Chicken and Pear Salad

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking time:1 hour for chicken, plus cooling
Serves: 4

Cooking the chicken in this way gives deliciously moist meat.

Choose British chicken with the Red Tractor and Union Jack on pack and you’ll know that you’re getting fresh, local birds that are fully traceable back to independently inspected British farms. Or ask your butcher if it’s British.

Ingredients

1 small whole British Chicken
1 large carrot, quartered
1 onion, quartered
1 celery stick, halved
2 bay leaves
Small bunch of parsley

Dressing
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4-5 tbsp walnut oil

Salad
4 pears
Juice of ½ lemon
3 little gem lettuces, separated into leaves
60g toasted walnut pieces

Method

1. Place the chicken into a large pan, along with the carrot, onion and herbs. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and cook, covered, very gently for 45-60 minutes, until very tender. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool in the stock in the pan. This can be done the night before.

2. When cool, lift the bird out and tear off the flesh in strips. Cover and set aside until needed.

3. Place the vinegar in a small bowl and season. Whisk in the oil a little at a time

4. Peel, core and slice the pears then toss in lemon juice to prevent browning. Place the lettuce in a bowl and add the torn chicken. Add the pear and drizzle over the dressing and finish with a scattering of toasted walnuts.

5. If taking this as a picnic, take the dressing in a little bottle and add just before serving.

Tip:  If time is short use either left over chicken or ready cooked chicken.