Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary, served with Puy Lentils

This recipe is for the stressed, overworked man or woman who still wants to eat real food when they finally get home. All you do is shove the chicken in the marinade, go off to have a nice relaxing shower, followed by something that includes the sound of ice tinkling on glass, and then, when you're finally ready for supper, it will only take about 40 minutes. On the other hand, if you have time, marinate it for longer – or even the night before.

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This recipe is taken from The Delia Collection: Chicken.

Method

Begin by cutting each chicken breast into 5 evenly sized pieces and place these in a bowl. Then cut one half of the onion into quarters (reserve the other half for the lentils) and separate into layers, adding them to the chicken, along with the rest of the ingredients and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Now give everything a good mixing, cover with a cloth and go away and leave it in a cool place for at least half an hour.

While you are marinating the chicken, if you are using wooden skewers you need to soak them for 30 minutes in hot water (to prevent them burning). Then when you're ready to cook the chicken, pre-heat the grill for 10 minutes to its highest setting and set the grill tray 4 inches (10 cm) from the element. Next, see to the lentils. Just chop the other half of the onion finely, heat the oil in a medium saucepan, fry the onion for about 5 minutes, then stir in the lentils, making sure they get a good coating of oil. Then add the liquid and sprig of rosemary. Put on a lid and let the lentils simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.

To cook the chicken, thread the pieces on the skewer, putting half a bay leaf first, then a mushroom, next a piece of chicken, then a piece of onion, finishing with the other mushroom and the other half of the bay leaf. Then, keeping the skin side of the chicken pieces upwards, lay the skewers on the grill rack, with a dish underneath to catch the juices. Season them well, then grill for 20 minutes, turning once and basting with the marinade juices once or twice. When the chicken is ready, taste and season the lentils the salt and a little freshly milled black pepper and arrange them on warm serving plates. Slide the chicken, onion and bay leaf off the skewers between the prongs of a fork, then spoon the warm basting juices over everything. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and serve with the lentils and a green salad.