The majority of the recipes in this chapter feature chicken, but you can substitute turkey in most with very little difference in flavour. Turkey has less fat than chicken so is the healthier option.
Always remember the golden rule: if you are turning on your oven, fill it up! So, if you are making a roast or oven dish for a main meal, refer back to the list of oven-cook recipes at the end of this book (pages 257–59) for some quick and easy savouries you can cook at the same time for the week ahead. Some can be prepared in advance and others can be frozen, so double up the recipe and freeze one as a delicious and nutritious, homemade ready meal.
When you cook chicken in a slow cooker, always add hot stock, or warm a sauce before adding it to the raw meat, or cook the chicken quickly in a pan; this will help to bring the food up to cooking temperature quickly, reducing the risk of bacterial growth.
You can’t beat a good, homemade curry. Forget the high-fat, high-salt jars of sauce, this recipe uses your own, homemade paste. Simply store in the fridge in an airtight container, or freeze until needed.
Serves 4
3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
3–4 garlic cloves
1–3 chillies, deseeded, depending on personal taste and strength
1 stalk of lemon grass, peeled
1–2 tbsp olive oil
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp garam masala
6 fresh tomatoes, skinned
1 large onion, chopped
1 pepper, deseeded and sliced
1–2 sweet potatoes, diced
50g red lentils
400g chicken breasts, diced
200ml low-fat coconut milk
3 tbsp 0 per cent fat Greek yoghurt
Zest of 1 lime
Rice to serve
1 In a food processor, place the ginger, garlic, chilli, lemon grass, olive oil, coriander, garam masala and tomatoes, reserving some coriander to add just before serving. Whizz until you form a paste, then leave this to one side to rest. You can do this ahead of time and store the paste in the fridge or freeze until needed.
2 Cut the vegetables and chicken into equal-sized pieces so that they cook evenly. Remove the skin and any visible fat from the chicken.
3 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
4 Place all the ingredients apart from the Greek yoghurt and lime into the slow cooker. If the curry looks too thick, add a little water.
5 Cook on low for 6–8 hours or, for a faster meal, turn to high for 3–4 hours. Twenty to thirty minutes before serving, stir in the Greek yoghurt, the chopped coriander saved from earlier and the lime zest. Serve on a bed of rice.
6 If freezing, cook, then allow to cool thoroughly before freezing in individual family portions.
This is a great standby to use up any leftovers, whether chicken or vegetables, and makes a warming, wholesome meal.
Serves 4–6
1 red onion, finely chopped
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 large potato, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced
400g tin of tomatoes (or 4–6 ripe, fresh tomatoes)
400g chicken pieces (thighs, legs or breasts)
100g lardons (optional)
75g red lentils
700ml chicken stock
2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
2 Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Make sure the stock is hot when you add it, as this will help the casserole to quickly get up to temperature.
3 Turn your slow cooker to low and cook for 6–8 hours, or if you want a faster meal, turn to high for 4–5 hours. Serve with jacket potatoes.
4 Allow to cool thoroughly before freezing in individual family portions.
Add Herb Dumplings (page 103), or create a pie with a simple pastry top. Or make a lovely soup by reusing half of the casserole and liquidizing it.
Healthy Tip
Add red lentils to increase the nutritional value as well as help to thicken the stock. You could also swap the red lentils for a dried-soup mix, if preferred.
This is the perfect dish to make use of those lovely spring vegetables. Spring can be a bit chilly so try this delicious, warming meal.
Serves 4
Spray of olive oil
400g chicken breasts
250g new potatoes, finely sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
Bunch of spring onions, chopped
450ml warm chicken stock
2 tsp paprika
Black pepper
Small handful of fresh tarragon
Small handful of fresh parsley
50g French beans
75g peas
1 Spray a sauté pan with olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until it starts to brown. Add the sliced potatoes, carrot and spring onions and cook for another 5 minutes.
2 Add the stock, seasoning and herbs. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3 Add the French beans and peas and cook for another 15 minutes.
4 Serve with sweet potato mash for a warming supper.
5 Allow to cool completely before freezing in individual or family portions – don’t forget to label and date!
Cooking Tip
Use frozen peas direct from the freezer, if you wish.
Cajun spice for a casserole with some zing!
Serves 4–6
1 onion
2–3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2–3 tsp Cajun spice
1 tsp paprika
1 Red pepper, deseeded and sliced
400g chicken pieces (thigh, legs or breast)
2 sticks of celery, diced
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to your manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
2 Add all the ingredients, making sure the stock is hot when adding as this will keep the temperature high.
3 Turn your slow cooker to low and cook for 6–8 hours, or if you want a faster meal, turn to high for 4–5 hours.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
I love using spices to create new dishes. This dish uses a lot of spices, but allow them to infuse and the taste is amazing. If you don’t like things too hot, you can omit the chilli.
Serves 4
400g–450g chicken breasts, diced (or equivalent quantity of thigh or leg meat)
3–4 tbsp olive oil
2.5cm pieces of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 chilli, deseeded and finely diced Small handful of fresh mint leaves
Small handful of coriander leaves
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and thickly diced
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 carrot, diced
60g green beans
400g tin of chickpeas, drained
300–400ml chicken stock
1 Chop the chicken into chunks and place in a bowl.
2 In a food processor, blitz together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the ginger, spices, chilli, half the chopped fresh herbs and the tomatoes to form a marinade.
3 Pour the marinade over the chicken and cover with clingfilm. Then leave to marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
4 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to your manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
5 Place a little olive oil in your sauté pan set over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and pepper; cook for 3–5 minutes before adding the chicken, holding back most of the marinade until you add the remaining ingredients.
6 Cook for 5 minutes before adding all the other ingredients, including the marinade.
7 Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then add the remaining herbs and transfer to the slow cooker.
8 Cook on low for 4–6 hours. Serve with cous cous.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
This wholesome dish is perfect to fill a gap, especially on a dark winter’s evening. The beans and lentils provide an extra protein boost, helping to bulk out the casserole and keep you feeling full for longer. As it is quite a substantial meal in itself, you don’t need to serve it with anything else.
Serves 4–6
Olive oil spray
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 pepper, deseeded and diced
400g lean, skinless chicken pieces (thigh gives more flavour)
4–5 rashers of lean back bacon, trimmed of all fat
8 new potatoes, halved or quartered
1 large sweet potato, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
900ml chicken stock
75g red lentils
400g tin borlotti beans (or chickpeas)
2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
Black pepper
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 In a sauté pan, add a spritz of oil. Heat through and then add the onion, garlic and pepper. Fry for 5 minutes.
2 Add the chicken and fry until it turns white, turning, before adding the bacon.
3 Add all the remaining ingredients, place on a low heat, cover and simmer for 1¼ hours.
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating
Leftover Tip
Double up this recipe and turn half into a Chicken Hotpot. Simply add some sliced potatoes to the top with a sprinkling of grated cheese. Bake in the oven at 190ºC (gas mark 5) for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Such an easy dish! No messing about with herbs and spices, as you can use a jar. Simply chop and go! The beans, lentils and vegetables add to the nutritional value.
Serves 4–6
3–4 chicken breasts
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 pepper, deseeded
2 sweet potatoes
1 white potato
50g red lentils
400g tin of chickpeas, drained
420–500g jar of curry sauce (I use Balti)
150g spinach
1 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to your manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
2 Remove any visible fat from the chicken and dice evenly. Prepare the pepper and potatoes and dice evenly, too, in pieces roughly the same size as the chicken.
3 Place the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker, then add the lentils and chickpeas.
4 Pour the curry sauce into a small pan, half-fill the jar with water and shake, then add to the sauce and heat gently, before pouring into the slow cooker.
5 If you do have an automatic setting on your slow cooker, pour the curry sauce and water straight in and switch the setting to auto. The cooker will start at a high temperature, then automatically switch to low for the remainder of the cooking time.
6 Cook on auto or low for 8–10 hours.
7 Twenty minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the spinach and start to cook rice to accompany the curry, if you wish. Serve with mango chutney and naan bread.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Cooking Tip
If you don’t have an automatic setting on your slow cooker, it is a good idea to heat up the liquid before you add it, as this will speed up the heating time and minimise any of the potential food poisoning risks associated with slow-cooking poultry.
Leftover Tip
This is a great recipe to use up any cooked chicken left over from a roast. Just add the chicken in the last hour of the cooking time, as it is already cooked.
These are a great favourite with teens. Batch-cook, and they can have a ready supply in the freezer for when they’re starving! Much healthier than processed frozen burgers or fast food outlets. Remember to use your frozen breadcrumbs made from stale bread (page 12).
Serves 4
1 onion, chopped
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 stick of celery, chopped
½ yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
500g chicken or turkey mince
30g pine nuts
1 tbsp home-prepared wholemeal breadcrumbs (page 21)
1 egg, beaten (if needed)
1 Place all the ingredients apart from the egg in a food processor and blend thoroughly.
2 When mixed, form into balls – these should be firm but moist. If the mixture is dry, add some beaten egg.
3 Use the palm of your hand to flatten the balls into burger shapes. You can place these in the fridge until you are ready to use them, or freeze them (see tip box, opposite).
4 When you are ready to cook the burgers, you can grill, oven-cook or fry them, just as you would with shop-bought, processed burgers.
5 Serve in wholemeal baps, with a salad garnish, Homemade Potato Wedges (page 61) and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Place the burgers in a single layer on a baking tray to freeze. Once frozen, you can bag them and they won’t stick together. If you don’t have room to freeze them on a tray, layer between squares of baking parchment to prevent them from freezing into one huge lump. Defrost each burger thoroughly before cooking on a low heat until piping hot.
Healthy Tip
Try turkey mince for an even healthier alternative to chicken.
This is my mum’s recipe. Now we have grown up and flown the nest, Mum and Dad have had to adapt to cooking for two instead of four. This meal is made from the leftovers of the Sunday roast, so they usually tuck into it early in the week.
Serves 4–6
A drizzle or spray of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
75g mushrooms, quartered
200–300g cooked chicken
100g cooked ham (optional)
295g can chicken or mushroom condensed soup
Flour for rolling out
250g ready-made puff pastry
Little milk for glazing
1 Preheat your oven to 200ºC (gas mark 6).
2 Heat the oil and fry the onion in a pan until it starts to soften. Add the celery, mushrooms, cooked chicken and ham (if using). Cook for 3–4 minutes.
3 Stir in the soup and heat for a further 3 minutes. Then pour the mixture in a deep, ovenproof 20cm pie dish.
4 On a floured surface, roll out your pastry larger than required. Wet the edges of the dish with milk or water, then cut thin strips of pastry to place on the edge of the pie dish, all the way round. Dampen these pastry strips with milk to give the top pastry something to hold onto. Cut the top pastry to size and place over the pie. Crimp and seal the edges thoroughly. (If freezing, freeze before baking). Glaze with milk.
5 Bake for 30 minutes, until the pie crust is golden.
6 Serve with new potatoes and salad.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
This quick and easy variation on the traditional French favourite, is a delicious midweek supper dish to share with friends.
Serves 4
500g chicken (thigh gives the best flavour)
12 shallots
3–4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
80g button mushrooms
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp paprika
black pepper
Olive oil
200g smoked lardons
250ml red wine
200ml port
350ml hot chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2–3 sprigs of thyme
1 Cut the chicken into large pieces, then peel and slice the shallots and garlic. Halve or quarter the mushrooms.
2 If your slow cooker needs to be preheated, turn it on 15 minutes before using. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for more information on your specific model temperatures.
3 In a bowl, mix together the flour, paprika and black pepper.
4 Heat a little olive oil in a sauté pan, then toss the chicken pieces in the flour and add them to the pan. Add the lardons and cook a little until the chicken starts to brown. Remove from the heat.
5 Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Make sure the stock is hot, as this will help to keep the temperature high.
6 Turn your slow cooker to auto and cook for 8–10 hours or, if you want a faster meal, turn to high for 5–6 hours.
7 Check the casserole 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
8 Remove the bay leaves before serving with sauté or mashed potatoes and green vegetables.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Cooking Tip
When checking the casserole (see Step 7), if the sauce is too liquid, mix 1–2 tablespoons of cornflour with a little water, pour this into the stock pot and turn the setting to high for the last half an hour.
This family favourite is delicious served with new or mashed potatoes and green vegetables.
Serves 4
A drizzle or spray of olive oil
1–2 garlic cloves
2 leeks, finely chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped
300g chicken pieces
175g mushrooms
200ml white wine
300ml chicken stock
1 tsp cornflour
dessert spoonful of water
1 tsp paprika
100g French beans
1 tsp dried tarragon (or a handful of fresh tarragon)
1 Heat a little olive oil in a casserole pan and fry the garlic, leeks and spring onions for 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken and the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.
2 Add the wine and stock to the casserole.
3 Mix the cornflour with the water in a cup to form a smooth paste and add to the casserole.
4 Add all the remaining ingredients. If you are using fresh tarragon, add half now and retain half to add in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season to taste before popping on the lid.
5 Cook at a low to medium heat for 30–40 minutes.
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Leftover Tip
To make this recipe, you can use chicken from your Sunday roast.
Cooking Tip
If you prefer a creamier sauce, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of crème fraîche 5 minutes before serving.
Extra Recipes
Add Herb Dumplings (page 103), or create a pie with a simple pastry top. Or make a lively soup by reusing half of the casserole and liquidizing it.
If you are short of time, you can always use shop-bought tandoori paste, but this dish is fun to make yourself.
Serves 4
1 onion, finely chopped
2–3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chilli powder (or fresh chillies, deseeded and finely chopped)
3 tsp curry powder
2 tsp turmeric
2–3 tsp paprika
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
1–2 chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
250ml Greek yoghurt
450g large pieces of chicken
1 In a large ovenproof dish, mix the onion, garlic, herbs and spices with the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and yoghurt.
2 Add the chicken pieces and combine thoroughly. For the best flavour, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
3 When you are ready, preheat your oven 180°C (gas mark 4).
4 Place the chicken and the marinade in an ovenproof dish and cook for 20–25 minutes. Serve on a bed of rice.
This is quite a hot dish, so adjust the spices to suit your taste. I normally make several curry dishes, including Lentil Dahl (page 163), and serve them together for a selection of flavours and heat.
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 chilli
2 garlic cloves
3–4 tbsp vindaloo paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes
250ml water or stock
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
500g chicken fillets, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 Place all the ingredients apart from the chicken and onion in the food processor and whizz until a paste forms.
2 Place the chicken in a bowl or freezer bag, pour on the paste and marinate for a few hours. If short of time, you can skip this step.
3 Preheat the slow cooker, following the manufacturer’s instructions
4 Put the chicken, paste and onion in the slow cooker. Combine well and cook on high for 4–5 hours, or low for 6 hours.
8 Serve with rice and Indian chutneys.
Top Tip
Once cooked, allow to cool before freezing in single or family portions. Label and date. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
A really simple dish that takes minutes to prepare. Marinate overnight or for at least one hour before cooking in the oven.
Serves 4–6
1–2 chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2–3 tsp chilli sauce (mild or hot, depending on your taste)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp maple syrup or 3 tsp honey
Seasoning to taste
10–12 chicken wings
1 In a bowl or large freezer bag, combine all the ingredients apart from the chicken wings. Then add the chicken wings and mix well until they are thoroughly coated. Cover with clingfilm or seal the bag and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight or for at least one hour.
2 When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200ºC (gas mark 6).
3 Tip the wings and the marinade into a baking tray with a lip or an oven-proof dish, and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Serve with rice and a green salad, or Homemade Potato Wedges (page 61).
Cooking Tip
Check that the chicken is cooked thoroughly by pushing a clean skewer into the thickest part of the meat. If red juices emerge, put back into the oven for another five minutes, then check again. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear.
These can be cooked on the barbecue. A lovely summer treat!
Serves 4
6 tbsp maple syrup or honey
2 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp paprika
8 chicken drumsticks
1 Place all the ingredients apart from the chicken in a large freezer bag and mix well.
2 Score the drumsticks with a knife to help the marinade take.
3 Add the chicken to the freezer bag and shake well to ensure it is well coated. Seal the bag and leave the chicken in the fridge to marinate overnight.
4 When you are ready to cook, line your grill tray with foil to collect any mess and heat the grill to its highest setting.
5 Arrange the chicken on the grill tray and place under the heat. Cook the chicken on both sides, basting with the marinade, if you like your chicken really sticky. Grill until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, reducing the heat if the outside appears to be cooking too quickly.
6 Serve with salad and savoury rice, or Homemade Wedges (page 61).
This very easy one-pot meal makes a perfect, satisfying choice after a busy day. To get ahead, prepare the vegetables the night before.
Serves 4
600g small new potatoes, washed
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 parsnip, quartered lengthways
2 tsp paprika
Olive oil
Large handful of fresh mixed herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, oregano)
3–4 garlic cloves, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
400g–450g chicken breasts
1 red onion, quartered
2–3 baby leeks, cut into 3 pieces
1–2 red peppers, deseeded and thickly sliced
8–12 small vine tomatoes, whole
1 Preheat your oven to 200ºC (gas mark 6). In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, sweet potato and parsnip. Add the paprika and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and combine until well coated.
2 Pour this into an ovenproof dish or tray and add a little more oil if it looks too dry. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
3 Finely chop the herbs. Add the crushed garlic, 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon zest. Combine well.
4 Rub half of this mixture over the chicken breasts and add them to the vegetables in the tray. Add all the remaining ingredients, scatter over the remaining herbs and combine everything well. Add more oil, if necessary.
5 Bake for another 30–35 minutes until the vegetables and chicken are cooked through.
I love one-pot meals, because they are so simple. Roasted sweet potato and squash have a fantastic flavour – add some garlic and chilli and you have a divine meal. Feel free to add more chilli to taste, or for extra flavour, use chilli oil instead of olive oil.
Serves 4
2 large red onions, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, left whole
1–2 chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
3 sweet potatoes, skin on, cut into thick chunks
1 small squash, skin on, cut into chunks
Spray olive oil or chilli oil to drizzle
4 tsp paprika
Black pepper
450g chicken breasts
12 cherry tomatoes
1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC (gas mark 6).
2 Arrange the onion, garlic, chilli, sweet potatoes and squash in a roasting tin and spray with oil. Toss well and spray again, if necessary.
3 Sprinkle paprika and pepper over the vegetables and roast for 10 minutes.
4 Add the chicken and cherry tomatoes to the vegetable mixture. Spray again with oil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
5 Serve with a green salad.
A quick and easy chow mein, and a great way to use up cooked chicken left over from a roast. If you’re short of time, use a bag of ready-chopped stir-fry mix – simply add your chicken and the remaining seasonings.
Serves 4
400g chicken pieces, thinly sliced
2–3 tsp Chinese five spice
Olive or sesame oil
2.5cm piece of ginger, finely sliced
1 chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
3–4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 carrots, finely chopped into thin slices
4–5 broccoli florets
4–6 spring onions, sliced diagonally
1 pepper, deseeded and sliced
½ small spring cabbage, shredded
Handful of bean sprouts (optional)
50g mushrooms, sliced
300g noodles
3 tbsp sweet dry sherry or rice wine
2–3 tsp soya sauce
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 Mix the chicken with the Chinese five spice. If you are using fresh chicken, cook it in wok with a splash of oil for a few minutes until browned, then leave to one side until needed.
2 Pour some more oil in the wok and add the ginger, chilli and garlic. Next, add your chopped vegetables (apart from the bean sprouts and mushrooms) and cook for another 2 minutes, until the vegetables start to wilt slightly, but do not go soft.
3 Add the chicken, bean sprouts, mushrooms and the noodles to the wok. Cook for one more minute.
4 Add the dry sherry or rice wine, soya sauce, lemon juice and sweet chilli sauce. Stir well for one minute before serving immediately.
Kids love chicken nuggets and this recipe is really quick and easy so why not ask them to lend a hand? It is also good to know that they are getting fresh chicken in their nuggets, not processed meat.
Serves 4
350g–400g skinless and boneless chicken fillets
4 tbsp plain flour
3–4 tsp chicken seasoning
2 tsp paprika
2 eggs, beaten
100g breadcrumbs (made from your left over bread, page 12)
Olive oil spray
1 Preheat the over to 220ºC (gas mark 7).
2 Cut the chicken into nugget-sized pieces.
3 Take three bowls. In the first bowl, mix flour, seasoning and paprika. To the second bowl, add beaten eggs. And in the third bowl, put the breadcrumbs.
4 Dip the chicken into the first bowl, ensuring each nugget is well coated. Then follow into the second bowl, again ensuring all sides are covered. Do the same for the third bowl.
5 Place the chicken nuggets onto a greased baking tray. Spray lightly with oil and bake for 20 minutes until golden.
6 Serve with Homemade Potato Wedges (page 61).
Healthy Tip
Make your own spray oil by buying a clean spray container from your local pharmacist and filling it with olive oil.
A simple family favourite that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Serves 4
Spray of olive oil
3–4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2–3 garlic cloves, crushed,
1–2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into slices
100g button mushrooms, whole or halved (optional)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes,
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
Small handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
300g whole-wheat or gluten-free penne pasta
1 In a sauté pan, add a spray of olive oil. Add the chicken chunks and cook for 5–8 minutes.
2 Add the onion, garlic, peppers and mushrooms, if using. Cook for 5 more minutes before adding the tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, basil leaves and seasoning. Leave on a low heat to simmer gently.
3 Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the packet instructions.
4 Drain the pasta and add to the chicken mixture, stirring well until everything is well combined. Season to taste before serving.