Chick Chick Chick Chick Chicken
Chicken is fantastic source of protein and has lots of health benefits. It is also incredibly versatile, making it a staple for dinnertime. However, chicken can get a bit boring after a while as we tend to cook the same dishes time and time again. So this week I have been experimenting with some new, filling (always important for me), healthy and, importantly, tasty chicken dishes to liven up dinner time!
Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash (serves 4)
This tasty dish is surprisingly quick and easy to cook, injecting a taste of Morocco into you mid-week meals! Tonight we fancied a lighter dinner so had it alone; bulk it up by serving with a big helping of green beans (or alternative).
1. Peel and boil 1kg of sweet potatoes in a pan of salted water for 15 minutes (or until soft).
2. While the potatoes boil, take four chicken breasts and coat in a spice mix (1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp cumin, salt and pepper). Heat up a pan with 1tbsp of olive oil (or plenty of frylite) and brown the chicken - 3 minutes each side.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and fry a diced onion and a chopped glove of garlic until soft.
4. Add 200ml chicken stock, 2 tsp honey, the juice of one lemon and a handful of green olives. Stir and then add the chicken. Cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Mash the potatoes with a small amount of the boiling water and serve.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan, slice and place on top of the mashed potato.
7. Drizzle the sauce over the top (I found that I needed to add a little extra water to the sauce to bulk it up).
8. Sprinkle with coriander and a helping of green veg. YUM.
Chicken Jambalaya (serves 4)
This tasty jambalaya recipe has a very mild flavour.If you are a big fan of spice like me, then experiment by adding some extra spices of your own. I recommend: cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano coriander and garlic powder.
1. Chop a large onion and lightly fry until soft. Then, stir in 450g of diced chicken (breast or thigh). Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Chop and mix in: 3 peppers (red, orange/yellow and green), 2 courgettes, 2tbsp thyme, zest and juice of one lemon, 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 250g rice, 450ml chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring when necessary.
3. Remove from heat and season to taste. Add a sprinkle of paprika if desired.
Low Cal Chicken Casserole (serves 4 - or 3 with decent appetites)
I am a massive fan of meals that only require one pan - hello minimal washing up! Serve with potato or rice for a hearty winter meal, or on its own for a light summer dinner.
1. Take 500g of chicken thighs. Season and dust with wholemeal rice flour. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and then brown off the chicken. Remove the chicken and put to one side.
2. In the same pan, fry 50g of pancetta and 300g of mushrooms (I prefer chestnut) until soft. Remove and put to one side.
3. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and pan fry one large onion, diced, for 5 minutes.
4. When the onion has softened, add 350ml chicken stock and 1tbsp of white wine vinegar. Let "bubble" for 2 minutes.
5. Return the chicken, pancetta a
nd mushrooms to the pan with 1 garlic clove. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add 50g of frozen peas and a good handful of chopped parsley. Continue for another 2-5 minutes and then serve.
So, it is time to get experimenting; mid-week dinners don't need to be boring! Look out for my next blog post soon.
Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash (serves 4)
This tasty dish is surprisingly quick and easy to cook, injecting a taste of Morocco into you mid-week meals! Tonight we fancied a lighter dinner so had it alone; bulk it up by serving with a big helping of green beans (or alternative).
 |
| Adapted from BBC Good Food! |
2. While the potatoes boil, take four chicken breasts and coat in a spice mix (1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp cumin, salt and pepper). Heat up a pan with 1tbsp of olive oil (or plenty of frylite) and brown the chicken - 3 minutes each side.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and fry a diced onion and a chopped glove of garlic until soft.
4. Add 200ml chicken stock, 2 tsp honey, the juice of one lemon and a handful of green olives. Stir and then add the chicken. Cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Mash the potatoes with a small amount of the boiling water and serve.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan, slice and place on top of the mashed potato.
7. Drizzle the sauce over the top (I found that I needed to add a little extra water to the sauce to bulk it up).
8. Sprinkle with coriander and a helping of green veg. YUM.
Chicken Jambalaya (serves 4)
This tasty jambalaya recipe has a very mild flavour.If you are a big fan of spice like me, then experiment by adding some extra spices of your own. I recommend: cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano coriander and garlic powder.
 |
| Adapted from Slimming World Online |
1. Chop a large onion and lightly fry until soft. Then, stir in 450g of diced chicken (breast or thigh). Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Chop and mix in: 3 peppers (red, orange/yellow and green), 2 courgettes, 2tbsp thyme, zest and juice of one lemon, 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 250g rice, 450ml chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring when necessary.
3. Remove from heat and season to taste. Add a sprinkle of paprika if desired.
Low Cal Chicken Casserole (serves 4 - or 3 with decent appetites)
I am a massive fan of meals that only require one pan - hello minimal washing up! Serve with potato or rice for a hearty winter meal, or on its own for a light summer dinner.
 |
| Adapted from BBC Good Food - I need to work on my food photography! |
2. In the same pan, fry 50g of pancetta and 300g of mushrooms (I prefer chestnut) until soft. Remove and put to one side.
3. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and pan fry one large onion, diced, for 5 minutes.
4. When the onion has softened, add 350ml chicken stock and 1tbsp of white wine vinegar. Let "bubble" for 2 minutes.
5. Return the chicken, pancetta a
nd mushrooms to the pan with 1 garlic clove. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add 50g of frozen peas and a good handful of chopped parsley. Continue for another 2-5 minutes and then serve.
So, it is time to get experimenting; mid-week dinners don't need to be boring! Look out for my next blog post soon.
Comments
Post a Comment