30 mins

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1 tbsp extra- virgin olive oil

1 small-medium leek, finely chopped

30g pack basil, finely chopped, reserving a few leaves to garnish

100g dried pearled spelt or pearled barley, rinsed

1 litre chicken stock

240g chicken mini fillets

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

200g frozen peas

100g baby spinach

30g Parmesan, finely grated

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1. Add ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the chopped leek and half the basil for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat, until starting to soften. Add the pearled spelt or barley and the stock to the pan and simmer vigorously for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the stock has been absorbed and the grains are almost tender. Top up with boiling water if needed.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate frying pan and add the chicken mini fillets. Season and fry for 5-6 minutes on each side until evenly golden and cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat, add a squeeze of lemon and set the chicken aside to rest for 5 minutes.

3. After the grains have cooked for 20 minutes, add the peas, spinach and the remaining basil and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted, and the peas are cooked. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan, lemon zest and a generous squeeze of lemon; the grains should now have a pesto-like flavour. Season to taste.

4. Serve the ‘pesto’ grains topped with the chicken and garnished with basil leaves.