Chicken Sweet n Sour

Yum, Yum, Yum. This recipe has all the flavour and none of the stodge, artificial colours and calories of this take away classic.

There are two alternatives with this recipes - the extremely virtuous version where poached chicken is used. Or the slightly more delectable - ever so slightly - bolder version where the chicken is quickly fried in a light, crisp tempura style batter.

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 chicken fillets / equivalent leftover roast chicken

1/2 green, red and yellow pepper

4 spring onions

4 cloves garlic

1 red chili

1/2 tin pineapples

1/4 butternut squash / 1 carrot

Handful mange tout

2 tsp corn flour

4 dsp tamari/soy sauce

juice from tinned pineapple

2 tsp tomato ketchup / puree

3 dsp cornflour

100ml cold water

1/2 chicken stock cube

1tbsp rapeseed/olive oil

120g tilda wholegrain rice

Method

1. Boil a pot of water and cook the wholegrain rice for 35 - 45mins.
2. Prepare all the vegetables. Peel and chop the butternut squash into small cubes. De seed and dice the peppers into large chunks. De seed and thinly slice the red chili. Peel and dice the garlic. Slice the spring onions.
3. If not using leftover chicken poach and cut the chicken into large chunks. Alternatively heat 1 tbsp olive/rapeseed oil and fry gently until cooked. Remove from the pan.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the wok. Fry the chili, garlic and spring onion for 30seconds. Add the butternut squash. Pour in a couple of tbsp of water, place a lid on top and allow to steam for 3-4 mins.

1. Heat 500ml of vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Mix together the cornflour and water.
2. Add the peppers to the pan and allow to cook for another 2 mins.
3. Then add in the pineapple chunks. Stir the corn flour into the pineapple juice. Add this along with the tomato puree and tamari (soy sauce).Crumble in the stock cube. Gradually add 100mls cold water. Allow to simmer for 5 mins while the chicken cooks.
4. Dip the chicken chunks in the batter mix and place in the hot oil. Toss in the oil after about 1 minute. Cook for about 3/4 mins in total. Remove, drain really well on kitchen paper and season with a pinch of salt.
5. To serve, spoon some rice on the plate, then the sweet n sour and top with the crispy chicken.

Miso Glazed Chicken & Mango Salad

This is a beautifully light and delicate salad which can be enjoyed all year round. Miso paste can be bought in all super markets and the great thing here is the chicken doesn’t need to marinate over night - just rub over the chicken pieces while you prepare the other ingredients.

Fresh mango will add a little extra vibrancy to the dish however it can be difficult to get them ripe when you need them.

I use good quality jarred roast red peppers – Lidl do a great option.

Ingredients

200g chicken breast (6 mini fillets)

1 sachet miso paste

100g mixed salad leaves

4 tinned mango segments

1 roast red pepper

1 avocado

½ red onion

8 baby sun-blushed tomatoes

Handful of cashew nuts (about 20)

20ml ‘Mor Foods’ Mango Dressing ( fab Irish brand)

Method

1. Prepare everything first. Marinate the chicken pieces in the miso paste. 

2. Thinly slice the avocado, mango, red onion and roast red pepper.

3. Turn on the grill to high and grill the chicken for about 6 mins each side.

4. Place the salad leaves in the bowl. Toss through the avocado, red onion, mango and red pepper. Dress the leaves and toss again. Sit the chicken on top of the leaves and sprinkle the cashew nuts on top.

5. Enjoy with some crusty bread and a glass of pouilly fume.

Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

 

Ingredients

• ½ leftover roast chicken / 2 chicken fillets

• 120g wholewheat pasta shapes

• ½ onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 150g button mushrooms

• 1 small head of broccoli

• 1 295g tin low fat cream of chicken & mushroom soup

• Slim line milk

• 1 chicken stock cube / 1 tbsp liquid stock concentrate

• 40g extra light Philadelphia

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 80g low fat cheddar cheese

• 1 slice calorie control bread/ 1 slice wholemeal brown bread

• Handful flat leaf parsley

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Preheat oven to 180oC.

2. If not using leftover roast chicken – poach 2 chicken fillets.

3. Peel and dice the onion and garlic. Wipe and slice the mushrooms. Cut the broccoli into small florets. Grate the cheddar cheese. Open the tin of chicken soup. Blitz or grate the slice of bread into breadcrumbs.

4. Plunge the pasta into the water and cook according to the packet instructions. Add the broccoli for the last 10 mins.

5. Heat up a non stick pan and fry the onion, garlic and mushrooms for about 5 mins. Deglaze the pan with a little water. Stir in the tin of chicken soup – refill it with slimline milk and add this to the pan.

6. Stir in the mustard and the chicken stock allow to simmer.

7. Drain the pasta and broccoli, stir into the creamy sauce. Stir in half the grated cheese. Season.

8. Transfer into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and grated cheese and bake for 20min

Chicken Fajitas

I do not proclaim that these fajitas are by any means a direct translation from traditional Mexican hertiage however what I do promise is they make a seriously tasty, quick, low fat, healthy week day meal.

A basic fajita has a meat (either strips or mince) or just vegetables marinated in a smoky, mild sauce. This mix is filled into wraps with guacamole, sour cream and salsa. This Skinny Loves Food recipe has some serious changes to make this an appropriate meal

Ok first up the meat - I like to include meat as a source of protein. My preference is to stay away from beef or lamb mince and choose turkey mince, quorn mice for the vegetarians or chicken breast strips.

The convenience cheat I use to speed up this meal is that famous yellow packet that adorns our supermarket shelves - Old El Paso Fajita seasoning. But this is where the convenience stops. 

I beg of you please never, ever buy the squeezy bottles of guacamole or sour cream. Terrible, awful stuff.

These fajitas allow you to be as virtous as you wish. There is great scope to build them up with lots of vegetables and little meat. Some great vegetables to add include - onion/spring onion , peppers, mushrooms, courgettes and grated carrot.

In addition to this the guacamole made from ripe avocados is full of essential fats, vitamin E and links have been made to them preventing heart disease, lowering cholestrol, inhibit prostrate and oral cancer and benefits eye health. 

In relation to the wraps you choose be careful - alot of the varieties in the supermarket are loaded with sugar and salt. I have 2 recommendations - well 3, first choose a smaller size wrap (you do not need the big one). Second, try to get a tortilla (wrap) of the wholemeal variety and finally something like the weightwatcher or Tesco healthy living ones are a good choice.

PS - I am so sorry, so sorry for the quality of the photo - my photography skills leave alot to be desired and this time i was just starving to add insult to injury.

Ingredients

Serves 2 ( 1 fajita each)

300g turkey mince

150g  chicken breast

1/2 packet fajita seasoning mix

1/3 red, green and yellow pepper

3 tomatoes

1 cloves garlic

1/2 chilli or 2 pieces jalapeno pepper

seasoning

2 tbsp natural yogurt

2 tbsp low fat grated cheddar

1 whole avocado

3 tsp extra light mayo

squeeze lemon juice

2 tortilla wraps

Method

1. Prepare all the ingredients. Deseed and thinly slice the peppers.
2. Prepare the tomato sauce - in a food processor blitz 3 tomatoes, 2 spring onion, 1 clove of garlic, 2 tsp tomato puree and 1/2 chilli ( 2 piece jalapeno). Set aside.
3. Make the guacamole - peel, remove the stone, mash. Stir in the extra light mayo, seasoning and lemon juice.
4. Heat a non stick pan.Spritz with spray oil. Brown the turkey mince, add in 1/2 packet os fajita seasoning and stir in the tomato salsa. Cook for about 10 mins.
5. Warm the tortilla wrap for 30secs in the microwave. Spread the guacamole on the base of wrap, top with low fat natural yoghurt, turkey mince and grated cheese. 
6. Wrap up and enjoy.