Sweet, Sharp & In Season
Summer raspberries are one of the season's most vibrant ingredients. Their natural sweetness and slight acidity bring freshness, colour and balance to savoury dishes, making them an ideal pairing with grilled chicken and aromatic herbs.
For this month's Eat in Season feature, Daniela Timoc has created a dish that celebrates the versatility of raspberries, combining chargrilled chicken, saffron rice, garden peas and a fresh raspberry salsa finished with herb dressing.
Using seasonal ingredients not only delivers better flavour but also supports more sustainable menu choices and reduces food miles. Seasonal produce is often harvested at its peak, resulting in fresher, more nutritious dishes.
Raspberry Salsa Chicken with Saffron Rice & Herb Dressing
A colourful summer dish combining grilled chicken, vibrant raspberry salsa and fragrant rice.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken supremes or skin-on chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
Saffron Rice
- 250g basmati rice
- Pinch of saffron
- 600ml vegetable stock
- 100g garden peas
Raspberry Salsa
- 125g fresh raspberries
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- Fresh basil
- Juice of 1 lime
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Herb Dressing
- Handful parsley
- Handful basil
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt
Garnish
- Pea shoots
- Micro herbs
Method
- Season the chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Roast or grill until golden and fully cooked.
- Cook the saffron rice in vegetable stock and stir through the peas.
- Combine raspberries, tomato, cucumber, shallot, basil and lime juice to create the salsa.
- Blend herbs, olive oil and lemon juice to make the dressing.
- Serve the rice as a base, top with the chicken, spoon over the raspberry salsa and finish with the herb dressing and micro herbs.
Why Raspberries?
Raspberries provide natural sweetness and acidity, helping to balance richer proteins such as chicken. They also add colour, freshness and texture, making them particularly suited to summer menus.
Seasonal berries continue to feature strongly in modern workplace dining because they offer flavour, versatility and support locally sourced menu development.
Chef's Note
"This dish is about bringing summer onto the plate. The sweetness of the raspberries, the warmth of the spices and the freshness of the herbs create something vibrant, balanced and full of flavour."
— Daniela Timoc
