Citrus chicken with roasted fennel and barley couscous

Barley couscous is a nuttier, more flavoursome version of the durum wheat version, and soaks up the citrus juices beautifully.

SERVES 6

PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus marinating and standing COOKING TIME about 35 minutes

3 skinless chicken breasts

Zest and juice 1 lemon

1tsp dried marjoram or oregano 2tbsp olive oil

2 large fennel bulbs

160g barley couscous

175ml hot chicken or vegetable stock, to cover

1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Zest and juice

1 small orange, plus

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

4 spring onions, finely chopped Handful fresh marjoram or oregano, roughly chopped

1 Put the chicken breasts in a sealed plastic container with the lemon zest and juice, dried herbs and 1tbsp olive oil. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4hr, turning occasionally.

2 Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Halve the fennel bulbs top to bottom, removing the outer layers if they are blemished. (Keep any fronds for adding to the salad later.) Slice the fennel in half again, then each piece into 4. Put in a roasting tin; drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 20-25min until tinged golden and tender. Leave to cool.

3 Put the couscous into a bowl and add the stock. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to stand for 5min. Fluff up the grains with a fork and stir in the extra virgin olive oil, orange zest and juice, orange segments, spring onion, cooled fennel and any fennel fronds, finely chopped. Set aside.

4 Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat. Put the chicken on a board. Cover with clingfilm. Flatten lightly with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Griddle for 5min each side until cooked through. Leave to rest for 5min.

5 Slice the chicken thickly. Stir it into the couscous, with the herbs, just before serving.