Lemon Chicken, Feta & Sun-Dried Tomato Smash
A good rotisserie chicken is one of the great conveniences of modern life. You pick it up on the way home, it’s already cooked, it smells incredible, and it can become at least three completely different meals depending on what you do with it. This smash is one of those meals, and it’s my favourite of the three.
Shredded rotisserie chicken, crumbled feta, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, a good hit of lemon zest and juice, olive oil, fresh basil, a little chilli. Everything gets mixed together and smashed slightly so the feta breaks down into the chicken and becomes a creamy, briny base. It sounds like a lot of ingredients but most of them are pantry staples or the kind of things you tend to have around. The whole thing takes about ten minutes once the chicken is cooked, which means it’s as much work as making a sandwich but tastes considerably better.
The feta is the element that does the most work here. When you smash it through the shredded chicken with the olive oil and lemon, it doesn’t stay as neat little crumbles. It partially breaks down and coats the chicken, bringing a salty, slightly tangy creaminess that makes the whole mixture taste a lot more considered than a simple toss of ingredients. Save some feta to crumble over the top at the end so there are distinct creamy pieces in every bite as well.
This is the kind of recipe that looks like you made an effort. You didn’t, really. But it doesn’t need to know that.
Why This Smash Works
Rotisserie chicken is the right call here because it’s already seasoned and juicy. Poached plain chicken breast works but it’s a bit bland in comparison. The sun-dried tomatoes are important: they bring sweetness, depth and a slightly chewy texture that fresh tomatoes don’t quite replicate. The cherry tomatoes add freshness and juice against the richness of the feta and olive oil. Lemon zest, not just juice, because the zest carries the citrus oils and gives a brighter, more aromatic lemon flavour.
Chilli flakes at the end cut through the richness. Don’t skip them even if you don’t love heat: use a small pinch rather than none at all.
How to Eat This
Piled generously onto toasted sourdough is the ideal move. In a wrap with rocket and cucumber if you need something to take somewhere. Stuffed into a pita for a lunch that travels well. On crackers with extra feta if you’re doing a grazing spread. This smash also works brilliantly as a pasta sauce component: toss it through warm pasta with a little pasta water and extra basil for a completely different meal from the same mixture.
Lemon Chicken, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Smash
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0 mins
Ingredients
300g cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie is ideal)
100g feta, crumbled
60g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
10g fresh basil, torn
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
Pinch of chilli flakes
Salt and cracked black pepper
2 slices sourdough, toasted
Method
Add the chicken to a bowl and shred with two forks until pulled apart.
Crumble in the feta and add the olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Smash and mix until the feta is worked through the chicken and everything is creamy and well combined.
Fold in the sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and spring onion.
Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
Pile onto toasted sourdough. Finish with torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
Recipe Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add fresh basil just before serving. The smash tastes best at room temperature so remove from the fridge 10 minutes before eating.