Pesto griddled chicken with lemony lentil & green bean salad
Puy lentils work beautifully in this recipe, holding their shape and providing texture, as well as taste.
Servings
4
About this recipe
Puy lentils are often better tolerated than other types of lentil, which can cause digestive upset for some people. Also called French lentils, find them in New World or Bin Inn stores and make sure you wash them well before use.
Ingredients
100g Puy lentils (French lentils)
4 chicken breasts (around 500g)
2 tbsp fresh pesto (or D/F homemade pesto)
150g green beans, halved
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
Himalayan salt & black pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a medium size saucepan of water to the boil, add the Puy lentils and reduce the heat. Simmer for around 8 minutes, until they are soft, but retain a slight bite in texture. Once cooked, rinse in a colander under cold running water and set aside to cool.
Step 2
Coat the chicken breasts with pesto on both sides and cook on the barbecue, hot griddle or frying pan for about 8 minutes, turning once, until well browned, cooked through and there is no pink meat.
Step 3
Meanwhile, steam the green beans for 3 minutes until tender, then drain and refresh under cold water. Pat dry and place in a bowl with the cooked lentils and sliced spring onions. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, cumin and season with salt & black pepper. Pour the dressing over the lentils and mix well. Serve with the chicken.
Nutrition
Puy lentils are an all round nutritional winner! A source of protein and digestion-friendly soluble fibre, they contain an impressive array of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus and folic acid.