Indoor BBQ chicken

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets

1 Tblsp honey
1 Tblsp BBQ sauce
1 Tblsp Dijon mustard

500gm new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
150gm large baby corn cobs quartered
1 large head of broccoli

Method
In a small bowl, mix together the honey, mustard and BBQ sauce.

Make 3 – 4 slashes on the smooth side of each chicken breast.
Brush the chicken all over with the honey marinade.

Put the potatoes on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Microwave or steam the baby corn and broccoli.

Spray a large ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Place the chicken pieces in the ridged pan and cook for 8 – 10 minutes per side,
brushing with the marinade again before and after you turn it over.

When the chicken is cooked to your liking serve with the potatoes and steamed veg.

This could be done on a braai or barbeque – the marinade is really delicious, and the chicken comes out tender and succulent. Have low fat mayo on those potatoes instead of butter.

Chicken in a parcel

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breasts

1 small red cabbage, shredded
1 onion, sliced
4 good handfuls spinach, trimmed & roughly chopped
4 carrots, julienned
1 heaped tsp chopped ginger
2 Tblsp teriyaki sauce
2 Tblsp soy sauce
Pinch of chilli flakes

200gm rice

4 pieces baking paper, each about 30cm x 50cm

Method

Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain once cooked, and keep warm.

Combine the ginger, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and chilli flakes in a small bowl.

Lay the baking paper out on the counter and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Divide the prepared vegetables between the papers in layers:
cabbage, onion, spinach, carrots.
Top with one chicken breast per paper.

Spoon the ginger/sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables.

Fold over the paper in a butcher’s fold, and fold the ends under.
Place the parcels on a baking tray.
Bake at 200ºc for 20-25 minutes.

Divide the rice between 4 plates.
Open the paper parcels and slide the contents on top of the rice.

Serve with extra soy sauce if you like.

Parsnip chicken hotpot

Serves 4 : Easy : Quickish
Ingredients
8 skinless chicken thighs
2 onions
300gm parsnips
300gm carrots
200gm courgettes

500ml veg or chicken stock
2 Tblsp honey
2 Tblsp whole grain mustard
2 Tblsp chopped parsley

Method
Cut the parsnips, carrots and courgettes into thick juliennes.

Spray a large pot with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown the chicken pieces all over, and then remove from the pan.

Next, fry the onions lightly until they begin to soften.
Add the vegetable sticks and turn to combine.

Mix the honey and mustard with the stock and add to the vegetables.
Stir gently.

Nestle the chicken pieces down in amongst the vegetables and stock.

Simmer, covered for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
(It doesn’t hurt to leave it longer, even up to an hour.)

We ate this without any starch and found it perfectly filling and satisfying.
Either plain boiled potatoes or crusty bread would make a good accompaniement.

Chicken Roll-ups

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 large chicken breast fillets
1 large bunch spinach, cleaned, trimmed and roughly chopped
80gm grated parmesan
1 ±340gm tin chopped tomatoes
Some chicken spice

500gm new potatoes, scrubbed and halved

Method
Put the potatoes on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and keep warm when tender.

Spray an oven proof dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 200ºc

Lay the chicken breasts on a board and cover with wrap or a plastic bag.
Gently hammer with a steak hammer or rolling pin.

(You are going to spread a stuffing on the ‘wrong’ side of the breasts and roll them up,
so they need to be thin – like a schnitzel)

Wilt the spinach in the microwave.
Stir through the parmesan and the chopped tomatoes.
Spread this mixture over the rough side of each breast.
Roll each breast up lengthways and secure with a toothpick.
Place in the casserole dish with the toothpicks to the base of the dish.
Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle with chicken spice.
Bake at 200ºc for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 mins before cutting in half diagonally.
Remove the toothpicks.

Serve the chicken with the new potatoes and a crisp salad on the side.

Ginger Chicken

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
2 Tblsp honey
2 tsp grated root ginger
Grated rind & juice of 2 lemons
800gm sweet potato
250gm sugar snap peas
6 – 8 large courgettes

Pickled ginger slices to garnish

Method
Mix the honey, ginger and lemon juice.
Stir in ½ the grated lemon rind.
Brush this mixture all over the chicken.
Place the chicken in a dish and pour over any remaining mixture.
Allow to stand while you:

Put the sweet potato on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when tender.
Mash with the remaining lemon rind and a good grind of black pepper.
Keep warm.

Boil, steam or microwave the snap peas and courgettes.

Meanwhile, spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place over a high heat.
Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium.
Dry fry the chicken for about 20 minutes until cooked through.

Serve the chicken beside the sweet potato mash, the peas and courgettes.
Garnish the potato with pickled ginger.

Chutney chicken

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breasts
4 tsp chutney
1 Tblsp curry paste
2 tsp cumin seeds

2 onions, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 star anise
240gm rice

2 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Mix the chutney, curry paste and 2tsp cumin seeds together.
Brush this mix all over the chicken pieces.

Put the rice in a pot with the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, 2tsp cumin seeds and star anise.
Add boiling water and a little salt.
Simmer until rice is tender. Drain.
Stir through the coriander.
Keep warm.

Spray a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place over a medium heat.
Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes each side.

Serve the chicken with the rice and a salad on the side.

The chicken breasts I used were very tiny, that’s why you see two on the plate.

Old-style chicken casserole

Serves 4 : Easy : Takes a bit longer

Ingredients
600gms chicken breast
2 Tblsp flour
2 tsp chicken spice

300gms leeks, sliced
300gms parsnips, sliced
300gms carrots, sliced
200gms frozen peas

250ml chicken stock

600gms potatoes

Method
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
Place in a plastic bag with the flour and spice and shake well to coat.

Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Put the chicken pieces in the pan and cook to seal.
Add the prepared vegetables and give a good stir.
Pour in the stock.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
Simmer 45 – 50 mins.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes until soft.
Drain and mash well with a little milk.

Serve the casserole over the mashed potato.

Dijon honeyed chicken with fennel salad

Ingredients
±600gm (4) chicken breasts
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey

2 medium fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
4 sticks celery, thinly sliced
1 large granny Smith apple, grated
3 Tblsp chopped parsley
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp fat free natural yoghurt
2 Tblsp low fat mayo

400gm cherry tomatoes
600gm new potatoes, scrubbed, and halved

Method
Mix the mustard and the honey together in a small bowl.
Brush this over the chicken.

Mix the other 2 tsp mustard with the garlic, lemon juice, yoghurt, parsley and mayo.
This is the dressing for the salad.

Put the new potatoes on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
They will take about 20 mins. (at sea level, they will cook faster).
Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the thinly sliced fennel and celery with the grated apple.
Pour over the dressing, and stir well.

Spray a frying pan or ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the chicken in the pan over a moderate heat.
Turn after about 10 mins.
Remove from pan when the second side of the chicken is cooked.

Tip the tomatoes in to the pan with about 1 Tblsp of water.
Cover and cook until the tomatoes are starting to shed their skins.
Shake the pan occasionally so the tomatoes pick up a glaze from the pan juices.

Serve the chicken with the fennel salad, tomatoes and potatoes on the side.

Mexican chicken with spicy okra

Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks, no skin
Mexican spice

2 large onions
500gms okra
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tblsp chopped coriander

4 medium naan breads

Method
Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.

Spray the chicken pieces with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle with Mexican spice.
Place the chicken in the frying pan, partially covered.
Cook on a medium heat, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, chop the onions.
Slice the okra into 2cm slices.
Dry fry the onions in the saucepan until softened.
Add the tomatoes and finely chopped chilli.
Stir in the okra.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring gently every so often.

Add the ground coriander to the okra and cook for another 10 mins.
Stir through the chopped coriander.

Warm or toast the naan breads.
Serve alongside the chicken and spicy okra.

Okra ‘bleeds’ a sticky clear substance when it is cut – this is fine, it cooks away.

Fried rice with chicken

Ingredients
400gms chicken breast
240gms rice
1 cup frozen peas
1 red bell pepper
4 sticks celery, sliced
1 small aubergine, peeled and chopped
1 small head broccoli, broken into florets
Kernels cut from 2 corn cobs
Bunch of spring onions
3 Tblsp soy sauce
Sweet chilli sauce to taste

Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when tender and keep warm.

Deseed the pepper and chop into squares.
Slice the spring onions and celery
Peel and chop the aubergine.
Break the broccoli into florets.
Cut the kernels off the corn cobs.
Microwave, steam or boil all the vegetables (except the onions) until tender.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Spray a wok or large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the chicken bits in the wok (about 5 mins) stirring all the time.

Add the vegetables (including the onions) to the chicken.
Keep stirring.
Fold in the rice.
Stir through the soy sauce and sweet chilli.
And it’s ready to serve.

Sesame chicken

Ingredients
±400gm skinless chicken breasts
300 gm broccoli florets
6 spring onions
6 – 8 mini corn
1 medium aubergine
1 green bell pepper
1 Tblsp pickled ginger (if you have)

1 – 2 tsp Chinese five spice
3 Tblsp soy sauce
Juice of a lemon
2 – 3 Tblsp sesame seeds

240gm egg noodles

Method
Cook the noodles in lightly salted boiling water until cooked.
Drain and keep warm.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
Clean, peel and slice or dice the vegetables.

Spray a wok or large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place over a high heat and toss in the chicken.
Once the chicken is sealed, add all the vegetables and about ¼ cup of water.
Cook, stirring the whole time for about 5 minutes.

Now add the spice, soy. lemon juice and sesame seeds.
Cook to heat through.

Serve with noodles and extra soy sauce.

Chicken and Butternut hot pot

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (about 325gm)
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp chopped ginger
½ large butternut, peeled, deseeded and chopped
125gm green beans, cut in threes
½ can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
6 spring onions, sliced diagonally
10 or so mini corn cobs, sliced
1Tblsp coriander, chopped
1 Tblsp peanut butter
1 Tblsp soy sauce
250ml (1 cup) chicken or veg stock

240gm brown rice

Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Remember that brown rice takes longer to cook than white.
Drain once it’s cooked, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, slice the chicken.
Put the peanut butter into a jug with the soy sauce and stock.
Spray a large pot with non-stick cooking spray and place over a high heat.
Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and sizzle for two minutes.
Add the chicken and cook until it is ‘sealed’.

Now tip in the butternut and stock mixture.
Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the green beans, chickpeas and mini corn.
Simmer for another 5 minutes, then stir through the spring onions and coriander.

Serve with the rice and extra soy sauce.

I do buy fresh coriander, but I have found that it doesn’t keep terribly well in the fridge. So I generally buy John West’s little bottle. For convenience and ease of use I buy the John West ginger, and the garlic too. They used to make chopped basil in a bottle, but I haven’t seen that around for a few years now. I miss it.

Smoked turkey bagel

Serves 4 : Very easy
Ingredients

4 bagels
±200gms smoked turkey
Low fat mayo
Mixed lettuce leaves
1 raw beetroot, grated
1 Tblsp dried cranberries

Crudités to serve

Method
Prepare your crudités.
I’ve used cocktail tomatoes, mange tout peas and cucumber sticks.

Carefully split the bagels, and toast lightly.
Spread both halves of each bagel with low fat mayo.
Put lettuce and grated beetroot on the bottom halves.
Top with sliced smoked turkey.
Cap with the top halves.
Put a teaspoon of the mayo in each hollow.
Sprinkle with dried cranberries.

Serve with the crudités.

This recipe came about because I was digging in the freezer, looking for chicken. I had completely forgotten about the smoked ½ turkey I bought, sliced and froze at Christmas!
Mind you don’t burn your fingers on the bagels – I think it is the sugar bath they are boiled in before baking that makes them retain the heat.

Far East slaw with chicken

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breasts
1 Tblsp sesame oil
Chicken spice
Slaw
2 – 3 carrots, grated
2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
2 – 3 zucchini, grated
1 small cabbage, shredded
Bunch of spinach, shredded
2 generous handfuls of bean sprouts
Dressing1 Tblsp good quality mint sauce
1 Tblsp chopped coriander
2 Tblsp pickled ginger, finely sliced
1 Tblsp white wine vinegar
4 Tblsp sesame seeds

4 Pita pockets

Method
Prepare and combine all the slaw ingredients.
Add the dressing ingredients, and toss well.

Place cling wrap over the chicken breasts and bash with a steak hammer (or rolling pin).
The breasts need to be a consistent thickness so that they cook evenly.

Remove the cling wrap, and brush the chicken all over with sesame oil.
Sprinkle with chicken spice.

Spray a griddle pan, and the chicken pieces, with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat the griddle pan over a high heat, then reduce to medium heat.
Put the chicken in the griddle pan and cook for about 8 minutes per side,
or until it is done to your liking.

Warm or toast the pita pockets, and cut into quarters.

Serve the chicken with the slaw, and the pitas on the side.

I surprised myself with this coleslaw – it was even better than I expected!
Sesame oil has quite a strong flavour and smell. Use a different vegetable oil if you prefer.
The spinach was straight out of my garden, so really fresh. I didn’t bother to destalk it; just shredded down to where the stalk-proper started.

Ch... Ch... Chicken

Ingredients
8 skinless, deboned chicken thighs
1 large onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 ±400gm chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 ±350gm can cannellini beans
½ tsp salt
Good grind of black pepper

240gm rice

Method
In a plastic bag, shake the chicken thighs with a bit of flour and chicken spice.

Spray a large lidded pan with cooking spray.
Place over a medium-to-high heat.
Add the floured chicken pieces.
Cook the chicken pieces until they are sealed and lightly brown all over.
Remove the chicken from the pan and put to one side.

Mix the cocoa powder to a smooth paste with water.
Tip the onion, garlic, cumin, chilli powder, salt and pepper to the pan.
Cook until the onion softens.
Now add in the tinned chopped tomatoes, the tomato paste and the cocoa liquid.
Stir well to combine.

Nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce.
Cover the pan, and simmer for about 30 mins.

Meanwhile, put the rice on to cook in lightly salted water.
Cook 20 mins (or more, depending on the kind of rice you use).
Drain and keep warm.

Uncover the chicken pan; add the rinsed and drained cannellini beans.
Cook for another 5 mins until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Serve the chicken over the rice, with a salad on the side.

This is my take on a Mexican recipe. The combination of chilli and chocolate sounds bizarre, but it tastes delicious, and it is a real mood lifter!
Food for the spirit.

Fruity spiced chicken

Ingredients
8 skinless chicken thighs
Spice coating
3 tsp paprika
3 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground chillies (optional)
½ Tblsp sunflower oil
3 Tblsp lemon juice
Salad
75 gm pomegranate seeds
4 small oranges
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp clear honey
a few basil leaves
To serve
Crusty bread

Method
Combine the spice coating ingredients in a small bowl.
Brush onto the chicken pieces.
Leave to stand for twenty mins, or more if you have time.

Dry-fry the chicken pieces in a covered shallow pan, until cooked to your liking, turning after
about 10 mins.

While the chicken is cooking, make the salad as follows:
Peel the oranges with a knife to remove the skin and pith.
Cut the segments into a bowl.
Add the pomegranate seeds.
Mix the honey and lemon juice.
Pour over the orange segments and seeds.
Turn the orange, seeds and honey mix gently.

Serve the chicken with the salad and crusty bread.

It looks as if the skin is still on those chicken thighs, but I promise it’s not.
The brush-on coating browns beautifully.
Those sparkly little pomegranate jewels make an interesting salad!

Mediterranean Chicken

Ingredients

±600gm chicken breasts
2 large onions
1 tsp crushed garlic (optional)
1 cup frozen peas
± 12 pitless green olives, sliced
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 Tblsp chopped parsley
½ - 1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp paprika

300gm rice
pinch turmeric

Method
Peel and cut the onions into eighths.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces (or you leave the breasts whole, if you prefer).

Grate or zest the lemon peel, and then squeeze the juice into a large bowl.
Add the peas, parsley and paprika to the lemon juice.
Mix well to combine.

Spray a pan with cooking spray.
Lightly fry the onion and garlic until the onion is soft.

Pour the contents of the lemon bowl into the onion pan.
Add about ½ the stock.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 30 mins, or until the chicken is done.
Add more stock as required

Boil the rice, adding the turmeric to the water.
Drain when tender.

Add the sliced olives to the chicken.
Check seasoning – add salt, pepper and/or more paprika to taste.

Serve chicken with rice, and a side salad if desired.

I’ve always been a bit wary of paprika – but the flavour is surprisingly mild.
It gives the chicken a rosy glow.
You need a side salad with this to boost your daily veg consumption.

Gingered lentils and sprouts with peppered chicken

Ingredients

4 (about 650gm) chicken breasts

Salad
1 can of lentils, drained and rinsed
150 gm lentil sprouts
½ large cucumber, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
Kernels cut from 2 sweetcorn

Dressing
4 spring onions, finely sliced (use the green tops too)
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
½ cup of white wine
1 Tblsp lemon juice
Good grind of black pepper
½ - 1 tsp salt

Method

Spray the chicken breasts with cooking spray.
Season with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt.
Dry-fry the chicken in a ridged pan over a medium heat.

Combine the lentils, sprouts, cucumber and celery in a salad bowl.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Test for sharpness – add a teaspoon of sugar if the dressing is too tart.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.

Divide the salad between 4 plates.
Add chicken to each plate and serve.

This is surprisingly filling!
Delicious crispy salad.

Avocado and orange salad with chicken
4 servings : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
±600gm skinless chicken breasts
cut into strips
Marinade
1 Tblsp lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 Tblsp orange juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Good grind of black pepper
Dressing
4 Tblsp orange juice
1 Tblsp wholegrain mustard
3 Tblsp cider vinegar
1 Tblsp olive oil
another tsp grated fresh ginger
More black pepper
Salad
1 (100gm) pack of mixed lettuce
2 large oranges, skin and pith removed, and segments cut free
1 firm, ripe avocado
generous handful of black olives
salad sprouts

Method
Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow dish.
Add chicken pieces, turn to coat each piece. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Put a little olive oil in a pan (or use a cooking spray) and heat the pan.
Take the chicken out of the marinade and then fry it until nicely browned and cooked through.

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
Pour dressing into the frying pan and boil while stirring until reduced to about ½.

Tip the mixed lettuce into a bowl. Top with the orange segments, avocado slices, olives, sprouts
and chicken.

Pour the dressing over the salad while still warm.

Serve with hot crusty bread.