From Lolly's Kitchen Had It There. Made It Here. Plate 02
Chicken with smashed feta proves that a block of cheese and a fork can do a rather admirable amount of work.
Add golden chicken, smoky paprika butter beans and sharp slices of pickled cucumber. Suddenly, lunch looks terribly well thought out.
It's creamy, crunchy, salty and fresh. A little bit of everything, exactly how I like to eat. Better still, there's no blender to wash afterwards.
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One plate. Four excellent reasons to take your time over lunch.
Chicken with smashed feta: the bit with the fork
I'm rather fond of whipped feta. However, sometimes I can't be bothered with the blender. And frankly, why should I?
A little Greek yoghurt, lemon, fresh dill and olive oil turn feta into a wonderfully creamy base. So, I mash everything directly onto the plate and leave a few salty little lumps behind. Perfectly imperfect.
A fork, some feta and absolutely no piping bag.
The humble jar that started the crunchy bit.
Give the chicken some colour
Meanwhile, cook your seasoned chicken until it develops a beautiful golden crust. Let it rest before slicing, then fan the pieces across the feta. That way, every forkful picks up some of the creamy base.
First, get those beautifully browned edges.
Then give the chicken a moment to rest.
Butter beans, but make them crispy
Butter beans are lovely in a stew. Yet give them a generous dusting of smoked paprika and roast them until the edges turn golden, and they're an entirely different proposition.
First, dry them properly. Next, spread them out so they roast rather than steam. Finally, give them a little time to crisp up. If you've another jar to use, BBC Good Food has plenty more butter bean ideas .
Spread out and generously seasoned.
A little paprika goes a long way.
The crispy edges are the whole point.
Now add something sharp
Of course, the pickled cucumber matters too. It's cool, sharp and just acidic enough to cut through the rich feta. Drain the slices first; nobody wants a puddle of pickle juice across their lovely plate.
To finish, add your chicken, tuck in the cucumber and scatter the crispy beans. A little extra dill and olive oil never hurt anyone either.
Creamy, crisp, salty and sharp. Every mouthful should have a little of everything.
Nothing complicated. Just a few good ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to.
And that, really, is the point of this little One Plate series. Ordinary ingredients, a little more thought, and a lunch worth sitting down for.
Love, Lolly x
Enjoyed this one? Go back to Plate No. 1: salmon with creamy pesto sauce and paprika sweet potato mash .
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The full recipe
Find the quantities, timings and step-by-step method in the recipe card below.
Chicken with Smashed Lemon & Dill Feta, Crispy Butter Beans and Pickled Cucumber
Ingredients
Method
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Quick-pickle the cucumber: toss the cucumber ribbons with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Heat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C conventional), with a roasting tray inside. Pat the butter beans thoroughly dry, then toss gently with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper. Spread over the hot tray in one layer and roast for 25–35 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges, turning carefully halfway through. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Rub the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook in a frying pan over a medium heat, turning as needed, until golden and cooked through (75°C in the thickest part). Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Place the feta directly on a large serving plate. Add the Greek yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, zest, dill, garlic and black pepper. Mash everything together with a fork until creamy but still a little textured. Spread into a generous, imperfect circle.
- Arrange the sliced chicken over the smashed feta. Drain the pickled cucumber well, then add it in loose folds. Scatter over the crispy butter beans.
- Finish with a little extra dill and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve straight away so the beans retain their crunch.
Notes
Drying the beans really well is the key to crisp edges. Drain the cucumber before plating and scatter the butter beans on at the last moment.
