This spicy-sweet-sour chicken dish can really make your tongue sing. See how adventurous you want to be.
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CHATPATTA CHICKEN Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
6 leg & thigh chicken pieces
6 large tomatoes
3 medium sized onions
6 cloves garlic
4 red chillies (a couple more if you can stand the spice)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp almonds
4 cloves
1 tsp black pepper
2 small sticks cinnamon
1 tsp jeera powder
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

PREPARATION
Blanch the almonds and chop into long slivers.

Grind the ginger and garlic into a paste in the blender. Add the red chillies and all the remaining spices, – tumeric, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and jeera. Blend together. Set aside.

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CHICKEN & MUSHROOM MARINARA Serves 6
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Choose a version of marinara sauce that you’re happy with and add the following.

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces dried linguine or spaghetti
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lower-fat margarine
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin bite-size strips
1/2 teaspoon dried chervil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

PREPARATION

Make the marinara sauce but when it has only simmered about 15 minutes, take it off the stove and put it aside.

Simultaneously, boil the pasta with salt to taste in a large pan and drain. Put aside covered to retain as much heat as possible.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the garlic in hot margarine for 30 seconds. Add half of the chicken and half of each of the herbs. Cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Remove chicken, reserving drippings in skillet. Repeat with the remaining chicken and herbs.

Add the mushrooms to drippings in skillet. Cook and stir about 3 minutes or until tender.

Add the marinara sauce, wine, and, if desired, sugar. Return the chicken to skillet; and let the whole thing simmer for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve over the hot pasta.

Feel that chicken do the Salsa on your tongue
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CHICKEN SALSA Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS
4 large chicken breast fillets
1 cup yoghurt
Lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp crushed fresh ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
5-6 cardamoms
5-6 cloves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp red chilli powder
oil

For the Salsa
2 tomato, diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
2 small red onion, diced
2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp olive oil (more…)

A light summer salad that really simple to make.
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CHICKEN LETTUCE SALAD Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts
1 large head lettuce
5 cherrie tomatoes
3 green onions
1/2 cup almonds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 slices bread

For the Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION
Tear the lettuce. Set aside.

Slice the onions long and thin. Set aside.

Meanwhile set the chicken to boil in 1 cup water and a teaspoon of salt till cooked but not overdone. Use your hands to shred into strips or cut long. Pop them into the refigerator to cool for 20 minutes.

Cut the bread slices into cubes and saute lightly in olive oil, till crisp and golden brown.

Blanche the almonds and cut into fine slivers.

When done, toss all these ingredients together with the tomatoes and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a large jar and shake vigorously. Add the dressing just before serving. Serve at room temperature.

More healthy salads

This delicious chicken dish comes from a recipe sent to me from the mailing list of a local French cuisine restaurant. This is my adaptation and it turns out absolutely delicious.

This delicious chicken dish comes from a recipe sent to me from the mailing list of a local French cuisine restaurant. This is my adaptation and it turns out absolutely delicious.
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CHICKEN IN WINE AND MUSTARD SAUCE Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
6 chicken breasts
75 ml wine vinegar
3 tbsps mustard powder
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
300 ml chicken stock
1 tsp chopped celery
100ml tomato puree
1 cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Stir the mustard powder vigorously into half a cup of water and let stand for about 15 minutes.

Crush the garlic into the olive oil and set aside.

Marinate the chicken pieces for 30 minutes to an hour in wine vinegar and half the mustard paste.

In a little oil brown the chicken pieces on both sides till they are about 3/4 done in a non-stick pan. Take off the flame and set aside.

Heat the garlic-oil mixture in a pan and pour in the chicken stock with the chopped celery and the other half of the mustard paste.

Add the tomato puree, herbs, caramel sugar, salt and pepper and cook for a 7-10 minutes.

Finally add the partially done chicken and the wine into the sauce and cook for another 10-15 minutes, till well done.

Serve hot, garnished with parsley and accompanied by sauteed vegetables.