chicken Archives - Sugar et al

Easy Tandoori Chicken And Grilled Peach Salad

22|01|2016

Is it too late to say “Happy New Year’? I am just back from a long break and very excited to be talking to you once again. I wish each and every one of you a fabulous 2016 and hope that all your dreams come true this year. It’s been many many years since I’ve spent an entire month doing nothing, worrying about nothing, just taking in all the good and all the love around me, being spoilt and savoring each day to perfection. I am grateful for this beautiful start to the New year.

On the first day, it seemed like a big transition coming from winter (back in India) to very warm temperatures in Sydney. And a huge effort to settle down into routine. But there was this incentive to come back to. Summer! Bright summer and brighter summer produce. Tomorrow I’ll be going to the farmer’s market but I couldn’t hold myself back from checking out the summer bounty at the local store.

This is an easy, delicious salad that looks like a lot of work but is actually a breeze to make. It is filling, healthy and extremely flavorful. A slightly spicy chicken with sweet, juicy caramelized peaches, summery tomatoes, crunchy rocket and a tangy yogurt dressing. (If peaches are not available where you are at this time, pears will make a great substitute.) It is summer on a plate!

Easy Tandoori Chicken And Grilled Peach Salad
Serves 4-6

600 g chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast sliced into pieces)
11/4 cup Greek yogurt, divided (3/4 cup for marinade, 1/2 cup for dressing)
3 tbsp tandoori chicken marinade (store bought)
3 ripe, firm peaches
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups baby rocket
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice,
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp honey
salt, to season

Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt and tandoori chicken marinade. Mix and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight. In a separate bowl, mix the peaches and olive oil.

Heat a chargrill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove from heat and leave aside. Place the peaches on the grill and cook for 2 mins on each side. Don’t move around too much or they will turn mushy.

In a serving platter, place the baby rocket leaves, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Arrange the chicken and peaches on the rocket. Top with tomatoes and red onion. Serve with yogurt dressing.

To make the dressing, mix the remaining yogurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic, honey, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Drizzle on the salad just before serving.

Five Spice Chicken And Red Cabbage Noodles Stir Fry

4|08|2015

August happens to be one of those landmark months for me. I associate it with many important events and decisions of my life. 3 years ago, I moved countries in August and it was the start of a new life. August also means the end of winter in Australia. Spring is not far away and I can hardly contain myself. Incidentally, we moved to our current house in August as well and a year has slipped by, somehow. I remember how upset I was when we had to leave the previous one. It had a huge courtyard with two big pink frangipani trees and in summer, I would spend a good hour or two every week clearing the ground of flowers that would carpet itself in the most beautiful way. It was obviously winter when we left and the branches were bare, perhaps on the verge of bursting out with colour in a few weeks. I found the timing of this change so synonymous with my own life that I wanted to experience the budding and the blooming of nature whilst living in that house. School was due to start however, for the boys and it was a conscious decision to move closer to the new school.

The new neighbourhood didn’t look as attractive to me especially since winter had left it’s mark everywhere. For the first two weeks I got busy unpacking and trying to settle down in the new house (our current house) and then gradually explored the surroundings. I really believe that if you seek something with your heart, you will find it! Big or small. Sometimes not in the most predictable way or in the most likeliest of places, but it will be waiting for you at a tiny little bend or an unexpected little next corner. One day I was walking down the street near my house with the twins, when I noticed a few pink buds in one of the trees. It sadly reminded me of the pink frangipani trees and I moved on. A week later when I walked into the same street, it was different. There were flowers everywhere. Those trees with bare branches were actually Cherry Blossom trees. Can you imagine my surprise? Spring had sprung! I was thrilled to bits and wanted to hug the trees. The boys started filling their pockets with flowers and I went crazy taking photos on my phone.

Now its August and every time I drive through that street, I peek out of my window hoping to catch a few buds in bloom. They haven’t arrived yet but I will catch them when they do. Such is the hope of Spring! Till then, let me paint all the food I eat with colour. Something which is so possible in this beautiful world we live in and the natural bounty we are blessed with.

Reg cabbage I think is one of the under used vegetables. Apart from slaws and salads I cannot recollect finding it on any menu or eating it outside. It is easy to cook with and the peppery flavour compliments most other vegetables. This noodles recipe is a simple weeknight dinner option and is open to adaptation. Please feel free to substitute soba noodles with noodles of your choice. Chicken with prawns or pork. Add any vegetable of your choice..beans, peas, carrots along with the cabbage. If you want the cabbage to retain its colour and crunch, make sure to add it at the end.

Five Spice Chicken And Red Cabbage Noodles Stir Fry
Serves 4

2 chicken breast fillets (about 400 g), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cm ginger grated
3 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1 packet soba noodles, 270 g (or noodles of your choice)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
1 cup finely chopped Kale leaves
1/2 cup finely shredded carrots/broccoli/peas (any vegetable of your choice)
2 tsp white sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
red chillies (optional)
salt and pepper, for seasoning

Marinate the chicken with 1 clove garlic, half the ginger, five spice, soy sauce and honey. season with salt and pepper. Leave aside for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook noodles in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 1/2 minutes or until al dente. Drain, then rinse under cold running water.

Heat oil in a large wok over high heat. Add remaining garlic, ginger and onion, and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chicken and stir-fry for 6 minutes or until it starts to brown. Add carrots and other vegetables, (not red cabbage), stir-fry for 3 minutes or until tender. Add cabbage, kale and noodles, and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes or until noodles are warmed through.

Divide noodles among bowls to serve. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and red chillies.

Chicken Meatball Stroganoff

23|06|2015

I am truly overwhelmed and touched by your heartfelt and beautiful messages on my last post. It makes me warm and fuzzy even during the coldest days in Sydney. If I happen to mention Sydney winters to my cousins and extended family in the Northern Hemisphere, they don’t take me seriously. Like ‘what is she talking about?!’ I agree, our winters are not the coldest. There’s no shoveling snow around the sidewalks, or snow covered trees, or turtlenecks trending around here. And of course no Christmas carols! But for a sunshine loving person, this is hard enough. Then to add to that, school holidays have started. Keeping the boys entertained is a task by itself especially when the daylight is fleeting. The one thing I am enjoying however is that I am cooking new and different things for the excited little boys. This is the first time ever that I have been bombarded with so many requests.

Most kids love meatballs. Basically, anything edible in that shape goes down well with my boys. If it happens to be meat/poultry, even better. When I buy chicken mince, I make a big batch of meatballs and store in the fridge to be added to a variety of sauces or gravies on different days of the week. They tend to get a little dry and firm in the fridge but reheating them in a sauce/gravy generally softens them up. Another tip that I have learnt through experience is that meatballs are best when browned first in a shallow frying pan and then finished in the oven. They remain soft and juicy.

Looking for variety, something that I am always guilty of I chanced upon this recipe. It sounded like a great way of serving meatballs. Beef Stroganoff is a big favourite of mine especially the sour cream and mushroom based sauce. So, it was a matter of adding the two together. The resulting dish is deliciously creamy, wholesome and ridiculously easy to put together. If you are a fan of creamy sauces, you will love this one!

Meatball Stroganoff
Serves 4

500 g chicken mince
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 brown onion (use other half for the sauce), finely chopped
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (by running 1 slice of bread through a food processor)
1 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 brown onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup fresh/canned mushrooms
2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp canned tomato puree
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pasta, to serve with

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Combine chicken mince, garlic, onion, worcestershire sauce, mixed herbs and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on a plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning, for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and keep aside covered in foil.

Make the sauce : Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onion and garlic for 4-5 mins, until tender. Add mushroom. Cook on high for 4-5 mins, until browned. Stir in tomato and paprika. Pour stock, bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 mins, until liquid is reduced by half. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in sour cream and sauce. Simmer for 1-2 mins, until heated through. Add the meatballs and simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm with fettucicne pasta.

Chicken, Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta

5|01|2014

Breaking trends at the beginning of the year, I recently went on a chocolate and cheese shopping spree. With all the hard work I had done a week ago to clean up my refrigerator on account of the house move, I decided to buy myself some New Year presents. When was the last time I had seen an empty refrigerator! It took me no time to fill it up.

Mascarpone has always been my favourite. Other than the various interpretations of Tiramisu that I keep trying out from time to time, my favourite way of using it is by dolloping it on grilled fruits. And adding it to pasta. The flavour and creaminess that it adds is like none other. So with a handful of ingredients I made this very quick pasta meal for our lunch.

I have used store bought smoked chicken breast to reduce work. It can be substituted with leftover barbecued chicken, canned Tuna, Prosciutto, Bacon, Smoked salmon or even home cooked chicken breasts. If you are using fresh chicken breast fillets, season them and shallow fry them 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Then slice into pieces.

Chicken, Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta (adapted with variation from this recipe)
Serves 4

500 g cherry tomatoes, halved (keep a few aside for garnish)
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped
salt and pepper, to season
2 tbsp. olive oil
300 g Fettucine /tagliatelle/spaghetti (I have used fettucine)
200 g mascarpone cheese
1 store bought smoked chicken breast, sliced into pieces
1 cup baby spinach leaves
a few cherry tomatoes, to serve
flat leaf parsley, to serve
shaved parmesan, to serve
cracked pepper to serve

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place the tomatoes (leaving aside a handful for garnish) in a roasting pan with the garlic and rosemary. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, drizzle with the oil and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling, salted water according to the packet instructions. Reserve half a cup of the cooking liquid, drain the pasta and return to the saucepan.

Gently combine the roasted tomatoes and the mascarpone in a large bowl to make a creamy sauce. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss well. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add the reserved cooking liquid. Then gently fold through the chicken and baby spinach until just wilted. Scatter over the remaining Cherry tomatoes and parsley leaves. Garnish with the shaved parmesan and sprinkle with cracked pepper. Serve immediately.