Crispy Fried Ginger Chicken

I am not a big fan of ginger. Give me garlic and I will put it in nearly everything I cook. But ginger is a different matter. I guess my skepticism comes from the fact that I have not been able to use ginger in any recipes that drove me over the hills (in a good way!) or may be it is just the smell and the flavour that puts me off. But every time I pass along the veggie isle in the super market the old crinkly brown little guys taunt me as if to say "wont you give me a chance???" Hence the birth of this little concoction of mine. I decided to challenge myself and use only ginger as the main ingredient of this recipe. To my  astonishment this actually turned out to be really tasty. I for the first time enjoyed the sweet gingery fragrance whiffing out of the chicken at each bite and realised why these little roots are so famous among many cooks. Thus I could wait no longer but to share these recipe with my beloved readers. Let me how you like it.

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

   Chicken drumsticks - 8 pcs (about 500 gms)
    Plain flour - 1 cup
    Bread crumbs - 1 cup
    Egg - 1
    Milk - 1/2 cup
    Chili flakes - 1/2 tsp
    Salt - 1 pinch
    Black pepper  - 1/2 tsp (coarsely ground)
    Oil for deep frying

    Brine:
    Ginger - 1 tbsp minced
    Black pepper - 1 tsp (coarsely ground)
    Chili flakes - 1 tbsp
    Salt - 1.5 tbsp
    Brown Sugar - 1 tbsp
    Cold water - 2-3 cups

Methods:

    1. Make the brine solution and set it aside for 1/2 an hour for the flavours to develop.
    2. Meanwhile wash and drain the drumsticks. Wipe them with a paper towel if  they are too moist. In a zip lock bag place the chicken and pour in the brine solution. Zip up the bag and place it in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.
    3. On the day of cooking take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature (leave it on the kitchen counter for about 2 hours). You must let the chicken come to room temperature before you fry them otherwise they will overcook on the outside and remain raw inside.
    4. Now the crumbing part. Prepare an assemble line for yourself. I like having everything set out before I do any crumbing. So, in a bowl place the flour, in another bowl the bread crumbs. Stir in the chili flakes and black pepper in the bread crumbs. In a third bowl whisk in the egg with the milk and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
    5. Drain the chicken from the brine solution and give them a quick rinse in cold water to remove any brine from the surface. Don't worry, you are not loosing any flavour. Socking the chicken in brine overnight allowed it to absorb all the flavour it needed.
    6. Now toss the chicken drumsticks in the plain flour. Shake of excess and dip them in the egg wash and then toss them again in the bread crumbs. I like placing the bread crumbs in a big enough bowl so that I can just swirl the bowl around to coat the chicken pieces in the bread crumbs. Makes the job so much less messier when you dont have to use the egg dipped fingers back in the crumbs to crumb up your own finger tips.
    7. Once all the chicken pieces have been crumbed, heat up the oil in a deep non stick frying pan and cook the chicken on med heat, about 4-5 min on each side, until golden. To make sure it has cooked all the way through, stab one of the pieces on it's thickest part with a small knife and see if the juices run clear, it has been cooked through.Once the chicken have been cooked through remove from heat and let drain on a paper towel.
    8. Serve with any sauce that takes your fancy. Being a chili fan I love to dip it in hot chili sauce. Yuumm!!!

 

Chicken Kebabs with Mustard & Roast Tomato

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast fillet - 1 kg( 2lb), cut into 1 inch thick, long strips
• Small red onions or shallots - 2-3 per person
• Roma tomatoes - 4, cut in half
• Salt & pepper
  
• Olive oil for grilling
• Wooden skewers
  
• 
  
• Marinade:
• Jarred roasted tomato - 4-5 pcs, or 2 tbsp paste
• Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves - 3-4
• Green chili- 3-4 ( or depending on heat preference)
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
  

Methods:

• 1. In a mortar and pestle (or a grinder), mash in all the ingredients for the marinade except the olive oil.
• 2. Cut the skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets into 1 inch thick long strips. Marinate the chicken strips in the mixture for 2 hours or overnight.
  
• 3. When ready to grill, mix in the olive oil in the chicken strips. Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers. The recipe yields about 10 skewers/kebabs.
  

• 
• 4. Heat up your griddle on high heat. Once smoking hot, brush the griddle with a little bit of olive oil and lay the chicken kebabs onto the grill. Grill the chicken kebabs for about 3-4 min on each side, until cooked through and charred a bit. DO NOT cook the chicken for too long or press it down with your spatula as that will make the chicken loose its internal juices and make it really dry and hard.
• 5. Once the chicken kebabs are grilled. Toss the veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the veggies till they are a bit charred.
  
• 6. Serve with grilled naan or pita bread.
  

Chicken Pasta Salad with Lemon & Dill Dressing

This is one of the most easiest recipes I think I have ever put together. In other words, this is a salad and a meal, all in one for a lazy night's dinner. This is also a great recipe for getting rid of any left over roast chicken or fish or even red meat. As I used a thick but moist dressing, the roasted (slightly dried) meat goes well with the recipe. There is one slight word of caution, if you are not a big fan of lemons/limes then this might not be the right salad for you. However, I am confident once you taste this you will fall in love with those little round juicy fruits for the first time!!!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Pasta(any kind) - 500 gms(1 lb)
• Leftover rotisserie chicken - 2 whole breast fillets
• 
  
• Dressing:
• Mayonnaise - 1/2 cup
• Plain yogurt - 2 tbsp
• Fresh dill - 2 tbsp, chopped finely
• Lemon juice - juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Hot sauce - to taste
  
• Sweet pickle relish - 2 tbsp
• Zest of 1 lemon.
  

Methods:

• 1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Make sure you salt the boiling water properly before adding the pasta, as this is the only time that the pasta will absorb any flavour. You can also cook the pasta in chicken or vegetable stock if you have them handy. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set aside. Save a little bit of the pasta water aside.
  
• 2. Meanwhile, de-bone and tear the roast chicken into bite size pieces with your hands.
• 3. In a large enough bowl to hold the salad in, whisk in all the ingredients for the dressing. Before squeezing out the juice of the lemon, zest the rind and also throw it in the dressing.
• 4. Carefully stir in the chicken pieces in the dressing with a spatula. Be gentle enough not to break the chicken pieces in crumbs, since they will be very delicate as they are already cooked.
  
• 5. Stir in the drained pasta to the chicken mixture. If the sauce seems too thick for the pasta to be stirred in, add a bit of the saved pasta water to thin it out a bit.
• 6. Serve the delicious salad warm or even in room temperature.
  

Lemon Pepper Chicken Burger

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Whole grain bread rolls - 4 servings
• Romaine lettuce - 4 servings
• Red onion - sliced
• Tomato - sliced
  

• Sauce:
• Mayo - 3 tbsp
• Sweet sour sauce - 2 tbsp
• Sweet pickle relish - 1 tbsp
• Hot sauce - 1 tsp
• Ranch dressing - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• 
  
• Chicken Patty:
• Chicken mince - 500gm (1 lb)
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
  
• Spring onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
  
• Lemon pepper - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - to taste

Methods:

• 1. Mix in all the ingredients for the chicken patties with your hands thoroughly. Form into patties ( recipe yields 4) and place it on a plate. Cover it with a plastic wrap and let it marinade for 2 hours in the fridge.
• 2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Crank the heat to med-high. Cook the patties one at a time, for 2-3 min on each side. Remove and set aside.
• 3. Meanwhile, whisk in all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside for the flavours to develop.
  
• 4. Once the patties are cooked, toast the buns on both sides.
  
• 5. On the heal (bottom half) of the bun place a dollop of the sauce, top it with a leaf of romaine lettuce, couple of slices of onions and tomatoes finishing with a chicken patty. If you like add a bit more sauce to the inner part of the crown ( top half) of the bun before placing it on top of the patty.
• 6. Serve. Bon Appétit!

Grilled Chicken Kebab

I love to grill and BBQ. AND I like to do it straight on the fire or charcoal which does create a bit of mess and smoke when it wants to ( which is most of the time!!). Due to these hazards my mom decided to buy an electric grill which desperately needed my magic touch. Thus here are the results......the kebabs turned out so delicious that when I asked my loyal subject ( my little brother) what should I name it, he promptly suggested "pet-bhora kebab" which in English means "Stomach filling kebab". I guess you just have to try it to find out whether his naming for this kebab is perfect or not.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast fillet - 1 kg(2 lb), cut into 1 inch thick long strips
• Naan bread - for 4 servings
• Tomato - sliced into 1 cm thick rings
• Onion - sliced into 1 cm thick rings
• Green capsicums - sliced into 1 cm thick strips
• 
  
• Marinade:*
• Natural Yogurt - 1 cup
• Garlic cloves - 4-5, mashed/paste
• Green chilies - 4-5, mashed( depending on heat preference)
• Lemon juice - juice of half a lrg lemon
• Ginger - 1.5 cm pc, mashed/paste
• Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp, powdered/crushed
• Caraway seeds - 1 tbsp, powdered/crushed
  
• Coarse salt - 1 tbsp, crushed
• Chili flakes - 1 tbsp, crushed
• Cinnamon stick - 1 inch long pc, crushed
• Cardamon pods - 2-3, crushed
• Whole cloves - 2-3, crushed
  
• 
  
• Dipping Sauce:
• Natural Yogurt - 1 cup
• Hot sauce - 1 tbsp
• Ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp (freshly squeezed)
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Garlic clove - 1, grated finely

Methods:

• 1. Blend all the ingredients together for the marinade and marinate the chicken strips for 4 hours refrigerated.
• 2. Mix in all the ingredients for the dipping sauce, set aside for the flavours to develop. Heat your electric grill or your stove top grill** to maximum.
• 3. Take the chicken strips out of the fridge half hour before cooking. Mix in 1/2 cup of oil in the chicken strips. Make sure to coat all the pieces evenly.
  
• 4. Place the chicken strips side by side on the grill and cook for 3-5min on both side, or till cooked through in few batches. Depending on the type of grill you have the cooking time will vary. If you have an electric grill, it might take shorter time to cook since you can close the clam shell lid and cook on both sides simultaneously.
• 5. Once all the chicken strips are cooked, place the vegetables or some other vegetables of your choice on the grill and spray some oil and season with salt and pepper, grill for 3-4 min till they get a nice dark grill mark.
  
• 6. Once the veggies are done, place the naan breads on the grill and cook for 1 min on each side, this is just to warm up the breads as well as giving them a char grill taste.
  
• 7. Serve the chicken kebabs with side of the dipping sauce, grilled veggies and naan. Bon Appétit!

Hints:

• * I like putting all the ingredients except the lemon juice and yogurt in mortar and pestle and crush it all up together to a paste. It does not need to be a fine paste, I like it pretty coarse. But make sure that you carefully grind all the mustard seeds and anise seeds finely before adding the rest of the ingredients to the mortar.
• ** If you do not have a grill, you can also bake this in the oven or cook it in out door BBQ .

Chicken Pad Thai

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Flat rice noodles - 500gm(1lb)
  
• Chicken breast fillet - 500 gm( 1lb), cut into strips
• Bean Shoots - 3 cups
• Carrots - 2 med, julienne cut
• Broccoli florets - 2 cups
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves - 4, minced ( half separated)
  
• Green chili - 3, minced
• Peanut butter - 1 tbsp
• Eggs - 4
• Salt & pepper - to taste

• Sauce:
• Soy sauce - 3 tbsp
• White Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Fish sauce - 2 tbsp
• Brown Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Chili flakes - 1 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• 2. Prepare and chop the veggies, set aside. Mix in the ingredients for the sauce, set aside for the flavours to develop.
  
• 3. Marinate the chicken strips with soy sauce, black pepper, salt, chilies and half the minced garlic.
  
• 4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick wok. Add the chicken strips. Saute on high heat till they are cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.
• 5. Wipe the wok clean with a paper towel. Add 2 more tbsp of oil and heat up. Cook the eggs by scrambling them. Once they stiff up a bit, add the carrots and broccoli. Season with salt & pepper. Saute on high heat for about 3-4 min till they are softened a bit. Make sure you don't over cook it. They still need to be nice and crunchy.
• 6. Return the chicken to the wok. Stir to combine. Saute for a min. Remove everything from the wok on a plate and set aside.
• 7. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the wok, add the left over minced garlic and saute till they are fragrant. Add the noodles and saute for a min. Return the chicken and veggies to the wok, stir to combine.
  
• 8. Add the sauce to the noodles. Saute on high heat for about 2-3 min, or till the noodles absorb all the sauce. Turn the heat off.
• 9. Serve immediately.
  

Spring Fried Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 lb, cut up in 2 inch size pieces.
• Plain flour - 1/2- 1 cup
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp

• Marinade:
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Tasting salt - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper - 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves - 2, minced

Methods:

• 1. Whisk in the ingredients to make the marinade. Marinate the chicken pieces overnight, refrigerated or minimum of 2 hours.
  
• 2. On the day of cooking take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before cooking.
  
• 3. Mix in the extra soy sauce with the chicken. Sprinkle the flour on top of the chicken pieces and combine gently with your hands to coat every chicken piece.
  
• 3. Heat oil in a wok, enough so that the chicken pieces will be half submerged. Fry on med-high heat for about 4-5 min on each side, until cooked through and golden and crispy.
• 4. Serve immediately.
  

Bohri Fried Chicken Sandwich

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast fillet - 4, skinless, boneless, pounded flat with a meat tenderizer
• Baby spinach leaves - 2 cups
  
• Vine tomatoes - 2, sliced
• Red onions - 1, med, sliced
• Bread rolls - 4
  
• 
  
• Coating:
• Flour- 4 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 2/3 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp (or more for desired heat)
  
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Paprika powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
  
• Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hotspice powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/3 tsp
  
• 
  
• Marinade:
• Onion paste - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Green chili paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• 
  
• Sauce:
• Ketchup - 3 tbsp
• Sour cream - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Sugar- 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Flatten the chicken fillets with a meat tenderizer to about 1 cm thick pieces. Coat the fillets thoroughly with the marinade and marinate for minimum of 2 hours, up to 24 hours refrigerated.
• 2. In a bowl mix in all the ingredients for the coating. Lay the chicken breast fillets flat on a cutting board and sprinkle the flour mixture all over, ensuring to cover the fillets thoroughly. Pat gently, so that the flour sticks to the fillets.
  
• 3. In a non-stick pan heat enough oil so that the fillets will be half submerged when frying.
• 4. Add one fillet at a time to the hot oil and fry for 3-5 min on each side, until golden and crispy. Remove and let it drain on a paper towel.
• 5. Meanwhile mix in the ingredients for the sauce, set aside. Toast the buns on both side.
• 6. On the heel of the bun spread 1 tbsp of the sauce, top it with 2 slices of the tomatoes, followed by a handful of the fresh spinach leaves and finally top with one Bohri fried chicken fillet, ending with the crown of the bun.
• 7. Serve immediately. Bon Appétit!

Curried Chicken Sub

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast fillet - 2, boneless, skinless, cut into thin strips
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Romain Lettuce
  
• French bread - 2, cut in half to make 4 subs, and halved lengthwise
  
• 
  
• Marinade:
  
• Curry powder - 2 tsp
• Chili flakes - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Ketchup - 3 tbsp
• Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
• 
  
• Salsa:
• Avocado - 1, chopped
• Cherry/grape tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Red Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Jalapeno/ green chili - 1 tbsp, chopped finely
  
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Lime juice - 1 tsp, freshly squizzed

Methods:

• 1. In a bowl, mix in the ingredients for the marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 1/2 hour , up to 2 hours.
• 2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the onions. Saute on high heat, till they are translucent.
• 3. Add the marinated chicken strips to the pan and saute till they are cooked, for about 8- 10 min.
• 4. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
• 5. Chop the veggie and mix in all the ingredients together for the salsa with a fork. Be careful as to not smush up the veggies.
  
• 6. Toast the french rolls on both sides until crisp.
• 7. Spread the salsa on both sides of the bread, then top it with lettuce and finally with a generous portion of the chicken. Serve.
  

Grill Chicken Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts (boneless) & wings - 2 lb (1 kg), with skin-on
• Baby spinach - 4-6 cups, fresh, rinsed and drained
  
• Strawberries - 2 cups, sliced into bite size pieces
• Pears - 2, cut into bite size pieces
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp, freshly squeezed
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Honey - 1 tbsp
• Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
  
• 
  
• For Marinade:
• Salt - to taste (account for the saltiness of the chicken stock)
  
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Chicken stock - 2 cups
• Italian seasoning - 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Prepare the marinade by whisking together all the ingredients. Soak the chicken in the marinade, seal and marinate overnight, refrigerated or minimum of 2 hours.
• 2. Heat your oven to 350F(180C). On a baking sheet spray some olive oil. Place the chicken pieces and spray some more oil over the chicken. Loosely cover with a aluminum foil and roast for 45 min. This is to keep the chicken breast meat moist and juicy.
  
• 3. After the 45 min, remove the foil and broil/grill the chicken for 4-5 min or till the skin is crispy and charred. Remove from the oven and let it rest while you prepare the salad.
• 4. Chop the pears and strawberries to bite size pieces, set aside. Rinse the baby spinach carefully to get rid of any dirt, place in a colander to drain off any excess water. Tear the large leaves of the baby spinach or leave it whole.
• 5. In a large bowl whisk together the honey, olive oil, lime juice, salt & pepper. Toss the fruits in the dressing gently as not to mash up the fruits. Add the spinach leaves and gently toss to combine everything.
  
• 6. Back to the chicken, leave the chicken wings as they are, but cut up the chicken breast fillets into 2 inch long and 1/2 inch wide pieces.
  
• 7. In serving plates, arrange 1/4 of the spinach-fruit salad and then top it with a portion of the grilled chicken. Bon Appétit!

Tandoori Chicken Sandwich

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Sandwich bread roll - 4
• Olive oil spray
• Lettuce - 4 leafs, or to preferred amount
  
• Tomato- 2, thinly sliced
  
• Red Onions - 1/2 sml, thinly sliced
• 
  
• For the chicken:
  
• Chicken breast - 4, skinless & boneless
• Plain yogurt - 1 cup
• Freshly squeezed lime juice - 1 tbsp
• Shan Tandoori spice mix - 2 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• 
  
• For Dressing:
• Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Lime juice - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Ketchup - 2 tbsp
  

Methods:

• 1. In a bowl, mix in all the ingredients for the marinade, and
  
• marinate the chicken fillets for 2 hours.
• 
  
• 2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Spray some olive oil on the foil and place the chicken fillets side by side. Spray some more olive oil over the chicken.
• 
  
• 3. Place the tray in the broiler and broil/grill the chicken for about 10 min on each side or till cooked through and a little charred.
• 
• 
  
• 4. Take the tray out of the oven, cover with a piece of foil
• and let it rest while you organize the sandwich condiments.
• 
  
• 5. Chop the salad items and set aside.
• 6. In a bowl mix in the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.

• 7. Drizzle some olive oil on the inner side of the bread roll and put them in the broiler for 1-2 min max.
• This is just to crisp up the bread a bit.
• 8. Once the bread is toasted, arrange the sandwiches as such, first spread a generous portion of the dressing on the heel of the bread roll, then place the lettuce, tomato, red onions, and top with a chicken fillet, ending with the crown of the bread roll.
  
• Serve immediately. Bon Appétit!

Cajun Grilled Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken drumsticks - 2 lb (1 kg), you can also use whole cut-up chicken
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Garlic powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger powder/paste - 1 tsp
• Cajun* spice - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
  
• Olive oil - 1/2 cup

Methods:

• 1. In a bowl, mix in the all the ingredients except oil. Marinade the chicken pieces in the yogurt mix for 24 hours, or minimum of 2 hours, refrigerated.
• 2. On the day of cooking, take the chicken out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature.
• 3. Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C). Spray some olive oil on a baking tray. Pour the 1/2 cup of oil over the chicken, coat evenly and lay the pieces flat on the baking tray.
• 4. Roast for 30- 45 min, turning the chicken pieces every 15 min and basting them with the reserved marinade.
  
• 5. Once the chicken is fully cooked, broil/grill the chicken pieces to get a charred crispy look. Serve with a side of green salad.
  

Honey Glazed Chili Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts - 4, boneless and skinless
• Honey - 1 cup
• Apple cider vinegar - 1/2 cup
• Chili powder - 2 -3 tsp (depending on heat preference)
  
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Garlic powder - 1 tsp
• Chili flakes - 1 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Mix all the ingredients in a seal able bowl. Marinate the chicken breasts in the marinade for 24 hours, refrigerated, or minimum of 2 hours.
• 2. On the day of cooking, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before cooking.
• 3. Heat your indoor stove-top grill on high, spray it with some olive oil spray. Add the chicken and spray some more oil on the chicken breasts. Cook for 3-5 min on each side, until cooked through. The trick is to cook it on high heat, over a short period of time. If you like, you can also use the marinade to glaze the chicken breasts while its cooking.
  

• 

• 4. Remove and let it rest on a cutting board for 5-8 min. Slice them diagonally and serve on a bed of veggies or pasta.
  

Hints:
* If you want you can use your out-door BBQ for grilling the chickens.
**If you do not have a stove-top indoor grill, you can also use the broiler and just broil the chicken breasts.

Spicy Chicken Korma

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole(1.5 kg), cut into small pieces
• Potatoes - 2, skinned & quartered
• Onions - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Green Chillies - 3-5 (depending on heat preference)
• Full cream milk - 2-3 cups
• Ghee/ clarified butter - 1/2 cup
• Cumin powder - 2/3 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
• Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
  
• Whole black pepper corns - 1 tsp
• Whole Cardamon - 5-6 pcs
  
• Whole cloves - 5-6 pcs
• Dried bay leaf - 2 med pcs
• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch pc

Methods:

• 1. In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Let it marinate for half hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pot, heat some ghee/butter, brown the chicken pieces in batches to avoid it being stewed in its own juices. Remove, set aside.

• 3. Add 3 tbsp of oil to the pan and heat. Add the bayleaf, cardamons, cloves, cinnamon and whole pepper corns. Saute till they pop.
• 4. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp of salt. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 1-2 min till the aroma fills up your kitchen.
• 5. Add half cup of water to the onions and add the cumin, coriander and nutmeg powder. Saute till the water evaporates a bit. Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to med, and simmer for 15 min, stirring occasionally to avoid any burns at the bottom. Do not add any water, the chicken will cook it its own juices.
  
• 6. Meanwhile, beat the milk with the sugar, set aside. After the 15 min mark, add the milk to the chicken. Lower the heat to low-med. Add the green chilies, cover and simmer for about 25-30 min, stirring occasionally to avoid any lumping at the bottom of the pot. If the gravy seems to thicken too quickly then add 1/2 cup of hot water to the gravy.
  
• 7. While the chicken is simmering, prepare the potatoes. In a microwavable bowl, place the quartered potatoes, with half cup of water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cover and microwave for 3-4 min, or until the potatoes are half cooked. Drain.
• 8. In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tbsp of butter, and add the potatoes and 1 tsp of sugar. Fry them till they are cooked through and crispy on the outside. Remove and set aside.
• 9. Check the chicken to see whether the gravy has thickened or not, to your desired level. I like it quite thick. Do not stir the curry vigorously as that will break the chicken pieces. Add the potatoes to the pot. Stir to combine. Turn the heat off.
• 10. Serve the chicken korma with plain white or flavoured rice.
  

Cream of Chicken Macaroni Soup

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Macaroni - 2 cups (raw)
• Cream of chicken condensed soup - 2 cans
• Chicken breast fillet - 1, boneless, cubed
• Sweet peas - 1 cup
• Carrot - 1 cup, chopped
• Onion - 1 med, chopped
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste (the canned soup will be salty)
  
• Garlic powder - 1 tsp
• Jalapeno - 1 , chopped
• Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup (optional)
• Curly parsley - 1/2 cup, chopped (optional)
  

Methods:

• 1. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain and set aside.
  
• 2. Chop and prepare the veggies, set aside.
• 3. In a large non-stick pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add the chopped up chicken cubes, onion, garlic powder, black pepper and a pinch of salt. Saute on high heat for 3-5 min.
• 4. Add the chopped up veggies. Saute on high heat for 2-3 min till the veggies have softened a bit.

• 5. Lower the heat to medium. Add the 2 cans of the condensed soup with 3 cups of hot water. Stir to combine. Simmer on medium heat for 8 - 10 min, uncovered, until the soup thickens a bit. Remember to stir in occasionally to avoid any lumps at the bottom.
  
• 6. Stir in the cooked macaroni. Stir to combine. Check for seasoning, if required add some more black pepper and salt. Check the soup for your desired consistency off thickness. I like it quite thick rather than runny. Stir in the parsley and turn the heat off and let it rest for 10 min before serving
• 7. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
  

Chicken Chowmein Salad

Servings : 4

Ingredients:

• Chowmein Noddles - 4 cups
• Chicken breast fillet - 2, cut into cubes
• Vine tomatoes - 2, cubed
• Onion - 1 med, chopped
• Jalapeno - 2, sliced
• Olive oil - for cooking
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Chicken Bouillon powder - 2 tbsp
• 
  
• Dressing:
• Ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Vinegar - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - to taste
  

Methods:

• 1. Cut the chicken in cubes, in a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the chicken bouillon powder and black pepper. Let it marinade for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a pan heat 2 tbsp of olive till smoking hot. Add the chicken pieces and saute on high heat till they are cooked through and brown and crispy on the edges. Remove and set aside.
• 3. Add 2 more tbsp of oil to the pan. Heat. Add the onions and salt. Saute till they are translucent. Add the the tomatoes and jalapeno. Saute for 1 -2 min, till the jalapeno has softened a little.
• 4. Return the chicken cubes to the pan. Stir to combine.
• 5. In a bowl mix in the ketchup, vinegar and black pepper. Pour this over the chicken. toss to combine. Turn the heat off.
  
• 6. Add the crispy chowmein noodles. Toss every thing together. Serve immediately, otherwise the noddles will get soggy.
  

Chips Crusted Chicken Cutlet

Servings : 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast Fillet - 2 large, (2 lb), boneless and skinless
  
• Crinkled Potato Chips - 2 cups, crushed roughly
• Milk- 1/2 cup
• Plain flour - 1 cup
• Garlic Salt - 1 tsp
  
• Pepper - to taste (but be generous as it tastes pretty good)
  
• Oil- for frying

Methods:

• 1. Slice each chicken fillet in half lengthwise, to make two flatter disks.
• 2. Place a plastic wrap on the cutting board, place the fillets on the wrap and with a meat tenderizer, flatten the chicken fillets into 1/2 cm thick fillets. If you do not have a meat tenderizer you can use a rolling pin to flatten the meat. Be very careful when flattening, as the flesh is very delicate and will rip or smash up if you do not do it gently.
  
• 3. Sprinkle some garlic salt (1/2 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper on the fillets. Bear in mind that the potato chips will also be salty. So, the seasoning should be done a little less than you would normally.
  
• 4. Sprinkle the flour on the fillets to coat.

• 5. Crush the potato chips and place them in a flat plate or on another cutting board.
• 6. Put the milk in another plate, sprinkle some more black pepper and garlic salt (1/2 tsp) in the milk, carefully dip each chicken fillet in the milk and then dredge them in the crushed chips to create a crunchy coating.

• 7. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and immediately fry the fillets till they turn crispy and gold brown, over medium heat, about 3-4 min on each side.
• 8. Serve it with a side of roasted vegetables or potato fries or with green salad or even in a sandwich like I did.

Tandoori Chicken

Servings: 2 (1 whole chicken per person)

Ingredients:

• Cornish hens - 2, (about 300-350 gms each) whole & skin-on, cavities cleaned
• Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
• Lime juice - 1 tbsp
• Jarred Capers - 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 2 tsp, freshly made
• Ginger paste - 1.5 tsp, freshly made
• Chili powder - 1.5 tsp (I like it hot)
  
• Shan Tandoori Spice mix - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 1/2 cup, melted
  

Methods:

• 1. Clean the chickens thoroughly. Wipe up any moisture with a paper towel. Set aside
• 2. In sealable bowl, mix in all the ingredients (except the butter) for the marinade. Rub the marinade thoroughly all over the chickens. Make sure to stuff some of the marinade inside the cavities and underneath the skin.
• 3. Marinate for 2 days, sealed and refrigerated or minimum of 2 hours. However, the longer you marinade the tastier it gets.
  

• 4. On the day of cooking, take the chickens out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before roasting.
  
• 5. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Tie the legs of the chickens or set it in with a roasting skewer, so that they will not open up while cooking.
  
• 6. Wrap a roasting tray with some aluminum foil. Place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Clean the top rack and spray some oil on it to avoid sticking.
• 7. Melt the stick of butter and mix it in with chicken marinade. Place the chickens, leg side up, directly on to the top rack. Bake for 1.5-2 hours, basting it with the buttered marinade every 15 min. When you baste it, turn the chickens as well so that it will cook and get charred up all over evenly.
• 8. The tray on the bottom rack will be collecting all the dripped off juice from the chicken. If you like, you can place some potatoes, onions etc, on the tray before you place it on the bottom rack, under the chickens. The vegetables will be cooked in the marinade dripping from the chickens and taste absolutely fabulous.
  

• 
• 9. To check that the chicken has been cooked all the way through, place a knife on the thickest part of the chicken, if the juice runs clear, you chicken is cook.
  
• 10. Once cooked, let it rest for 10 min before serving. Serve with any side you like. I serve the Tandoori chickens with freshly baked rolls and potatoes baked in the dripping juice of the chickens. Bon Appétit!

Chicken with Tindora

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole (3-4 lb/2 kg), cut into small pieces
  
• Tindora - 1-1.5 lb (500-700 gms)
  
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Tomato - 2, sliced
• Green chili - 3-4, thinly sliced (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Whole cardamon - 4-5 pc
• Cloves - 4-5 pcs
• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch pc
• Bay leaf - 1 lrg or 2 med
  
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Methods:

• 1. Wash and drain the chicken pieces. Set aside. Cut the tops and tails of the tindora and with a knife make some shallow cuts along the skin of the tindora for the flavour to enter. Set aside.
  
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of oil. Add the cardamon, cinnamon, cloves and the bay leaf. Saute till they pop.
• 3. Add the onions and salt. Saute till translucent. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute till fragrant, about 2-3 min.
• 4. Add the chicken and all the dry spices to the pan. Stir to combine. Saute on med-high heat for about 10 min, stirring continuously.
• 5. Add the tindora. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer on med heat for 5- 10 min till the juices from the chicken are released.
  

• 
• 6. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of hot water, reduce the heat to low-med and simmer for 35-45 min.
• 7. Make sure to stir in occasionally to avoid any burns at the bottom of the pot. If required, add 1/2 cup of water every time you stir.
• 8. After the 30 min mark, check the stew to see whether the chicken and tindora has been cooked through. If not, add half cup more water and stir to combine. Add the green chilies. Simmer for 10-15 more min.
  
• 9. Once cooked, serve with plain or flavoured rice.

Chili Chicken with Green Beans

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole (3-4 lb/2 kg), cut into small pieces
  
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Tomato - 2, sliced
• Green beans - 1 lb (450), cut into 2 inch long pieces
  
• Green chili - 3-4, thinly sliced (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Whole cardamon - 4-5 pc
• Cloves - 4-5 pcs
• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch pc
• Paprika powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Lemon Pepper - 1/2 tsp
  
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
  

Methods:

• 1. Wash and drain the chicken pieces. In a bowl, mix in the dry powdered spices and coat the chicken pieces evenly with the spice rub. Set aside.
  
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of oil. Add the cardamon, cinnamon, cloves. Saute till they pop.
• 3. Add the onions and salt. Saute till translucent. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute till fragrant, about 2-3 min.
• 4. Add the chicken to the pan. Stir to combine. Simmer on med heat for 5- 10 min till the juices from the chicken are released. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of hot water, reduce the heat to low-med and simmer for 30-35 min.
  
• 5. Make sure to stir in occasionally to avoid any burns at the bottom of the pot. If required, add 1/2 cup of water every time you stir.
• 6. Meanwhile, cut off the tail and tips of the beans and chop them into 2 inch long pieces. In a microwavable bowl, steam the beans with a pinch of salt and a bit of water to add moisture, in the microwave, for about 4-5 min. Set aside.
  
• 7. After the 30 min mark, check the stew to see whether the chicken has been cooked through. If not, add half cup more water and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 more min.
  
• 8. If the chicken seems to be cooked through, then add the green beans and the chilies. Stir to combine and simmer for 5-10 more min till the beans have softened up a little. They should still be quite green and crunchy.
  
• 9. Once cooked, serve with plain or flavoured rice or pita bread.