Summer chicken salad with eggs, herbed prawns and capers

A delightful summer chicken salad - you can also use leftover cooked chicken from a roast for this recipe.

Ingredients

60 g	Shallots
1 tsp	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp	Tarragon leaves, italian, finely chopped
1 tsp	Lemon zest
1 Tbsp	Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp	Lemon juice
10 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
3	Anchovies, small, rinsed and mashed
20	Capers, salted, rinsed and finely chopped
3 large	Chicken breasts, skin on (Main)
4	Garlic cloves, peeled
1 stick	Celery, cut in half lenghtwise and diced
4 slices	Prosciutto (Main)
6	Eggs

Herbed prawns

18	Prawns, de-veined, peeled but with tails intact. (Main)
1 Tbsp	Dill, fennel, French tarragon or Italian parsley
1 tsp	Lemon, grated zest
½ tsp	Flaky sea salt
¼ tsp	Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. With some of the remaining 1 Tbs oil, lightly grease a low-sided roasting tray.
3. Place chicken and garlic in a bowl, add remaining oil and toss to coat. Place chicken on tray skin-side up.
4. Slip garlic under chicken. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is tender and juices run clear when pierced with a metal skewer.
5. Remove from oven. Cover tray with a tea towel and rest chicken away from heat for 10 minutes.
6. Remove skin from chicken flesh. Place skin on tray and return to oven for 10-15 minutes or until very crisp. Cool and cut skin into thin strips.
7. While chicken is still warm, shred into long, bite-sized strips and place in a bowl. Place garlic in a separate small bowl, mash and then add to chicken.
8. Pour dressing over chicken, add celery and toss to coat. Serve or cover and refrigerate overnight.
9. To serve, roughly crumble prosciutto, add to chicken salad and toss together.
10. Pile on to a large presentation platter and arrange eggs and prawns to one side.
11. Scatter with olives and remaining capers. Garnish with crispy chicken skin and, if you wish, tarragon sprigs.

Dressing

Place shallots, parsley, tarragon, mustard, lemon zest and juice, 9 Tbs oil, anchovies and 2 tsp capers in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Crispy prosciutto

1. Use shards of crispy prosciutto to garnish soups or salads, or crumble to use as a topping.
2. Preheat oven to 150 C.
3. Arrange strips between two sheets of baking paper. Place on a low-sided roasting tray and position another tray on top.
4. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.
5. Remove top tray, cool prosciutto then remove from tray. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in pantry for up to two days.

Hard-boiled eggs

1. Lace a medium-sized saucepan of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Add salt.
2. Using a large spoon, place eggs one by one into water. Reduce heat to medium so water is not at a rolling boil.
3. Gently boil eggs for eight minutes (use a timer).Immediately remove from heat and drain eggs.
4. Working quickly, shake the saucepan to crack shells and run eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle.
5. Remove shells from eggs. Halve eggs while still warm. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

Herbed prawns

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Place prawns, herbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper and olive oil in a medium sized bowl. Toss prawns to coat evenly.
3. Spread prawns on a low-sided roasting tray with around 1cm space between. Place in oven for 3-4 minutes or until prawn flesh begins to turn white.
4. Remove prawns from tray and allow to cool. If you choose to cook prawns in advance, cool and refrigerate until required.