Add chicken breast and let simmer for around 15 minutes – see notes
Either use another pan to boil pearl barley until tender, or use the chicken water for less waste (you'll just have cold chicken but thats ok)
While these things are happening you might as well make your dressing
Add peanut butter, soy sauce, mirin and garlic to a bowl or jug or the chamber of a blender/grinder, blitz the ever loving fuck out of it. Alternatively you can mix it by hand but you'll have to smoosh the garlic into the finest paste possible
Add water little by little until the dressing is about the consistency of double cream, or whatever you want, I'm not your mum
Hang around for a bit
When the cooking things have been cooked either discard the water from the pan and dry it a lil, you can use this to cook the broccoli, Or if you love washing up, use another pan. Fuck it, live your life.
Sizzle the broccoli until it is cooked the way you like. There is no wrong answer.
Jokes, there is a wrong answer you pervert. You want that broccoli to be hot but bright green and crunchy. Stop boiling broccoli beyond relief, it is a war crime.
Season things that need seasoning
Add pearl barley to a plate or bowl.
Add tomato.
Add cucumber.
Add broccoli.
Add cottage cheese.
Top with chicken.
Drizzle dressing.
Salad.
Tips
I know. A lot of this is stuff boiled in water. Boiled chicken sounds gross. So when you describe it to people, use words like "poached" and "simmered".
If you want it to sound less boring but taste more processed, then use stock.
Cooking chicken: there is no time or method that will yield consistent results – except for using a meat thermometer. Get a cheap one, it's fine. Spend £100+ and get a fancy one if you want. No one cares as long as that chicken as moist AF.
Optional additions: get carby with some roasted diced sweet potato, roast some peppers and add those, use brussels sprouts, cook your greens with garlic and chilli.
