Category: Chicken

prego chicken rolls

Prego chicken rolls

Portuguese prego rolls are hugely popular in South Africa and actually originate from Mozambique where there is a very strong Portuguese influence.

This marinade is so versatile and can be used with steak, chicken or seafood. It really packs a flavour punch so it is a must have in my opinion.

Let’s get cooking…

Blitz together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Butterfly 2 chicken breast fillets, place into a bowl and top with half the prego sauce. Allow to marinate for minimum 1 hour or overnight.

Grill the chicken in a grill pan for 5 minutes per side, until lovely and charred. Baste the chicken after turning. Heat the remaining sauce and use to dress the rolls. Grill thick slices of red onion alongside the chicken.

To assemble, spread the brioche rolls with the prego sauce, lay down some of the charred onions and then the chicken fillet.

Prego chicken rolls
Pin
Print

Prego chicken rolls

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • Prego sauce

  • 4 tblsp peri-peri sauce

  • ½ cup tomato puree

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 tsp harissa

  • 3 tblsp lemon juice

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 4 tblsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp oregano

  • 1 tsp parsley

  • Rolls

  • 2 Chicken fillets

  • 6 brioche rolls

Directions

  • Blitz together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
  • Butterfly 2 chicken breast fillets, place into a bowl and top with half the prego sauce
  • Allow to marinate for minimum 1 hour or overnight
  • Grill the chicken in a grill pan for 5 minutes per side, until lovely and charred
  • Baste the chicken after turning
  • Heat the remaining sauce and use to dress the rolls
  • Grill thick slices of red onion alongside the chicken
  • To assemble, spread the brioche rolls with the prego sauce, lay down some of the charred onions and then the chicken fillet

Simplebutsplendid
Turkey bulgogi

Turkey Bulgogi

I love trying different cuisines. My recent favourite has been anything Korean. The first recipe that I have decided to recreate is bulgogi. Although it is traditionally made with thin strips of beef, I have made it with ground turkey and the flavour was fantastic!

Let’s get cooking…

Marinade the meat in the above ingredients then allow to rest for 4-8 hours

When ready to cook, heat vegetable oil in a pan and add the marinated meat. Allow to sear and brown on medium-high heat, stirring frequently to allow the meat to colour but not burn.

Then add vegetables depending on how you want to serve it.

I served the bulgogi in wraps so I add julienned peppers and sliced onions. Accompaniments have to be fresh and crunchy, I used julienned carrots, cucumber and fresh tomatoes.

Bulgogi
Pin
Print

Bulgogi

Servings

2

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g minced turkey

  • ½ small apple, grated

  • 4 tblsp soy sauce

  • 1 tblsp sugar

  • 2 tblsp sesame oil

  • 1 tblsp ginger and garlic

  • 1 tblsp gochujang paste

Directions

  • Marinade the meat in the above ingredients then allow to rest for 4-8 hours
  • When ready to cook, heat vegetable oil in a pan and add the marinated meat. Allow to cook and brown on medium-high heat, about 10 minutes.
  • Then add vegetables depending on how you want to serve it
  • I served the bulgogi in wraps so I add julienned peppers and sliced onions

Simplebutsplendid
sizzling turkey bolognese lasagna

Sizzling turkey bolognese lasagna

My absolute favourite Italian food has got to be lasagna! A tour through Italy was my first ever independent holiday (no parents) and my greatest memories are the 2 weeks I spent sampling lasagna from every region of Italy. Don’t get me wrong, the sights and scenery were breathtaking but I had loved lasagna even before I went to Italy and so getting the opportunity to taste the different types that I got try whilst there blew my mind!

My favourite has got to be then sizzling little bowl of goodness that I devoured on the rainiest day in Venice. Our tour guide had taken us into the tiniest family trattoria on a little side street after we were all nearly submerged during our gondola ride, the mismatched tables and aromas wafting from the kitchen were nothing short of inviting but the food that arrived left me speechless.

I will never be able to recreate the flavour that the nonna’s achieve in those lasagnas but I do still try to create my own every once in while.

You will remember that I’m fond of having batches of meat sauce in my freezer. Defrosting one of those bad boys makes preparing and cooking this lasagna possible in under 60 minutes!

Let’s get cooking…

Start by preparing your béchamel sauce and placing 2 tablespoons of béchamel into the baking dish then a layer of lasagna sheets (only 2 ½ sheets needed per layer).

Spoon on half of the meat sauce, cover with a third of the béchamel. Repeat the layer then add a final layer of lasagna sheets, top with the last third of béchamel and parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes at 180C. You need to hear the sizzle!

Sizzling turkey bolognese lasagna
Pin
Print

Sizzling turkey bolognese lasagna

Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

Directions

  • Put 2 tablespoons of béchamel into the baking dish then a layer of lasagna sheets (only 2 ½ sheets needed per layer)
  • Spoon on half of the meat sauce, cover with a third of the béchamel
  • Repeat the layer then add a final layer of lasagna sheets, top with the last third of béchamel and parmesan and mozzarella cheese
  • Bake for 40 minutes at 180C. You need to hear the sizzle!

Simplebutsplendid
vietnamese summer crunch rolls

Vietnamese crunch rolls

When I am craving something light but delicious for lunch my go to is these Vietnamese crunch rolls. Rice paper rolls filled with fresh, crunchy veg and served with the most delicious spicy sauce. There is nothing not to love in this recipe.

These rolls are so versatile and can be served as a light lunch or appetizers and can be made totally vegetarian or filled with either chicken or prawns for the non-veg option!

Let’s get cooking…

Prepare your vegetables by cutting them into very fine strips. Have all the ingredients for the rolls laid out because once you start you need to move quite quickly.

Once your assembly line is ready, start by soaking your first sheet of rice paper in cool water. This will soften very quickly, about 20-30 seconds. Remove and lay flat, put a little bit of all your veg and chicken into the centre, leaving enough space around the edges to easily fold the rice paper.

Then fold the bottom piece over the vegetables first, tuck in the side and continue to roll into a cigar.

Lay on your serving platter and repeat.

When you’re done rolling, mix together the ingredients for the sauce.

Begin dipping and enjoying!

Vietnamese crunch rolls
Pin
Print

Vietnamese crunch rolls

Servings

2

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking timeminutes

Ingredients

  • Sauce

  • Water

  • Sugar

  • Fish sauce

  • Garlic

  • Chilli

  • Vinegar

  • Rice paper rolls

  • Rice vermicelli noodles

  • Carrots, julienned

  • Cucumber, julienned

  • Red bell pepper, julienned

  • Chicken, precooked and shredded

Directions

  • Prepare your vegetables by cutting them into very fine strips. Have all the ingredients for the rolls laid out because once you start you need to move quite quickly.
  • Once your assembly line is ready, start by soaking your first sheet of rice paper in cool water. This will soften very quickly, about 20-30 seconds. Remove and lay flat, put a little bit of all your veg and chicken into the centre, leaving enough space around the edges to easily fold the rice paper.
  • Then fold the bottom piece over the vegetables first, tuck in the side and continue to roll into a cigar.
  • Lay on your serving platter and repeat.
  • When you’re done rolling, mix together the ingredients for the sauce.

Simplebutsplendid
light coconut butter chicken

Lighter coconut butter chicken

Butter chicken is perhaps one of the most commonly known and widely enjoyed Indian dish of all times. And there’s a very good reason why, it is amazingly delicious!

I would be totally failing you if I didn’t include a recipe for this world famous dish on my Indian inspired food blog, hahaha.

I have taken a traditional recipe and tweaked it a little so that it is a bit more waist friendly, but I must highlight that there is basically no difference in taste from the heavier version. The sauce is still thick and lush without being overly rich.

Let’s get cooking…

Marinate your chicken and set aside, this can be done up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Start by making the makahani sauce. This is great for batch prepping and freezes really well.

Begin by frying the onions in oil until translucent. Add spices and ginger and garlic and allow it to roast in the oil until fragrant. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 minute. Next pour in the pureed tomatoes and salt, simmer until the liquid has evaporated. Lastly add honey and coconut milk

Allow to simmer until it thickens about 15-20 minutes.

If you are cooking the sauce and on the same day then prepare your chicken while the sauce is cooking.

In a non-stick frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and sear the chicken, 3-4 minutes per side. When the sauce has about 5 minutes to go pour the chicken and any pan juices into the sauce and stir. Allow to cook together for the last 5 minutes then turn off the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with Indian flatbreads, naan or roti’s would do.

Swaps, this is a very versatile sauce and paneer or haloumi can easily be swapped for chicken to make this vegetarian.

You can also use the sauce with frozen meatballs for a quick reheated freezer meal.

Lighter coconut butter chicken
Pin
Print

Lighter coconut butter chicken

Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g tomatoes (3-4 medium sized), pureed

  • 1 large onion, diced

  • 1 tblsp tomato paste

  • ½ tsp cumin

  • ½ tsp coriander

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • 1 tsp honey

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp curry powder

  • ½ tsp Kashmiri masala

  • 1/ can coconut milk

  • Oil

  • Chicken

  • 500g chicken thigh fillets, cubed

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp garam masala

  • 1/4 tsp turmeric

  • 1 tsp lemon juice

  • 1 tblsp butter

  • 1 tblsp vegetable oil

Directions

  • Marinate your chicken and set aside, this can be done up to 24 hours ahead of time.
  • Begin by frying the onions in oil until translucent. Add spices and ginger and garlic and allow it to roast in the oil until fragrant. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 minute. Next pour in the pureed tomatoes and salt, simmer until the liquid has evaporated. Lastly add honey and coconut milk
  • Allow to simmer until it thickens about 15-20 minutes.
  • If you are cooking the sauce and on the same day then prepare your chicken while the sauce is cooking.
  • In a non-stick frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and sear the chicken, 3-4 minutes per side.
  • When the sauce has about 5 minutes to go pour the chicken and any pan juices into the sauce and stir. Allow to cook together for the last 5 minutes then turn off the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with Indian flatbreads, naan or roti’s would do.

Simplebutsplendid
Fusilli with meat sauce

Deliciously rich and saucy meat sauce

A great meat sauce (I won’t use the name Bolognese because this recipe deviates a little from the traditional version) is one that has different levels of flavour and is so moreish that you just can’t help but love it!

For me it is one of those essential recipes that I think every person should know how to cook. It’s great for batch cooking and freezing to always having on hand when you need to put something together in a pinch, also great to feed crowds of people and is sure to impress.

I have mixed it into pasta’s, layered into lasagna’s, spooned into squash boats or over jacket potatoes. The possibilities are endless!

Let’s get cooking…

Start by frying the mince in olive oil until it starts to brown, break it up with a spoon as it cooks, you want the mince to be quite crumbly.

Once minced has browned nicely, add in the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes until veggies begin to soften, stir often to avoid burning.

After 10 minutes add ginger and garlic, tomato paste fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add in the herbs, chili flakes and wine and allow the wine to bubble up for 5 minutes.

Finally add in the tomatoes, Worcestershire, water, salt and pepper to taste and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes (even up to 90 minutes if you have the time) until sauce is a glossy dark red colour and all the flavours are well incorporated.

This recipe makes quite a large batch so it can be used 3-4 times.

Swaps…

For a vegan version, swap the turkey mince for steamed lentils, crumbled tofu or crumbled tempeh!

Deliciously rich and saucy meat sauce
Pin
Print

Deliciously rich and saucy meat sauce

Servings

12-16

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • • 500g minced meat, I used turkey thigh meat

  • • 1 onion, diced

  • • 3 ribs of celery, diced

  • • 3 small carrots, diced

  • • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • • 1 tblsp tomato paste

  • • 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce

  • • 1 tsp dried basil

  • • 1 tsp dried parsley

  • • 1 tsp chilli flakes

  • • 2 tins of whole peeled plum tomatoes

  • • 1 tin of water, just use the tomato tin as a measuring cup

  • • 1 cup red wine

  • • Salt

  • • Pepper

  • • Olive oil

Directions

  • Fry mince in olive oil until it starts to brown, break it up with a spoon as it cooks, you want the mince to be quite crumbly
  • Once minced has browned nicely, add in the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes until veggies begin to soften, stir often to avoid burning.
  • After 10 minutes add ginger and garlic, tomato paste fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add in the herbs, chili flakes and wine and allow the wine to bubble up for 5 minutes.
  • Finally add in the tomatoes, Worcestershire, water, salt and pepper to taste and reduce the heat to low.
  • Simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes (even up to 90 minutes if you have the time) until sauce is a glossy dark red colour and all the flavours are well incorporated

Simplebutsplendid2 Comments
peri-peri-chicken-pot-pie

Peri-peri chicken pot pie

During the cooler winter months I find comfort in the classics. One of those that I have spiced up a little is a chicken pot pie. I have transformed this classic by using a little peri-peri spice and some Portuguese chilli sauce.

It honestly just feels like a warm hug on a cold day!

Let’s get cooking…

Start by browning the chicken in oil, once nicely browned add in the ginger and garlic paste, peri-peri seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir for a minute and once fragrant add in all the vegetables.

Allow the veg to cook and colour slightly. Once it begins to soften sprinkle over the flour and allow it cook out for 2-3 minutes. Add in the stock, milk, lemon juice, chilli sauce and water and bring to a boil.

 The sauce should begin to thicken, turn down to a simmer until sauce starts to coat the back of a wooden spoon. At this point turn off the heat and add in the cream. Place pie filling into an oven proof dish, measure out and the puff pastry to fit on top of the dish and gently place it on the filling. Brush with milk, cut 3 vents in the middle of the pastry lid and bake at 180 for 35-40 minutes until golden.

Serve with a crisp salad.

Peri-peri chicken pot pie
Print

Peri-peri chicken pot pie

Recipe by SimplebutsplendidCourse: Recipe
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken thigh, diced

  • 2 carrots, diced

  • ½ onion, diced

  • 1 bell pepper, diced

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • 2 tblsp Portuguese chilli sauce

  • ½ lemon, juiced

  • 1 tsp peri-peri seasoning

  • 150 ml single cream

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 stock cube

  • 2 tblsp flour

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Oil

  • Puff pastry, I used readymade

Directions

  • Brown chicken in oil, once nicely browned add in the ginger and garlic paste, peri-peri seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir for a minute and once fragrant add in all the vegetables.
  • Allow the veg to cook and colour slightly. Once it begins to soften sprinkle over the flour and allow it cook out for 2-3 minutes
  • Add in the stock, milk, lemon juice, chilli sauce and water and bring to a boil.
  • The sauce should begin to thicken, turn down to a simmer until sauce starts to coat the back of a wooden spoon. At this point turn off the heat and add in the cream
  • Place pie filling into an oven proof dish, measure out and the puff pastry to fit on top of the dish and gently place it on the filling
  • Brush with milk, cut 3 vents in the middle of the pastry lid and bake at 180 for 35-40 minutes until golden
  • Serve with a crisp salad

Simplebutsplendid
harissa roasted turkey legs

Harissa roasted turkey legs

Thanksgiving is around the corner and this year it will definietly look very different for most people. Smaller family gatherings or even just couples should not be deprived of a glorious roast turkey just because of COVID! This virus has taken enough from us already.

As a solution I have tried (… and enjoyed) roasting turkey joints rather than the whole bird. It still puts me in the festive mood but with a lot less stress and time in the kitchen. These harissa roasted turkey legs are meaty and substantial with so much still available as left overs.

Let’s get cooking…

Mix together all of the ingredients (except the wine) and marinate the turkey legs, pushing some of the marinade under the skin of the turkey. Marinate in the fridge for minimum 2 hours or overnight if you can.

When you’re ready to cook, cut up the other half of the zested lemon and lay in the pan, place the turkey on top of this and pour the wine around the turkey. Roast at 180C for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the legs are golden and a thermometer reads 88C.

Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving. While the meat is resting, drain off the juices in the bottom of the pan and simmer until thickened.

Harissa roasted turkey legs
Pin
Print

Harissa roasted turkey legs

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp harissa

  • 2 tsp peri-peri spice

  • 1 tsp dried rosemary

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • Juice ½ lemon

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • 2 tblsp olive oil

  • 2 turkey drumsticks

  • 1 cup of good white wine

Directions

  • Mix together all of the ingredients (except the wine) and marinate the turkey legs, pushing some of the marinade under the skin of the turkey
  • Marinate for minimum 2 hours or overnight if you can
  • When you’re ready to cook, cut up the other half of the zested lemon and lay in the pan, place the turkey on top of this and pour the wine around the turkey. Roast at 180C for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the legs are golden and a thermometer reads 88C.
  • Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving
  • While the meat is resting, drain off the juices in the bottom of the pan and simmer until thickened.

Simplebutsplendid

Homestyle chicken curry

Homestyle chicken curry
Homestyle chicken curry

If there is one thing that can take me back to my childhood, cheer me up on a bad day, or just randomly make me appreciate life, it is a home cooked chicken curry! It is undeniably one of the most simple but satisfying meals that you will eat but so utterly delicious.

Now of course this is a traditional South African style chicken curry originating from my hometown Durban so it may be a little different to what you’re used to but go with me here and try it first.

Let’s get cooking

Fry onion and whole spices in oil until soft. Add in turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder and fry for a few seconds then add ginger and garlic paste and fry until fragrant. Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, the oil should look like it bubbling to the top and the tomatoes and onions should form a paste.

Add in chicken, salt and ground spices and stir thoroughly. Allow to sauté for 5-10 minutes then add in ½ cup water and potatoes.

Simmer on low-medium heat until potatoes are cooked through. Stir regularly and add water as needed to allow potatoes to cook.

Garnish with coriander and serve with soft, buttery roti’s

Homestyle chicken curry

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

  • ½ onion, finely sliced

  • 1 small tomato, pureed

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic past, or you can crush ginger and garlic separately

  • 3 cinnamon sticks

  • ½ tsp fennel seeds

  • 2 cardamom pods

  • 1 black cardamom pod

  • 1 star anise

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 4 cloves

  • ½ tsp ground cumin

  • ½ tsp ground coriander seed

  • ½ tsp garam masala

  • ¼ tsp turmeric

  • ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

  • 3 tsp curry powder, depends on heat preference

  • 2 potatoes, peeled and halved

  • 2 tbsp oil, coconut or vegetable oil

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 tsp coriander, chopped

Directions

  • Fry onion and whole spices in oil until soft
  • Add in turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder and fry for a few seconds then add ginger and garlic paste and fry until fragrant
  • Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, the oil should look like it bubbling to the top
  • Add in chicken, salt and ground spices and stir thoroughly
  • Allow to saute for 5-10 minutes then add in ½ cup water and potatoes
  • Simmer on low-medium heat until potatoes are cooked through. Stir regularly and add water as needed to allow potatoes to cook
  • Garnish with coriander and serve with soft, buttery roti’s

Simplebutsplendid

Portuguese Nando’s style chicken

Portuguese Nando's style chicken
Portuguese Nando’s style chicken

Growing up in South Africa, the introduction of Nando’s peri-peri chicken was a game changer to the fastfood scene! Spicy and customizable according to your heat preference with non-traditional side dishes, the flavour explosion took over the take-out scene.

Naturally, the next step was to try and recreate this at home using the Nando’s range of peri-peri sauces. These sauces are readily available in grocery stores or on Amazon in many countries across the world. You can of course use a different peri-peri sauce to create this dish but using the Nando’s brand will definitely keep this authentic.

Let’s get cooking…

Marinate the chicken with the spices and lemon juice and allow it to sit for 1 hour. Place the chicken skin side down in a large roasting tray. Roast on 170C for 30 minutes then flip over the pieces and roast for a remaining 30 minutes.

While the chicken is roasting, mix together the cream and Nando’s sauce. Once the second 30 minutes are up, pour the sauce mixture over the chicken pieces and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Remove and serve with coleslaw, spicy potato wedges and garlic bread to mop up the delicious sauce!

Portuguese Nando’s style chicken

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Ingredients

  • 8-10 chicken pieces

  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper or Kashmiri chilli powder

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • 1 tblsp lemon juice

  • 1 tblsp thyme leaves

  • Sauce

  • 100ml fresh cream, single

  • 100ml Nando’s sauce, I use hot but you can use any flavour depending on your heat tolerance

Directions

  • Marinate the chicken with the spices and lemon juice and allow it to sit for 1 hour
  • Place the chicken skin side down in a large roasting tray. Roast on 170C for 30 minutes then flip over the pieces and roast for a remaining 30 minutes.
  • While the chicken is roasting, mix together the cream and Nando’s sauce
  • Once the second 30 minutes are up, pour the sauce mixture over the chicken pieces and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.
  • Remove and serve with coleslaw, spicy potato wedges and garlic bread to mop up the delicious sauce!

Simplebutsplendid