London Chef’s Seared Chicken with Mango Cilantro Salad

This fresh colourful salad was one of four chicken dishes Dan Hayes, the London Chef, and Iain Rennie, Executive chef at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa, demonstrated for a group of high school graduates at the London Chef Cooking School last week.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken thighs, deboned

1 large ripe mango, peeled and sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 piece ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

1 cup cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 head spring lettuce, washed thoroughly

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 Tbsp. wild flower honey

1 cup Extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To prepare the chicken, preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy bottom, oven-proof skillet to high heat. Add a thin layer of olive oil. WHen oil is just beginning to sizzle place the chicken skin side down. Reduce heat to low and brown evenly for 2 minutes. Flip chicken thighs with steel tongs and transfer skillet to oven. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to rest.

To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk lime juice, honey and mustard in a bowl. Slowly pour olive oil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Season to tasket

In a large bowl, place the lettuce, tomato, cilantro, half of the mango and cucumber. Add enough vinaigrette to coat the greens. Arrange salad on a plate. Place sliced chicken thigh on top or beside greens, as you like, and garnish with remaining mango and avocado slices.

Serves 2.