Spring Chicken Salad with Mustard Yoghurt and Balsamic Flavour Pearls

Spring Chicken salad with Balsamic flavour Pearls

Spring Chicken Salad with Mustard Yoghurt and Balsamic Flavour Pearls 

Spring Chicken salad with Balsamic flavour Pearls

 

Spring Chicken Salad with Mustard Yoghurt and Balsamic Flavour Pearls. The combination of warm chicken, creamy mustardy yoghurt , fresh greens and a sour burst of Balsamic Flavour Pearls give a deliciously balanced dish, adding a glass of wine and some great conversation is highly recommended too!

We used Poussin – which is sometimes called a Spring Chicken. Poussin is a small chicken up to 500 g in size and super juicy and delicate in flavour. We picked ours up from the supermarket but you can easily substitute the Poussin for a chicken breast or even a pre-roasted chicken for a little time saving!

What you’ll need – 4 servings

  • Poussin x 3 – allow 3/4 Poussin per serve (or Chicken Breast/Thigh)
  • 1 clove garlic – crushed
  • Thyme – a few sprigs
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Yoghurt – around 200g thick Greek or natural style 
  • Dijon Mustard – 1 tablespoon
  • Baby Spinach leaves – a couple of handfulls
  • Sugar Snap Peas – 200g – blanched and refreshed
  • Fennel – finely shaved on a mandolin
  • Dill – around 1 table spoon roughly chopped
  • Balsamic Flavour Pearls

To do…

Firstly if you are using Poussin you will need to spatchcock and marinate them. Here is a video link to show you how to spatchcock a chicken which is exactly the same as what our Poussin requires.

We spatchcock the Poussin in order to make it a little easier to grill/pan fry and portion for our salads. Combine a little olive oil with the garlic and thyme and rub all over the Poussin or chicken breast. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to cook. (allow around 15-20 minutes cook time)

Combine the yoghurt and mustard and season to taste.

Prepare your salad ingredients – finely shave the fennel, blanch and refresh the sugar snaps, chop the dill and wash the spinach leaves.

When it’s time to serve 

Set the oven to 180C and grab a large fry pan and an oven tray.

Pop your pan on the stove on a high heat. When it’s nice and hot add the Poussin skin side down and cook until it’s a nice deep golden colour. Turn and cook for a minute on the other side. Place on the tray and season with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper before putting in the oven for up to 10 minutes until it is cooked through. 

Leave the Poussin to rest on the tray for a few minutes whilst you get the salad prep together.

Assembly time

Grab 4 large bowls or plates, add a generous spoon of the mustardy yoghurt to one side. In a large bowl combine the spinach, fennel, sugar snaps and dill with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Gently combine and divide between the plates.

With a sharp knife you need to cut each Poussin into 4 pieces…2 legs and 2 breasts. Feel free to remove the cavity bones for a tidier salad and nicer eating experience. (wearing some plastic food gloves while handling still quite warm food will make your life easier too)

Add 3 pieces of the Poussin onto each plate and then top with Balsamic Flavour Pearls.

Dinner is served…Enjoy!

Until next time

from the Peninsula Larder Team

“You don’t win friends with salad.”
Homer Simpson

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