Mustard chicken with asparagus and shredded carrots

So who says salads are the sole preserve of Summer? They are most commonly associated with summer I will give you that but whats stopping you creating ‘temperature defiant’ recipes? There are a few cold elements to this dish such as the shredded carrot and the tomatoes but pretty much everything else has been warmed – and it’s a brilliant contrast!

Warm winter salad of mustard chicken and asparagus

Serves 4

4 medium chicken breasts

1 large carrot

4 baby gem lettuce cut into quarters

2 ripe avocados

2 healthy bunches of asparagus spears

Good quality vinegarette

Handful of cherry tomatoes

So this is a simple assembly dish in reality, start by making the carrot salad base – shred the carrot and mix in a good tbs of whole grain mustard – now arrange on a long white serving plate.

Smear the chicken with Dijon mustard then grill till cooked and thinly slice- arrange on top of the carrots.

Slice the avocado and lay through the chicken slices

Saute the asparagus till nicely charred, season well then lay on top of the chicken and avacado

Take the quartered baby gem and lay flat in a pan with a little oil and saute for  alittle until it starts to take on a little colour and softens slightly. Arrange around the other ingredients on the plate.

To finally bring the dish together warm your pre-made vinegarette in a sauce and pour over the whole lot – scatter over the chopped cherry toms and job is done.

Crusty bread like rye is a winner with this.