Herby Puy Lentils with Shredded Chicken, Feta, Roasted Courgette & a Tangey Lemon & Ginger Dressing
As the weather warms up and we enter into Spring, it feels natural to switch those heartier lunches for wholesome and nourishing salads using an array of colourful plant foods. Using legumes, such as lentils, as a base is a great way to bulk them out whilst also increasing the fibre and protein content of the dish. If you’re rushed for time, you can use lentils from a pouch (eg Merchant Gourmet). This recipe includes shredded chicken leftover from a Sunday roast, but you can roast a whole chicken ahead of time to use purely for lunches during the week.
Servings: 4 Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
200g puy lentils
2 small courgettes, roughly cut into bitesize chunks
handful parsley, roughly chopped
handful coriander, roughly chopped
handful mint, roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
10 radishes, cut into 1cm chunks
1 chicory, sliced
50g feta, crumbled
50g pumpkin seeds, toasted
150-200g shredded chicken (leftovers from the roast)
Dressing:
100ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, zest & juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 inch ginger root, peeled and grated
salt & pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 250C fan.
2. Start by cooking the puy lentils according to the packet instructions (this usually takes 20 minutes)
3. Meanwhile, lay out the chopped courgettes on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and cook in the oven for 7 minutes until charred and a little soft. Leave to cool.
4. When the lentils are cooked, drain and rinse under cold water very quickly, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the herbs, olive oil, radishes, chicory, shredded chicken, and courgettes (once cooled)
6. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl or jar then pour this over the salad and combine well with a spoon.
7. Divide the salad between four plates or bowls, crumble over the feta and sprinkle over toasted pumpkin seeds.
