Name: Shane Delia’s poached chicken salad with harissa, eggplant, spring onion and tahini
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (about 200gm each), trimmed; 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock, chilled; 50 ml olive oil; 1 large eggplant, cut into 1cm dice; 3 spring onions, sliced; 50 gm (⅔ cup) roasted flaked almonds; 30 gm roasted sesame seeds; ½ cup (loosely packed) coriander; Tahini dressing; 55 gm tahini; 2 tsp lemon juice, plus extra to serve; 1¾ tsp pomegranate molasses; 1¾ tsp maple syrup; Harissa dressing; 100 ml olive oil; Juice of ½ small lemon; 1 small golden shallot, finely diced; ¼ tsp harissa paste; 1 tsp coriander, finely chopped

Shane Delia’s poached chicken salad with harissa, eggplant, spring onion and tahini

Double dressing? In one corner, the nuttiness of the Maha East chef's tahini dressing; in the other, the one-two spicy punch of the harissa and lemon.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

20M

Cook

15M

Total

35M

The Maha East chef shares his recipe for this poached chicken salad, layered with smoky eggplant, spice and a nutty tahini dressing.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (about 200gm each), trimmed

500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock, chilled

50 ml olive oil

1 large eggplant, cut into 1cm dice

3 spring onions, sliced

50 gm (⅔ cup) roasted flaked almonds

30 gm roasted sesame seeds

½ cup (loosely packed) coriander

Tahini dressing

55 gm tahini

2 tsp lemon juice, plus extra to serve

1¾ tsp pomegranate molasses

1¾ tsp maple syrup

Harissa dressing

100 ml olive oil

Juice of ½ small lemon

1 small golden shallot, finely diced

¼ tsp harissa paste

1 tsp coriander, finely chopped

Method

1.Place chicken in a saucepan with stock and 500ml cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer until chicken is almost cooked through (5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and leave chicken to cool completely in stock, then remove chicken from stock and refrigerate until required, reserving stock for another use (stock will keep frozen for a month).

2.Meanwhile, for the tahini dressing, whisk ingredients and 1 tbsp water in a bowl, adding a little extra water as necessary, until a thick, smooth dressing.

3.For harissa dressing, mix ingredients (except coriander) in a bowl and season to taste. Stir coriander through just before serving.

4.Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat until smoking. Add eggplant, season with salt to taste and stir until golden brown and softened (5-10 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl.

5.Cut chicken into 1cm dice and add to eggplant with spring onion, almonds and 2-3 tbsp harissa dressing. Toss well and season with salt and lemon juice to taste.

6.Spread tahini dressing onto a serving platter, top with chicken and eggplant mixture, sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with coriander. Serve with extra harissa dressing on the side.

Shane Delia

Styling by Lisa Featherby