Fresh, tasty and quicker than any ready-meal: butterfl y your bird for even cooking and griddle it for a BBQ effect all-year-round.
Prep
- Butterfly the chicken: first, take a look at the bottom of the chicken breasts. If they have tenders attached (mini-fillets) slice them off to cook separately.
- Sit the breasts on a board, smooth sides up. Using a sharp chef ’s knife held parallel to the board, slice cleanly sideways through the centres of each one but NOT all the way through. Leave a hinge. Open each breast out into one thinner piece like a book.
- Lay the first butterfly between two pieces of cling film. Flatten it some more by hitting it with the flat of your hand or by rolling and bashing it with a rolling pin. Take care not to rip it. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the second piece. Add any tenders.
- Make the marinade: Mix the oil, herbs, garlic, pepper, lemon zest and half of the juice in a bowl. Tip it over the chicken and rub in. Set aside. Blanch the beans in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes or till al dente (bite one to test).
- Tip them into a colander held under running cold water for 30 seconds to fi x the colour and texture. Set aside to drain.
Cook
- Heat a griddle pan till almost smoking hot. Slap the butterflies down. Leave them to cook for 2 minutes, pressing down a bit with your spatula, until golden brown. Flip. Repeat for 2 minutes or until cooked (test with a knife: the flesh should be white, not pink). Remove to a plate.
- Sprinkle with salt and remaining lemon juice. Griddle the bread on the pan till crisp and marked each side. Finish the beans: heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the diced garlic and cook for a few seconds but don’t brown it up. Add the beans, turning, and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes, turning, and cook for a further minute until warmed through.
Plate
- Pile the beans and tomato artistically onto your plates. Sit the butterfly at a jaunty angle. Add a dollop of hummus and hot bread. Sit on the sofa and enjoy.
BONUS BITES
HERBED CHICKEN SKEWERS
Chop the non-butterflied meat into bite-sized chunks. Add your marinade. Th read onto metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers. Cook under a hot grill, turning, till white all through and still juicy. Eat on rice or in warmed pittas with salad.
CHICKEN FAJITAS
Th in meat as above before cutting into long thin strips. Add 2 tsp paprika, 1 crushed garlic clove and a squeeze of lemon. Pan-fry quickly before banging into warmed tortillas with guacamole, grated cheddar, sliced red onion and shredded iceberg lettuce.
