Chicken, lentil and ricotta wedge salad

Name: Chicken, lentil and ricotta wedge salad
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Mediterranean recipes
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (skin-on if you prefer); 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 15g unsalted butter; 10 sage leaves; 1 tsp capers; 2 little gem lettuces, quartered; 1 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar; ½ tsp dijon mustard; 250g cooked lentils (we used beluga); 60g ricotta

Portion size: Serves 2
Hands-on time 30 min, plus optional brining
Difficulty: easy

Gluten-free

Emily Gussin

Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

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The dressing for this warm salad is made in the pan using the cooking juices from the chicken and the flavour from crisping up sage leaves and capers to boost the vinaigrette. The lentils and wedges of little gem lettuce are warmed through in the same pan, keeping it all nice and simple.

Love the idea of this recipe? We’ve got lots more chicken salads.

Before you start

Brining your chicken will keep it juicy, so it’s worth the extra 30 minutes.

Ricotta is great stirred into hot pasta or as a pie filling with spinach and other greens.

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Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (skin-on if you prefer)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
15g unsalted butter
10 sage leaves
1 tsp capers
2 little gem lettuces, quartered
1 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
½ tsp dijon mustard
250g cooked lentils (we used beluga)
60g ricotta

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Method

Put the chicken breasts between 2 layers of baking paper on a board and use a rolling pin to bash the thicker parts until everything is 1.5-2cm thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt. If you have time, leave at room temperature, skin-side up, to dry-brine for 30 minutes.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add the chicken skin-side down. Fry for 6-7 minutes, turn and fry for 5-6 minutes more until cooked through. In the final minute, add the butter to the pan and use a teaspoon to baste the breasts with it once foaming. Lift the chicken onto a board and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Add the sage leaves and capers to the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes until crispy, then set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan and put the lettuces, cut side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning halfway through, to brown lightly. Transfer to serving plates.
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Stir the vinegar and mustard into the pan, then add the resting juices from the chicken board. Bubble for a minute, then stir in the lentils and cook for a few minutes until warmed. Season.
Spoon the lentils onto plates. Slice the chicken and add with the lettuce wedges, then dot the ricotta around and finish with the sage, capers and a drizzle of oil.