Summertime chicken with asparagus and peas
This is a tasty chicken dish, which is a perfect for summer dining al fresco with friends. It’s a one-pan wonder and with asparagus and fresh peas in full swing, adds a lovely colour. If you can get fresh peas in their pods, all the better, but frozen will do just as well. I have fond memories of shelling peas on the back doorstep in the summer sunshine.
Ingredients
Serves 4
8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped
6-8 chicken thighs
4 garlic cloves
1 bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped
300ml chicken stock
250g peas (fresh or frozen)
Small bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in half if long
1 little gem lettuce, shredded
2 tbsp crème fraîche
Salt & pepper
Method
1. Set up your BBQ for direct grilling.
2. You need a large deep skillet pan or heavy-based pan big enough to take all the ingredients.
3. Place the pan on your grills and drop in the bacon pieces.
4. Fry until they begin to brown and remove them with a slotted spoon into a small dish. n Place the chicken thighs into the same pan and brown for 5 minutes each side.
5. Add in the garlic and spring onions and give it a good stir, immediately followed by the chicken stock and bacon.
6. Change your BBQ to indirect cooking and let this simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Add in the peas, asparagus and shredded lettuce. Stir again and let this cook for about 5 minutes until the lettuce has wilted and the asparagus is still tender.
8. Stir in the crème fraîche and check the chicken is cooked using an instant read thermometer.
9. Serve with new potatoes.