Posts tagged ‘chicken’
Beauty Eats- Pasta with herbed chicken and butternut squash sauce
Doesn’t that pasta look like a hearty meal? Made with butternut squash, roasted red pepper, tomatoes and herbed chicken, it’s a comforting weeknight dinner that takes under 30 minutes to make. Last week, Connie from Beauty Nerd and I had lunch in Yorkville where we had a scrumptious butternut squash ravioli. Now you know what inspired today’s dish!
Tandoori chicken quesadilla
Whenever I go out to eat, I make it a point to order chicken quesadillas. They have the perfect combination of textures and flavours – crispy, cheesy, spicy, tangy – the list could go on! The only problem with restaurant quesadillas is the ridiculous amount of cheese they use and not to mention, the sodium content. So, why not make them at home? That way, not only can you experiment with the flavours, but you can use healthier ingredients. Quesadillas are especially easy to make on weeknights – just toss in any leftovers, add some fresh veggies and a little cheese and you’ve got a winning dinner that is sure to please the family.
Spicy chicken and vegetable orzo
Are you tired of the usual weekday pasta dinners? Why not try orzo? It’s a type of pasta that looks like large rice grains and is really easy to make. You can cook it the way you would normally cook pasta and then use it in recipes that call for pasta, or use it as a rice substitute – the possibilities are endless. As you know, I love spicy food, so this dish is inspired by the Italian arrabbiata sauce. It’s a spicy chicken and vegetable orzo with a touch of heat and plenty of tomato flavour just like an arrabbiata dish. To take things up a notch, why not bake the orzo with ooey-gooey mozzerella cheese on top? How’s that for a delicious weeknight meal?
Currylicious meatballs
Who doesn’t love a good meatball? You can never go wrong with succulent meat served with a rich tomato sauce – it’s the perfect comfort food. This dish is my take on meatballs so it has a globally-inspired twist. I love spicy food so I looked to Indian cuisine for my inspiration. Serve these with basmati rice and some mint yogurt on the side and you’ve got a great weekday dinner. Or try these with spaghetti or even couscous for some fusion on your plate!
These meatballs are inspired by meatballs or “koftas” which are popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Koftas are usually made with onions, spices, ground meat and sometimes even some rice or vegetables. They are served on their own or in a spicy gravy similar to the one in this dish. There are literally hundreds of different ways to make koftas – perhaps you could experiment with the spices you have at home!
To make this recipe heart-healthy, I used extra lean ground chicken, but feel free to substitute with any other ground meat.
Spicy chicken burger with a tomato-ginger-onion sauce…
Happy long weekend to all my North American readers! What better to cook on the weekend than a juicy burger oozing with flavour? I wanted to put my own spin on the traditional burger, so I created a recipe that is inspired by the flavours of India. The spicy chicken paired with the rich tomato-ginger-onion sauce makes it a finger-licking burger that won’t disappoint. You won’t even realize that the cheese is missing!
As you know, I like to keep my recipes fairly healthy, so I opted for extra-lean chicken. Extra-lean chicken has less fat in it than other meats such as pork or beef, so it’s harder to prepare a juicy burger. The trick is to try to retain the moisture in every possible way. A few tips:
- Ensure the pan is actually hot before placing the burger patty on it. The heat should sear the meat and seal those juices in.
- When frying the chicken burgers, resist the urge to press down on them! It’s hard to resist, but trust me on this 
. Pressing down will lead to a dry, chewy burger patty.
- Make thinner burger patties. The patties will cook through more easily this way. Less time on the pan/grill = more juices!