Ali's Chicken Salad

Method

• step 1

  Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. While the oil is heating up rub the pepper and sea salt evenly into the chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts whole, turn them every now and again to ensure that the meat is sealed properly. Then add the lemon juice, thyme and white wine.

• step 2

  Pop the pasta into a pan of boiling, salted water. Stir occasionally and remember not to keep turning the chicken. Finely chop the spring onions and cucumber and tear the lettuce.

• step 3

  Drain the pasta when cooked - try to avoid overcooking it and it going soggy. When drained return to the pan and stir in the pesto, pine nuts, lettuce, cucumber and spring onions before crumbling in the goat's cheese.

• step 4

  Transfer the pasta salad to bowls. Remove the golden chicken breasts from the pan and tear them using a fork. Place the chicken on top of the salad and, should you wish, drizzle with a light dressing of your choice - I prefer just to use lemon and olive oil.