I'm also a fellow hater of reading the writer's life story whilst trying to get to a recipe, if you want to see pictures or read a few of my words. They'll be after the recipe. Thanks.
Ingredients:
1 Full Chicken or 2 Bone-In Chicken Breasts
1 Shallot
150ml White Wine
Fresh sprig of Thyme
Fresh Basil
1 Lemon
300ml Chicken Stock
250g Spinach
1 Granny Smith Apple
30g Pine Nuts
50g Feta
2 cloves of Garlic
A few slices of 1-day old Ciabatta
30ml White Wine Vinegar
50ml Olive Oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 190C
2. Break down chicken and leave the bone in the chicken breasts
3. Season both sides of the breasts with rock salt and freshly ground black pepper
4. Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan. When it begins to lightly smoke lay the chicken breast skin side down away from you and flip once a deep, golden colour on both sides
5. Transfer to a baking tray and place in oven until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160C
6. Julienne the basil, thyme and finely dice the shallot. Roll and slice the 2 sides of the lemon off, avoiding seeds.
7. Heat your oil leftover from pan-roasting the chicken to a gentle simmer and add the shallots, stirring so they absorb the flavour from the cast iron pan. After 60 seconds add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and saute for a further 30 seconds before deglazing with the white wine
8. After a few minutes, when the alcohol has burnt off, add the thyme, basil and half of the freshly squeezed lemon juice and simmer for 60 seconds.
9. Once homogenous, add the chicken stock and reduce.
10. Whilst the sauce is reducing and the chicken is in the oven. Chop your Ciabatta to large cubes, season and drizzle with olive oil in a baking tray. Toss to coat thoroughly and place in the oven, below the chicken.
11. Dice your Apple, Feta and add to a bowl with your Spinach and Pine Nuts.
12. Make a quick vinaigrette by combining the oil, white wine vinegar, torn basil, seasoning and the rest of the lemon juice. Stir to mix and coat your salad with it.
13. Remove your croutons and chicken from the oven and let the chicken rest before adding your croutons to the salad.
14. When the sauce has reduced, finish with the butter.
15. Slice the chicken breast evenly and plate it up, spooning the pan sauce over the crispy chicken skin.
