Greek Lemon Chicken and Bulgur Box

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken breast, cut into finger-thick strips
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 250 g bulgur
• 4 dl chicken stock, boiling
• 1 cucumber, quartered lengthways and sliced
• 250 g cherry tomato, halved
• 1 red onion, halved and finely sliced
• 150 g feta, crumbled
• 80 g black olives, pitted
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 200 g tzatziki

Method

1. 1.

   Whisk the lemon dressing — Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and black pepper together in a bowl. Spoon a third of it into a small jar and keep it for the grain; toss the chicken strips through the rest until every piece is coated.

2. 2.

   Steep the bulgur — Tip the bulgur into a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling stock, cover tightly and leave for 15 minutes, until the grains have swollen and drunk every drop. Fluff with a fork and spread it over a tray so it cools quickly.

3. 3.

   Sear the chicken — Heat a large frying pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Sear the chicken in two batches without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes a side, until the edges are deeply caramelised and the centre is opaque and firm to the press.

4. 4.

   Cool before packing — Lift the chicken onto a plate and leave it to rest and cool for 10 minutes. Anything packed warm into a box turns to steam, and steam is what makes a prepped lunch soggy.

5. 5.

   Dress the grain salad — Toss the cooled bulgur with the reserved dressing, the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion and dill until the grains are glossy and flecked green. Taste now, while you can still fix it.

6. 6.

   Pack and chill the boxes — Divide the bulgur among four containers, slice the rested chicken across the grain and lay it on top, then scatter over the feta and olives. Spoon the tzatziki into four small pots so it stays separate, seal everything and refrigerate; the boxes keep for three days.