Provençal ploughman’s
Marinated chicken thighs, grilled Little Gem salad and plenty of cheese and crusty bread on the side… it’s the ultimate French-style ploughman’s.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 4 tbsp herbes de Provence
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1–2 tbsp honey
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
- drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the grilled lettuce and fig salad
- 1 Little Gem lettuce, washed and sliced in half
- 1 lemon, zest only
- white figs, quartered
To serve
- sliced sourdough bread
- chutney of your choice, such as fig
- hard cheese of your choice
- goats’ cheese
Method
Combine the chicken thighs, herbs, paprika, honey, garlic and olive oil in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix well until the chicken is completely coated. If you like, you can keep the chicken marinating for 24–48 hours prior to cooking for an even deeper flavour.
If using the oven, preheat it to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. If using the barbecue, place the chicken thighs directly onto a hot grill, skin-side down. Leave until the outside has caramelised, then transfer to a pan. Leave to cook slowly for 35–40 minutes over a gentle heat, on the cooler part of the barbecue. Or cook for the same amount of time in the oven.
For the salad, season the sliced lettuce halves with salt, pepper and some of the lemon zest, drizzle with olive oil then place directly onto the grill. Allow to lightly char before removing. Slice the grilled lettuce into quarters and place into a salad bowl. Add the figs and more lemon zest.
Serve the chicken alongside the grilled lettuce salad, with hard cheese and goats’ cheese for a Provençal taste. Enjoy with sliced sourdough and chutney.