Chicken (isn't always dry and flavourless)

Back from my trip to Newcastle... I had gone hard, not eaten so well, and needed some lovely fresh and healthy fare.

I arrived from the train station to find housemate S at home watching the Rugby, I asked if he'd like some lunch then got stuck into it.

I don't much care for chicken... to me, chicken is dry, stringy and generally without flavour. The exception to the rule, I think, is a lovely chicken thigh, pan fried. When done correctly, it seems like a completely different meat to regular old chicken.

I heated the non stick fry pan, and to the thighs added mixed dried herbs, freshly ground pepper and some of the lemon pepper i picked up in Dahab. When the pan was really hot I added the thigh pieces. No oil or butter, and allowed to fry.

The salad was a simple one of mixed leaves, celery, cucumber, plum tomato and broccoli, a ADORE raw broccoli. The dressing I had inadvertently discovered/invented last week... full egg mayo, dijon mustard and lemon juice... thick creamy, rich and tangy.

As the chicken was browning on one side I flipped it, the colour was so lovely. At this stage i decided to add some semi-dried tomatoes and some of the oil from the jar... the smells were intoxicating.

The tomatoes blackened in the pan, and the flavours intensified.

When cooking chicken I never know when it is cooked through, so I could never serve a whole thigh, but I quite the small pieces they inevitably become after cutting through to check for pinkness.

I served up the salad and some avocado on the plate as I let the chicken sit for a minute.

Then served up the plates for S and I

Such a lovely fresh, clean lunch. The meat was so moist, and tasted like beautiful real chicken. So happy with it. Buy chicken thighs!