic and 2 tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Add the olive oil and blend until glossy and naturally bright green, then season with salt and black pepper.
4. 4Once the chicken liquid is simmering, turn the heat low and poach for 20 minutes until the chicken is opaque through the centre and reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. At the same time, put the freekeh and stock in a second saucepan, bring to the boil for 3 minutes until bubbling across the surface, then cover and simmer for 22 minutes until the grains are tender and the stock is absorbed.
5. 5Season the freekeh with salt and black pepper, then fold through the 10g finely snipped chives. Lift out the chicken and rest for 3 minutes until the surface stops steaming fiercely and the juices settle, then slice into thick diagonal pieces.
6. 6Divide the freekeh between four wide bowls and lay the chicken over it. Spoon over the green goddess dressing, then arrange the cucumber and pickled radishes in loose overlapping slices around the chicken.

Per serving

kcal

616

protein

55.6g

fibre

11.5g

carbs

47.4g

fat

22.9g