Chicken patties

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients

3 skinless chicken breast fillets
1 onion
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp chicken spice
30gm dry breadcrumbs

500gm new potatoes, scrubbed
8 courgettes
Head of broccoli
Medium butternut, cleaned and cut into chunks

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

Put the chicken, onion, mixed herbs and chicken spice in a food processer or mincer.
Blitz or mince.
Shape into eight patties.
Lightly dust the patties with the dry breadcrumbs.

Spray a baking tray and the patties with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the patties on the tray and bake at 180ºc for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile boil, steam or microwave the vegetables.

Serve two patties per person alongside the vegetables.

These patties are very dense. If you want to, you can use just 2 chicken breasts and two slices of bread. If you don’t have a food processor or mincer buy chicken mince and chop the onion very finely.

Lemon and herb chicken

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick

Ingredients

280 gm skinless chicken breast
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
Dried mixed herbs
Chicken spice

Mixed lettuce
Tomato slices
Cucumber slices
Watercress

4 brown hamburger rolls
Low-fat mayo
Dijon mustard

Method

Spray a ridged pan with non-stick spray, and heat.
Lay the chicken breasts on a plate.
Squeeze over ½ the lemon juice.
Sprinkle the lemon rind, mixed herbs and chicken spice over the chicken breasts.
Turn the pieces over, and repeat the seasoning.
Cook the chicken in the ridged pan, about 5 minutes per side.

Split the rolls and spread mayo on one side and mustard on the other.
Stack up with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and watercress.
Top with the cooked chicken breast.


This makes a quick and healthy lunch. The four servings here probably cost less than one take-away! And I know what went into them.

Paprika chicken and beans

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients

2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 400gm cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup dry sherry (or white wine)
200gm frozen spinach

Fat free natural yoghurt, to serve
4 wholegrain rolls

Method

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and starting to brown.
Add the paprika and cayenne and continue frying for about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces and stir well.
Once the chicken is sealed, add the tomatoes, beans and sherry (or wine).
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Now add the spinach and allow everything to heat through fully.

Serve the stew with warm wholegrain rolls and a dollop of natural yoghurt.


This is a lovely warming meal. Filling, too. If you want to feed it to younger children, adjust the seasoning. The alcohol in the sherry/wine cooks off.