This is a great hand-held sushi alternative. You can stuff it with whatever vegetables or protein that you like. In this recipe I made a vegetarian version and a canned tuna version, but you can use traditional sushi fillings such as raw tuna or salmon, or other meat including chicken, shrimp, ham slices and so on. As an alternative to sushi rice you can also use black rice. You can serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce, or chilli mayonnaise.
Creamy and crunchy thai-inspired noodle bowl. This dish goes well with any type of protein, such as shrimps, pork or chicken, but you can even leave it vegetarian as it certainly does not lack in the taste department. You can also mix and match with any vegetables you desire, and if you want you can turn this noodle bowl into a soup! This dish is medium spicy. Add or reduce the chilli paste as desired.
While prunes and capers might seem like an odd combination, when cooked together with chicken they create a delectable sweet and sour, savoury flavour. You can use whatever piece of chicken you like, but I tend to prefer chicken thighs or breasts.
These rolls are perfect for a hot summer day. The wrapper used is rice paper, so its fresh and light. In this recipe I use chicken, but you can use any filling you desire; shrimps, salmon, pork, or even leave it vegetarian. You can also add or remove the vegetables as you desire, so as you can see this recipe is pretty flexible. They do not require any cooking, however they do require some preparation time to roll them up. While they are best eaten in a couple of hours, you can roll them individually in cellophane and keep them refrigerated and they will be nearly as fine the next day.
Juicy chicken with fresh lemon and thyme, a perfectly easy and delicious recipe. If you are a bit pressed on time, you can fillet the chicken breasts in half and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients: Serves 4
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup chicken broth
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
1 lemon, cut in wedges
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 chicken breasts (you can fillet them in half)
salt and pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Directions: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Add the minced garlic, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and thyme leaves to the dish. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the chicken in the baking dish along with the lemon wedges and the two sprigs of thyme. Place into the oven and bake, basting occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle the pan sauce on top of the slices of chicken and serve.
A light and refreshing meal with an outstanding taste!
Ingredients: Makes 4 portions
3/4 cup unsweetened light coconut milk, divided
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, plus more for dipping
1 lime
salt and pepper
4 chicken breasts
1 medium-sized head cauliflower, grated (6-8 cups)
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
Directions: Combine 1/2 cup coconut milk, sweet chilli sauce and the juice of 1/2 lime in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper then whisk to combine. Add chicken breasts and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge. Preheat grill pan to medium-high. Grill chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then 3-4 minutes on the second side, depending on how big they are. Remove to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium/medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, season liberally with salt and pepper, and then cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Squeeze in juice from remaining lime half then add 3-4 tablespoons coconut milk, depending on how coco-nutty you want it. Add coriander then stir to combine. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop onto plates then top with chicken and serve with extra sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
This dish is a lovely change to grilled chicken. The capers give a tangy twist to the creamy sauce.
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Directions: Using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts until slightly flattened. Season with salt and pepper, and dredge both sides of chicken in flour. Shake off the excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and oil in a large skillet. Fry chicken breasts in hot oil, about 5 minutes each side, until cooked through and golden brown in colour. Transfer chicken breasts to a plate. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, add garlic and capers. Add lemon juice, wine, and chicken stock, bring to boil, scraping off the brown bits from the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken breasts to the skillet. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over, and with some steamed or roasted vegetables.
A very simple dish full of delicate flavours. Cooks up in a matter of minutes.
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
200g couscous
400ml chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 courgettes, grated
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
paprika
salt and pepper
Directions: Tip the couscous into a large bowl and pour over the stock. Cover and leave for 10 mins until fluffy and all the stock has been absorbed. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the courgettes until softened and crisping at the edges. Tip into the couscous, then stir in with plenty of seasoning and a good squeeze of lemon juice from one of the wedges. Halve the chicken breasts horizontally and put each piece on a sheet of cling film. Cover with another sheet and beat each piece out with a rolling pin to make it thinner. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and fry the chicken for about 2 mins on each side until cooked through. Squeeze over the juice from the other lemon wedge and serve with the couscous and remaining lemon wedges on the side.
The flavour of this dish is simply amazing. This is by far one of the best slow cooker meals I have cooked to date. It does require some minimal preparation, but believe me it is well worth it. It makes a gorgeous Sunday lunch. I would suggest using chicken thighs, however I tried this recipe with 2 thighs and 2 breasts, and both were equally good. Serve with roasted potatoes or wedges.
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
The Brine:
1/8 cup of salt
1 lemon, juiced and then sliced
4 cups water
The Spice Blend:
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
The Chicken:
4 pieces chicken thighs, skin on
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup light chicken stock
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
The Add-Ons:
1 lemon, sliced
1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and cut in half
1/2 cup caperberries, rinsed
1 tbsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions: The previous night before you need the meal, set your chicken to brine in a solution consisting of 4 cups of water, 1/8 cup of salt, the juice of 1 lemon and the shells of that lemon. While this step is not mandatory, it will definitely make your chicken a lot tastier and juicier, too! In a small bowl, mix together all the spices that make up the spice blend. Set aside. Remove the chicken from the brine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set a large skillet over high heat and melt the butter. Add the pieces of chicken, being mindful not to overcrowd the pan, and cook until crisp and golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be cooked through. Remove the cooked pieces of chicken to the bowl of your slow cooker. Reduce the heat of the pan to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion starts to soften and turn translucent; add the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest and spice blend and scrape the bottom of the pan to detach every little last bit of flavour. Bring to a simmer then pour that over the cooked chicken. Cook on high for a total of 5 hours or low for 7 hours. 45 minutes to an hour before the end of your scheduled cooking time, add the sliced lemons, artichoke hearts and caperberries. After that time, remove the chicken, lemon slices, artichoke hearts and caperberries to a large shallow bowl or plate and place them in a low temperature oven to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine meshed strainer directly into a medium saucepan. Dilute the cornflour in 2 tablespoons of water and pour that into the simmering stock. Bring back to a quick boil and cook for about one minute, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.
A very quick and simple chicken dish...with nonetheless an amazing taste.
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
4 chicken breasts
4 tbsp cream cheese
3 cubes frozen spinach
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp onion powder
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1+1 tbsp olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Directions: Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Thaw the frozen spinach in the microwave and strain to remove as much liquid as you can. You should have about 6 tbsp of thawed spinach. In a small bowl add the cream cheese, spinach, chopped onion, onion powder, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix until blended to make your stuffing. Cut a slit in the chicken breasts creating a pocket. Be careful not to cut all the way through to the other side of the breast. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Stuff each breast with 1/4th of the spinach and cheese mixture. Place the chicken in a greased baking dish. Brush each chicken breast with olive oil, sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Put the halved tomatoes in a small bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put some foil on a baking sheet and place the tomatoes in a single layer. Put both the chicken and tomatoes in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the thickest part. If the tomatoes aren't blistered enough you could broil for a couple minutes. Just cover your chicken with foil to keep it warm. Top the chicken with the oven roasted tomatoes and serve immediately!
