Tue, 29 April 2025
Protein Packed Roast Chicken & Courgette Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, Pistachio & Chickpea Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
• 2 chicken breasts (or thighs), skin-on
• 2 courgettes (400g), sliced into rounds
• 1 tsp chopped herbs
• 15g olive oil
• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
• 90g quinoa, rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced (about 75g)
• 100g cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 30g pistachios, roughly chopped
• Handful of red grapes
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (about 15g)
• Fresh mint, to garnish
For the Green Goddess Dressing:
• 120g live natural yoghurt
• 20g fresh mint leaves
• 1 lemon juice
• 15g olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp/5g Dijon mustard (about 1 teaspoon)
• I anchovy fillet
• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Water (to thin, if necessary)
Method:
1. Roast the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Drizzle the chicken breasts (or thighs) with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Let it rest for a few minutes, then pull with 2 forks.
2. Fry the Courgettes: Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the courgette slices in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then set aside. Drain on some kitchen paper.
3. Prepare the Quinoa Salad: While the chicken is roasting, cook the quinoa. In a small saucepan, bring 240ml of water/stock to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat, and cover. Let it simmer for about 12-15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and fluffy. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then stir in lemon juice, zest, and olive oil. Once cooled slightly, toss with the sliced red onion, chickpeas, grapes and chopped pistachios.
4. Make the Green Goddess Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the natural yogurt, fresh mint leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, anchovy and Dijon mustard. Blend until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add a little water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if needed.
5. Assemble the Salad: On a large platter, layer the quinoa salad as the base. Top with the golden courgette slices and sliced roast chicken. Drizzle the green goddess dressing generously over the top, then sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios and fresh mint leaves.
