chicken pesto platter

Perfect sharing salad for a summer lunch or supper - a crowdpleaser!

Skinless, boneless chicken (breast or thigh) sliced into thin strips, 2 avocados, juice of a lemon, ½ cucumber, 20 baby plum tomatoes, halved, edamame beans, sundried tomatoes

Dressing: 4tbs fresh basil pesto, 3tbs mayo, 3tbs plain yoghurt or quark, juice of ½ lemon, 50g toasted walnuts, salad leaves

(For homemade pesto, use 1 large bunch of basil, 60g walnuts, 60g parmesan, EV olive oil: blitz cheese first to crumbs, add nuts and roughly chopped basil and blitz, pour in oil with motor on till you have a soft paste.)

Use cooked chicken, or poach with lemon zest for a few minutes and drain.

Make the dressing and add chicken – leave to marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Pour lemon juice over avocado slices in another bowl. Cut cucumber in half lengthways, remove seeds with a teaspoon then chop in half moons. Assemble salad on a large platter, layering veg on top of salad leaves. Add chicken pesto mix, top with toasted nuts and generous salt and pepper