With the warm weather upon us, it’s time to lighten up our cooking.
Chicken remains one of the more economical meats to prepare and because it’s so versatile, you can make a variety of dishes with it.
Even though it’s spring, it doesn’t mean soups are no longer on the menu. I just like to make a lighter broth filled with the lovely variety of spring vegetables.
The chicken mince balls make a nice change from shredded chicken in a soup.
I love anything made with tahini and the chicken pieces stuffed into a warm pita bread drizzled with the sauce is my idea of the perfect meal.
Try these lighter chicken recipes from Angela Day
SPICED CHICKEN WITH TAHINI AND CUCUMBER
Serve 4
60ml olive oil
5ml chopped garlic
30ml lime juice
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
5ml sumac spice
salt and pepper
500g chicken fillet strips
extra oil for frying
2 large red onions sliced
1 English cucumber
1 bulb of fennel
15ml lemon juice
45ml chopped dill
45ml chopped mint
SAUCE
250ml thick yoghurt
45ml tahini paste
30ml lemon juice
15ml honey
salt and pepper
pita breads for serving
Combine the olive oil, garlic, lime juice, spices and seasoning and mix well.
Add the chicken and set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
Cook the chicken strips on a griddle pan.
In a small pot, heat some olive oil and gently fry the onions until soft.
Finely dice the cucumber and thinly slice and chop the fennel.
Combine in a bowl with the lemon juice, herbs and seasoning.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Serve the chicken and cucumber drizzled with the sauce or pack the mixture into pita breads.
FETA AND ONION STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Serves 4
4 plump chicken breast fillets
150g feta cheese, crumbled
45ml chopped parsley
5ml chopped garlic
45ml onion marmalade
250g streaky bacon
250ml dry white wine
roasted baby carrots to serve
Cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Mix together the feta, parsley, garlic and marmalade until well combined.
Stuff each pocket with the mixture. Wrap each breast in streaky bacon, securing with a toothpick where necessary.
Brown the breasts in an ovenproof frying pan then place in the oven at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes to cook through.
Remove the breasts from the pan and set aside covered to rest for 5 minutes.
Add the wine to the pan to deglaze it and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve the chicken sliced and drizzled with the pan juices and with extra onion marmalade.
SPRING CHICKEN SOUP
Serves 6
500g chicken mince
1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
250ml fresh breadcrumbs
grated rind of 1 lemon
60ml chopped chives
60ml grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg
olive oil for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
200g peeled baby carrots
1 small red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
10ml chopped garlic
3 litres chicken stock
125ml risoni pasta
80ml lemon juice
60ml chopped dill
Combine the chicken mince, spring onions, breadcrumbs, lemon rind, chives, Parmesan and egg in a bowl.
Season generously and mix well.
Using wet hands, roll the mixture into balls.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken balls until nicely browned all over. Remove and drain on paper towel.
In a large pot, heat some olive oil and fry the onion, celery, carrots, peppers and garlic over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the stock and simmer for 15 to 20minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Add the meatballs to the soup along with the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is cooked.
Adjust seasoning to taste. Add the lemon juice and dill and serve.
ROAST CHICKEN WITH SPRING VEGETABLES
Serves 6-8
4 leg portions (leg and thigh joint)
60ml olive oil
10ml chopped garlic
45ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
250ml white wine
300g pink fir potatoes
125g baby turnips
125g baby fennel
200g broccoli stems
200g mange-tout peas
Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
Combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning and mix well to combine.
Add the potatoes and turnips to the pan. Pour the olive oil mixture over the chicken and vegetables and roast at 180°C for 30 minutes.
Add the fennel to the pan, pour over the wine and return to the oven until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are soft.
Cook the broccoli in boiling water until just tender.
Add the mange-touts 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Drain and serve with the roast chicken and vegetables.
NOTE: You can use any cut of chicken if the leg portion is not available.