ITALIAN GRILLED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND HERBS ON ORZO SALAD

Ready in 30 mins Serves 4

6 boneless chicken thighs, or 4 single boneless chicken breasts

¼ cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp chopped rosemary

1 tsp chopped oregano

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste Orzo salad

2 cups orzo, cooked according to packet instructions (or 4 cups cooked rice) ¼ cup pesto or salsa verde

¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

250g lightly cooked beans or peas

1 cup cooked corn kernels

1 red or yellow pepper, diced

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

½ cup grated parmesan

Place each chicken breast or thigh between sheets of baking paper and flatten to a thin schnitzel using a rolling pin or a heavy, flat implement. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken and stir to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours in the fridge. Barbecue, pan-fry or grill for 3-4 minutes each side until chicken is golden and fully cooked through (there should be no pink meat). While chicken cooks, toss the salad ingredients together, reserving a little parmesan for garnish. Divide salad between serving bowls, slice chicken and arrange on top. Garnish with reserved parmesan.

YVONNE’S PICKS ...

Pair the medley of magical, herbaceous flavours in this dish with a wine that’ll carry you through that juicy chicken and textural overload of the orzo. The Little Wing Waiheke Island Marsanne 2018 ($40) is Gillian and Gareth MacLachlan’s white riot. They became obsessed with Marsanne after working in the Northern Rhone in 2010 and, when the opportunity came along to purchase a semiabandoned oceanfront vineyard on Waiheke Island years later, of course marsanne was planted! Hand-harvested, basketpressed, wild-fermented and a touch of skin contact for texture creates honeydew, stonefruit, almond and yellow plum notes that work wickedly. waihekewinecentre.com