Four recipes using chicken breasts were tested at the Angela Day Kitchen:
Lemon chicken
Honey Sriracha chicken
Chicken and cauliflower bake
Cajun chicken stew
LEMON CHICKEN
Serves 4
200g baby potatoes
15ml olive oil
4 skinless and boneless chicken fillets, halved
salt and pepper
30g butter
250g portobellini mushrooms, quartered
4 sprigs of thyme leaves
250ml chicken stock
80ml lemon juice
10ml cornflour mixed with 60ml milk to make a paste
125ml sour cream
200g green beans, trimmed and sliced into 3
Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and cut in half.
Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and fry the potatoes until golden. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole.
Flatten the chicken fillets slightly and season with salt and pepper.
Heat more oil in the same frying pan and quickly fry the chicken over high heat until browned on each side. Transfer to the top of the potatoes.
In the same pan, heat the butter and fry the mushrooms and thyme leaves for a few minutes, until slightly browned.
Add the stock and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cornflour paste and sour cream and cook until thickened.
Stir in the green beans and pour over the chicken and potatoes.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and the chicken is cooked.
HONEY SRIRACHA CHICKEN
Serves 4
500g chicken breast fillets, cut in cubes
2 egg whites
80ml cornflour
250ml water
45ml Sriracha sauce
75ml soy sauce
5ml chopped garlic
90ml honey
30ml cornflour mixed with 45ml water to make a paste
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
2ml salt
oil, for frying
cooked rice, for serving
sliced spring onion, for serving
In a bowl, combine the chicken fillets with the egg whites and cornflour. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until needed.
Meanwhile, in a pot combine the water, Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, garlic and honey and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, add the cornflour paste, chilli flakes and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat some oil in a frying pan and, in batches, fry the chicken until golden. Be careful because it splutters and splashes.
Remove and drain on paper towel, then transfer to the pot with the sauce.
Heat for 5-10 minutes in the sauce and serve on a bed of rice sprinkled with sliced spring onion.
Note: Sriracha sauce is a spicy Asian chilli sauce, available at Woolworth's and Asian stores. It can be substituted with any chilli sauce.
CHICKEN AND CAULIFLOWER BAKE
Serves 6
800g cauliflower, cut into florets
15ml olive oil
500g chicken breast fillets, diced
30g butter
125g bacon, chopped
60ml flour
250ml chicken stock
375ml can of evaporated milk
250ml grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
80g baby spinach
Cook the cauliflower in a pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, until just tender. Drain.
Heat the oil in a large pot and, in batches, brown the chicken. Remove and cover to keep warm.
Add the butter to the pot and fry the bacon until almost crisp.
Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.
Gradually add the stock, stirring until smooth.
Pour in the evaporated milk.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
Stir in half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cauliflower, chicken and spinach and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
Place under the grill and grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
CAJUN CHICKEN STEW
Serves 4
60ml olive oil
500g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
1 onion, chopped
5ml chopped garlic
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 bay leaves
45ml flour
20ml Cajun spice mix
600ml chicken stock
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
200g thickly sliced ham, diced
3 spring onions, sliced
125ml chopped fresh parsley
Heat half the oil in a big frying pan and fry the chicken for a few minutes until brown. Tip out on to a plate.
Add the remaining oil and fry the onion, garlic, celery and bay leaves until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then add the Cajun spice and cook for another minute. Gradually stir in the stock until smooth.
Return the chicken to the pot with the peppers and ham.
Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the spring onions and parsley and serve.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.