Summer chicken dinners work well with crisp vegetables, citrus and a short session at the stove. These two meals serve four: one uses freshly cooked chicken, while the other starts with safely chilled cooked chicken.
Lemon chicken with tomato couscous
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast in thin strips, 1 tablespoon olive oil, zest and juice of 1 washed lemon, 200 g couscous, 300 g chopped tomatoes, half a cucumber and a handful of chopped parsley.
- Prepare the couscous with the water quantity and standing time on its packet. Fluff with a fork.
- Heat oil in a wide pan. Cook the chicken strips over medium-high heat, turning regularly, until they reach the temperature below.
- Off the heat, add lemon zest and half the juice to the chicken.
- Combine couscous, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley. Add the remaining juice to taste and serve with the chicken.
Allow roughly 25 minutes. Replace couscous with separately cooked rice or a suitable gluten-free grain if needed.
Cold chicken, white bean and peach salad
Ingredients: 300 g safely chilled cooked chicken, 240 g drained canned white beans, 2 sliced peaches, 150 g salad leaves, half a cucumber, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Rinse and drain the beans. Wash and prepare the fruit and vegetables.
- Slice the cold chicken using clean utensils.
- Combine all ingredients shortly before eating. Dress with oil and lemon.
Allow about 15 minutes; cooking and chilling chicken from raw is additional time. Bread can make this a more substantial meal.
Eating outdoors
Pack the salad in a chilled container with ice packs and keep it cold until serving. Do not place cooked chicken on the plate that held it raw. Prepare the salad vegetables before handling raw poultry, or use separately cleaned equipment.
Safety: chicken must reach 74°C/165°F internally. Keep raw poultry separate; wash hands and utensils after handling it.
