Chimichurri Chicken with Mexican Brown Rice

I’m on a serious health kick at the moment! I’m delving into the unknown world of lentils and chickpeas and beans! I must say I have really enjoyed feeling good and eating clean and knowing that my body is thanking me for what I am putting in and not groaning in desperation with all the work that I usually make it do!

I have been pleasantly surprised by the really great recipes out there with healthy ingredients. Previously when I wanted to eat healthy I would end up dying of boredom just a few weeks in and revert to tastier (unhealthier) options. But I am happy to say that I will be trying some really healthy (interesting) recipes that are full of wonderful flavours and popping them onto the blog for your enjoyment too!

I made this last night and was delighted with how it turned out. If you are watching your fat intake then go easier on the chimichurri on your serving, but otherwise it is packed with gorgeous flavours and so so good for you!

The mexican rice is so fresh and tastes really authentic! If you are a coriander fan, I would throw some in the mix here too as I think it will add a lovely punch. although it actually doesn’t need it!

Just a tip if you are not used to cooking brown rice. The brown basmati is divine and it takes an extra 10 minutes to cook. So bear that in mind.

ENJOY!

For the Chimichurri:

2 packets (60g) Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

½ Packet (15g) oreganum

4 garlic cloves

3 Tbsp (45 mls) white balsamic vinegar

1 – 2 tsp (5 – 10mls) dried chilli flakes

½ cup (125ml) olive oil

Salt and milled pepper

 

4 fresh chicken skinless filleted breasts, flattened

1 cup (25oml) brown basmati rice, cooked

1 tsp (5ml) cumin seeds

2 spring onions, finely chopped

½ small can (17-g) corn kernels drained and rinsed

1 packet (350g) mixed cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can (400g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

 

• Blitz chimichurri ingredients together until smooth. Reserve half and pour remaining mixture over chicken breasts. Refrigerate, covered for 30 minutes.
• Toss the rice with the cumin, spring onions, corn, tomatoes, kidney beans and seasoning.
• Heat a griddle pan, drain excess marinade from chicken and cook for about 7 minutes on each side or until charred and cooked through.
• Serve chicken with rice, reserved chimichurri and lime wedges.

 

Serves 4

Recipe and Photo from the Fresh Living Magazine

Gordon Ramsay’s Fragrant Fried Rice

This is a super fast and easy way of doing fried rice. Goes so well with any kind of stir fry or dish with an asian twist.

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

1 red chilli, finely chopped (keep seeds for extra heat, leave seeds out if you want a milder kick)

1 x 3 cm piece of fresh root ginger, chopped finely

4 or 5 spring onions, sliced

1 x broccoli head, trimmed so you just have the flowers

+- 2 cups sliced spring greens (can be substituted with chinese cabbage, normal cabbage or baby spinach)

2 eggs, whisked

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups cooked thai rice (jasmine or basmati works well)

A dash of fish sauce

–   In a pan, heat the oil and fry the garlic, ginger, chilli for a minute.

–   Add the broccoli flowers and the other greens

–   Add a touch of water to steam the veggies (about 3 – 4 tbsps)

–   Add the cooked rice.

–   Make a well in the middle and add the eggs and the spring onions and a dash of fish sauce. Allow the egg mixture to scamble in the well and once cooked, incorporate it into the rice and veggies.

–   Season and serve with sliced lime and spring onions.

Beautiful Butternut Risotto

I’ve tested out a few risotto recipes and they are all very similar. This recipe is my own mixture of butternut risotto recipes that I have taken the best of and put into one. Its great as a dish on it’s own if you don’t feel like anything meaty 🙂 Or you can add grilled chicken strips on top of it and present it beautifully and have fun with it.  The only thing with risotto is that you need to eat it immediately. It’s not great the next day or even if it sits for too long.

400g Arborio rice

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp butter

2 carrots peeled and finely diced

1 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 celery stalk – finely diced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (no stalks)

500 mls  (2 cups) Sherry

650 g Roasted butternut (pureed with about 45 mls hot water)

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximately 1.1 litres chicken (or vegetable stock)

100 mls cream

100 g freshly grated parmesan cheese

1.    Start off by roasting your butternut first. Peel the butternut and chop into small chunks. Bake on baking paper on a baking sheet with some olive oil, salt, pepper and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Roast in the oven for about 30 mins at 190 C or until golden brown and turning slightly dark on the edges. Once its done, put it in a food processor with about 45mls hot water and blitz until pureed. Set aside.

2.    Heat olive oil and add the butter. Stir in the carrot, onion, garlic and celery and sauté for a few minutes until onions start to turn translucent.

3.    Add the rice and stir around with the onion mixture for 2- 3 minutes.

4.    Pour in the sherry and cook for about 3 minutes.

5.    Add the pumpkin puree and thyme leaves.

6.    Keep the chicken stock in a pot on the stove plate next to the one that your rice mixture is in and keep it on a very slow simmer throughout the whole process. Add a ladle of stock and stir until cooked in.

7.    Keep adding a ladle of stock and stir in until cooked and well absorbed. This should take about 25 mins until cooked. The rice should be almost cooked. Be careful not to over cook as the rice will go sludgy and soft.

8.    Turn off heat

9.    Add the cream and parmesan. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Cover with a lid and stand for a few minutes.

10. Serve immediately with some extra freshly grated parmesan and a few little bits of parsley for garnish.

Sweet Chilli and Ginger Grilled Chicken with Egg Fried Rice

This is a BIG favourite in my home! Its a seriously quick throw together meal. Very tasty and you can make it look so pretty and have a little Asian theme 🙂

• 2 -3 cloves of garlic 
• 1 2cm piece of ginger
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 4 – 6 Chicken thighs – skin on
• +- 4 Tbsp sweet chili Sauce (Wellingtons)
• Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

– Heat oven to 180 C

– In a food processor, blitz together the garlic, ginger, olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste.

– Slice through the chicken pieces with a sharp knife, scoring the skin and flesh slightly

– Rub the garlic and ginger paste into the chicken thighs

– Place the chicken pieces on a baking tray and pour the sweet chili sauce over, making sure each piece is covered

– Cook in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and nice and crispy on the top

– while the chicken is cooking, make the egg fried rice

Egg Fried Rice 

• 1 egg
  
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 C  cooked rice (cooled)
• 100g  frozen peas, defrosted (rinse under warm water to do this quickly)
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 100g beansprouts (optional)
• 1-2 tsp  soy sauce
• ground white pepper- Beat together the egg and sesame oil and put to one side.- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan. When it’s shimmering and almost smoking, add the rice and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes until completely heated through.- Add the peas, spring onions and beansprouts, if using. Stir-fry, turning the rice constantly around the pan, for about 3 minutes. Season well with soy sauce and pepper, then push to one side of the pan. Pour the beaten egg mixture into the other side and leave for about 10 seconds so it begins to set.-  Using a chopstick, briskly swirl around the egg to break it up and then toss around with the rice. Stir-fry for a further minute and serve straight away.

  – Seve the Chicken pieces next to the rice and garnish with some coriander leaves