Name: Poached Chicken, Crunchy Vegetables, and Herb Dressing
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10 almonds (1 tablespoon), soaked; 2 sprigs each of cilantro, basil, parsley and tarragon, leaves picked and stalks set aside; 1 small clove of garlic, peeled; Sea salt; 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 (5-ounce) chicken breasts; 1 clove of garlic, crushed with skin on; 1 teaspoon sea salt; A handful (approx. 1/4 pound) of green beans; 1 bulb of fennel; 1 carrot; 1 small zucchini; 6 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved; Freshly ground black pepper; Lemon wedges, to serve

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Photo by Susan Bell

I used to be put off by poaching chicken as I feared it was more complicated than my simple fried version. But it's actually much easier, because while the chicken poaches you can prepare the rest of the food. These days I often poach 3 or 4 chicken breasts at a time, then keep them in the fridge so I can toss them into salads over the following days. Poaching really helps to keep the moisture in the meat, so the end result is much more enjoyable than dried, overcooked chicken.

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