Grilled Chicken Salad With Lavender & Fresh Herb Marinade

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup fine polenta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 lb baby spinach
• 6 ounces lamb's lettuce
• 8 sprigs fresh lavender
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper
• 6 fresh lavender flowers
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped marjoram

Recipe

• 1 to make the marinade, strip the lavender flowers from the stems and combine with the orange rind, garlic, honey and salt; add the olive oil and herbs.
• 2 slash the chicken deeply, spread the mixture over the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator 20 minutes.
• 3 to cook the polenta - in a heavy saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil; add the polenta in a steady stream, stirring all the time until thick; this will take 2 to 3 minutes.
• 4 turn the cooked polenta out onto a 1 inch deep buttered tray and allow to cool.
• 5 heat the broiler to medium. (if using a barbecue, let the embers settle to a steady glow) grill the chicken about 15 minutes, turning once.
• 6 cut the polenta into 1 inch cubes with a wet knife.
• 7 heat the butter in a large frying pan and fry the polenta until golden brown.
• 8 wash the salad leaves and spin dry, divide among 4 large plates.
• 9 slice each chicken breast and lay over the salad. place the polenta among the salad, garnish with sprigs of lavender and tomatoes, season to taste and serve.