One Pot Main Courses: Chicken

One Pot Main Courses

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Chicken is a favourite food around the world, not least because of its versatility. It can be baked, grilled, boiled, sautéed or stir fried and combined with a wide range of flavours from every type of cuisine.

Sweet and Sour ChickenIt is especially helpful after gastric or bariatric surgery as it’s relatively easy to digest compared to red meat or fatty foods. Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which plays a vital role in tissue repair, wound healing, maintaining muscle mass and supporting the immune system. It also provides various essential nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, selenium and zinc which are necessary for maintaining optimal health and supporting metabolic functions. Chicken is also good for long-term weight management as it’s a lean source of protein that can help promote satiety and reduce appetite.

The following recipes are designed to be made with a small portion (100–125gm) of sliced or diced chicken. You can, of course, use chicken breast, but I personally find thigh fillet much tastier and usually cheaper. The recipes are also suitable for turkey.  They all include vegetables from either the Standby Vegetables or Crisper Essentials range.

You’ll usually be able to buy chicken already sliced or diced. If you do buy it in fillets, I have found it easier to slice or dice the chicken semi-frozen. I usually freeze my chicken in small portions in resealable snack bags. In such small portions, it can be quickly thawed by dunking the packet in hot water, and, if it’s a consideration for you, the snack bags can be washed and reused.

If you also enjoy a chicken fillet or a drumstick, or even a chicken schnitzel, you can find out how to give it a flavour and/or vegetable boost by consulting the entry: Dressing up the Protein.

If you’ve bought a roast chicken or some cooked chicken, and are wondering what to do with it, where indicated, some of the following recipes can be made even more quickly with cooked chicken, or, for more ideas, see the entry: 6 Ways with a Rotisserie Chicken.

 

Recipes:

Baked Chicken with Peas and Potatoes

Stir Fried Chicken

Satay Chicken Stir Fry

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Coconut Curry

Butter Chicken

Chicken Cacciatore

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Chicken al Pesto

Chicken Stroganoff

Chicken Paprika

Mexican Chicken

 

Baked Chicken with Peas and Potatoes

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • ¼ cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup canned potatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • 1–2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Pepper, parsley, rosemary, oregano and/or chives

 

  1. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and herbs
  2. Marinate chicken in mixture for 15–30 minutes
  3. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a pie dish with peas and potatoes
  4. Toss in a little of the marinade
  5. Sprinkle with diced bacon (optional)
  6. Cover with aluminium foil (optional) and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 30 minutes
  7. Uncover and bake for a further 10–15 minutes (optional)

Variation: substitute ½ cup cubed carrot, pumpkin or sweet potato for either the peas or the potatoes

Microwave method: at Step 3 place chicken and vegetables (excluding canned potatoes) in a microwave proof dish and instead of Steps 6–7, cover tightly but with some venting, and microwave on high for 4–5 minutes. Let stand for 1–2 minutes.

 

Stir Fried Chicken

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 1 cup mushrooms, red capsicum (or red onion), celery and/or carrot, sliced
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ½ tsp cornflour
  • Garlic granules, chilli powder and pepper
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil (optional)

 

  1. Mix soy sauce, stock powder and spices with ½ cup water
  2. Marinate chicken in mixture for 15–30 minutes
  3. Heat wok to a moderate temperature and add chicken with marinade
  4. Stir fry until browned
  5. Add vegetables and stir fry until just tender
  6. Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add to sauce
  7. Stir fry until sauce thickens

Variations:

  • substitute (frozen) stir fry mix for the vegetables
  • substitute (frozen) broccoli for the some or all of the vegetables
  • substitute 2/3 cup cooked chicken for the sliced chicken, add cornflour to marinade ingredients at Step 1 to make the sauce, omit Step 2–4 and add chicken after Step 5

 

Satay Chicken Stir Fry

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • ½ cup red capsicum and carrot, sliced
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic and chilli paste
  • 1 tbsp. peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. lime or lemon juice
  • Mild curry powder and coriander
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In the small cup of a bullet blender, blend together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, curry powder and coriander with ¼ cup water
  2. Heat wok with a little oil and sauté chopped onion with garlic and chilli
  3. Add chicken and stir fry until browned
  4. Add vegetables and stir fry until wilted
  5. Add peanut sauce and stir fry until sauce thickens

Variation: substitute 2/3 cup cooked chicken for the sliced chicken, omit Step 3 and add chicken after Step 4

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¾ cup carrot and red capsicum, sliced
  • 4–5 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp. fruit juice
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • ½ tsp. cornflour
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Mix fruit juice, lemon juice, tomato paste, soy sauce and spices
  2. Marinate chicken in mixture for 15–30 minutes
  3. Heat wok with a little oil
  4. Add chicken with marinade and stir fry until lightly browned
  5. Add carrot and capsicum and stir fry
  6. Add onion and stir fry
  7. Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add to sauce
  8. Stir fry until sauce thickens
  9. Add halved tomatoes and stir fry until heated through

Variation: substitute 2/3 cup cooked chicken for the sliced chicken, add cornflour to marinade ingredients at Step 1 to make the sauce, omit Step 2 & 4 and add chicken after Step 6

 

Chicken Coconut Curry

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup carrot, chopped (or sweet potato)
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tbsp. rice
  • Mild curry powder, coriander and ginger
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with spices
  2. Add chicken and sauté until browned
  3. Add chopped carrot and sauté
  4. Add stock powder with coconut milk
  5. Bring to the boil and stir in rice
  6. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Variation: for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Butter Chicken

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic
  • 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • ½ tbsp. canola oil
  • ¼ cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. (plus 1 tbsp. optional) natural yoghurt
  • Paprika, ginger, coriander and Chinese 5-spice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 x single-serve microwave rice

 

  1. Whisk together 2 tbsp. yoghurt with spices (except garlic)
  2. Marinate chicken in mixture for at least 30 minutes
  3. Place diced tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken stock powder in the small cup of a bullet blender and liquidise thoroughly
  4. Heat oil and butter in a small saucepan and sauté onion with garlic
  5. Add chicken with marinade and sauté until browned
  6. Add puréed tomato, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, adding a little water if necessary
  7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp. yoghurt (optional)
  8. Serve on rice microwaved as per the instructions

 

Chicken Cacciatore

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup red capsicum and mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika and pepper
  • Parsley, basil and oregano
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add chicken and sauté until browned
  3. Add capsicum and mushrooms and sauté
  4. Stir in diced tomatoes with herbs and stock powder
  5. Add macaroni with ½ cup boiling water
  6. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Variations:

  • substitute diced bacon for some of the capsicum and/or mushrooms
  • add 3–4 pitted or stuffed black or green olives, halved, at Step 3
  • substitute ¼ cup frozen peas for the macaroni and omit added water at Step 5
  • substitute ½ cup canned potatoes for the macaroni and omit added water at Step 5

 

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2–3 mushrooms, sliced
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, pepper and parsley
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 portion frozen spinach, thawed or ½ cup spinach leaves, chopped (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter and sauté mushrooms with spices
  2. Add chicken and sauté until browned
  3. Add 1/3 cup boiling water with chicken stock powder and parsley
  4. Bring to the boil and add macaroni
  5. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. Stir in thawed spinach until heated through (or until spinach leaves are cooked) (optional)
  7. Stir in Parmesan cheese until it melts
  8. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

Variations:

  • substitute 2 tsp. basil pesto for the spinach
  • substitute ½ cup sliced leek for the spinach. Add at step 4 and omit Step 6.
  • substitute ½ cup canned potatoes for the macaroni and reduce added water to ½ cup at Step 3
  • substitute 2/3 cup cooked chicken for the sliced chicken, omit Step 2 and add chicken during Step 5 at the 10-minute mark

 

Chicken al Pesto

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup canned potatoes
  • ½ cup frozen peas and/or (frozen) broccoli
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Pepper
  • 2 tsp. basil pesto
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with pepper
  2. Add chicken and sauté until browned
  3. Add vegetables with stock powder and ½ cup water
  4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, allowing the stock to reduce down
  5. Stir in pesto

Variations:

  • substitute sliced zucchini, asparagus pieces or sliced green beans for some or all of the vegetables
  • substitute 2/3 cup cooked chicken for the sliced chicken, omit Step 2 and add chicken during Step 4 at the 10-minute mark

 

Chicken Stroganoff

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2–3 mushrooms, sliced
  • Dried onion, paprika or chilli and garlic granules
  • Pepper and parsley
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté chicken with spices until browned
  2. Add mushrooms and sauté
  3. Add ½ cup boiling water with stock powder, tomato paste, soy sauce and parsley
  4. Simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add macaroni and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

 

Chicken Paprika

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup red capsicum, chopped
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup canned potatoes
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • Oregano, parsley and garlic
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and paprika
  2. Add capsicum and sauté
  3. Add chicken and sauté until browned
  4. Add diced tomatoes with stock powder and herbs
  5. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding a little water if necessary
  6. Add potatoes and simmer for a further 5 minutes
  7. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

 

Mexican Chicken

  • 100–125gm sliced chicken
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 x 125gm can four bean mix or chickpeas, drained
  • 1 tbsp. rice
  • Garlic granules, chilli, dried onion, coriander and oregano
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté chicken until browned
  2. Add beans and heat through
  3. Add diced tomatoes with garlic, chilli, dried onion, coriander and oregano and bring to the boil
  4. Simmer for five minutes
  5. Add ¼ cup boiling water with rice and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Variation: substitute a can of Snack Time Red Kidney Beans and Chilli for the four-bean mix and chilli

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