Get Premium access to all the latest content online
Subscribe and view full print editions online... Subscribe
Roasted buttermilk chicken and grape salad
Serves 2 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 chicken supreme (around 380g) or 2 smaller breasts, skin on
- 150ml buttermilk
- 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for crisping the chicken skin
- 120g black or red grapes, seedless
- 11/2tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2tbsp honey
- 3 heads Little Gem lettuce
- 2 celery sticks, with leaves
For the dressing
- 75ml buttermilk
- 1tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 50g crumbly blue cheese, such as Stilton, plus extra to serve
Method
Seperate the skin from the chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl, cover with the buttermilk and chill for a couple of hours (or overnight if you have time). This will tenderise the meat.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Wipe the excess buttermilk off the chicken and place it in a small baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season well. Bake for 40-50 minutes (less if using the breasts).
In the meantime, separate the grapes into clusters, keeping them on their stems. Combine the vinegar and honey in a bowl, add the grapes and toss carefully to coat. Transfer to another small baking tray and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. The exact time will depend on the size and type of grapes you are using, so keep a close eye on them - you want them nicely caramelised and soft but still holding their shape.
Lay the chicken skin flat in another small tray, rub with a little olive oil and scatter with sea salt. Roast for around the same time as the grapes, until bubbly and crisp. (It's a good idea to cook everything on different trays, as the juices will leak and for presentation purposes it's best to keep them seperate).
Place a griddle pan over a high heat to get very hot. Meanwhile, trim the base of the lettuces and cut in half lengthways through the core. Wash and pat dry, then place flat-side down on the griddle until they start to smoke and there are charred lines across the underside. Season and place in a large serving bowl.
To make the dressing, stir the buttermilk, mustard and crumbled cheese together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice the celery in 1cm-thick diagonal pieces, reserving the leaves for garnishing. Add the celery to the bowl of lettuce.
When the chicken is ready, cut it into 1cm-thick slices and add it to the serving bowl. Sprinkle with the celery leaves, then top with the roasted grapes and drizzle them with the balsamic juices from the roasting tray. Cut the chicken skin in half and add it to the bowl along with a scattering of crumbled blue cheese. Serve with the dressing alongside.
Advertisement