Tropical Grilled Chicken with a Pineapple Salsa

I was really wanting something light today.   We eat chicken a lot in our house. We only ever very rarely have another form of protein.   Pork or beef are a rare treat.  Eating chicken as often as we do, it can be somewhat of a challenge to keep it interesting.  Chicken breasts are so very adaptable and mild in flavour.  They make a pretty decent canvas for other flavours.

 

They are also very lean . . .  so they can dry out very easily  The trick to moist and flavoursome chicken breasts I have found is to marinate them and then cook them very quickly.



This pineapple, soy, lime, coriander and honey marinade works beautifully.  There is just enough pineapple juice and lime in it to help further tenderize the chicken meat and give it somewhat of an oriental flavour.



This fresh pineapple and mango salsa is light and delicious, with just a bit of heat from some green jalapeno chili . . .  you can adjust it as you wish, or leave it out altogether.   Remember a little bit goes a very long way.

 

The marinade is thickened and used as a drizzle glaze for another layer of flavours in the finished dish.   I served it simply with some basamati rice and vegetables for a delicious, quick supper that everyone really enjoyed.   If you like tender and flavourful chicken you will love this.

*Tropical Grilled Chicken*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

Chicken breasts, pounded and marinated in a tangy pineapple marinade, then grilled and served with a snappy fresh pineapple and mango salsa! 

For the salsa:

1 medium ripe mango, peeled and diced

an equal amount of fresh ripe pineapple, diced

2 TBS minced red onion

1 TBS minced seeded jalapeno pepper

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

salt and black pepper to taste 

For the chicken:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

60ml of pineapple juice (1/4 cup)

3 TBS chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

3 TBS low sodium soy sauce

2 TBS honey

1 tsp fresh lime juice

dash crushed red pepper 

Combine all of the salsa ingredients.  Cover and chill for half an hour.  Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy duty cling film.  Pound out to an even 1/2 inch thickness.  Whisk the pineapple juice, coriander, soy sauce, honey, lime juice and red pepper.   Add the pounded chicken, turning to coat.  Cover and chill for half an hour. 

 


Heat an electric or gas grill, or a grill pan over medium high heat.  Lightly brush with oil.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving marinade.   Cook the chicken breasts for 3 minutes per side until done.  Set aside and keep warm.  Boil the reserved marinade until reduced by about half.   Serve the cooked chicken drizzled with the thickened marinade and salsa.

Recipe adapted from one found in Cooking Light, Cooking Through the Seasons.

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Grilled Chicken, Bacon and Ranch Sandwiches

I took advantage of some of the really nice weather we had this weekend and my TeFal ActiGrill to make us some really tasty grilled chicken sandwiches.   Summer food.   Bring it on!



You can pay a fortune for a chicken sandwich in those fast food places these days, and they all taste the same when it comes right down to it.  These are a bit healthier I like to think and  a hundred times more delicious!



They are also quite economical because with only two chicken breasts, you can make four sandwiches.  The chicken marinates for an hour or so in a delicious honey mustard marinade, composed of two different mustards, honey and lemon juice.   There is also bacon on them . . .



Not just any bacon however . . . candied pepper bacon that you make yourself.  So easy to do and seriously scrummy as well.    The chicken is grilled, brushed with barbecue sauce or not as you wish, and then they are put together, chicken, bacon . . . and a nice slice of cheese on top, which melts down over the hot bacon and chicken . . .

 

Serves on a toasted bun with some shredded lettuce and a mayo ranch sauce, these went down a real treat with the Toddster . . . and I confess I was also licking my chops.  Who needs to go out to get a good Chicken sandwich . . .  when you can get a tastier one at home???  Not us, that's for sure!    This is great summer time food.  I cooked mine indoors on the electric grill, but you could just as easily do them outdoors on the barbecue.   This is sure to be a real winner!



*Grilled Chicken, Bacon and Ranch Sandwiches*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe

These are easy and quite, quite delicious. Perfect for an al fresco supper on the patio.  Plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate for several hours.

2 large single chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

4 dessert spoons of runny honey (1/2 cup)

2 dessert spoons of Dijon mustard (1/4 cup)

2 dessert spoons of grainy mustard (1/4 cup)

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or as desired

the juice and zest of 1/2 large lemon

8 slices of streaky bacon, cut in half crosswise

2 TBS brown sugar

coarse black pepper

4 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
(I used the dyed one this time for colour)

barbecue sauce as desired

4 split and toasted buns

2 TBS ranch dressing

2 TBS mayonnaise

shredded lettuce

Using a very sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts horizontally through the middle.  You will end up with 4 chicken escallops.  Pound them lightly  into a uniform size.   Whisk the honey, both mustards, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and lemon juice and zest together in a bowl.  Add the chicken and swirl it around so that they are all coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, but no longer than 2 hours.

About 15 minutes before cooking, preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the bacon on top of the foil.  Sprinkle evenly  with brown sugar and sprinkle with the coarse black pepper.  Roast in the heated oven for  about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it, until golden brown

and slightly crisped.  Don't take your eye off it or it will burn.  (You may not need the whole 10 minutes)   Remove to a paper kitchen towel lined plate and keep warm.

Heat the grill.   Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding any marinade in the bowl.   Grill over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing with barbecue sauce as desired.  During the last few minutes of grilling, place some bacon on top of each piece of chicken and top with a slice of cheese.   

Allow the cheese to melt.  

Mix the ranch dressing and mayonnaise together. Take your toasted buns and spread the bottoms of each with some of this mixture.  Top with some shredded lettuce and one piece of chicken.  Replace the tops and serve immediately.

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Tasty Turkey Divan Burgers

In the quest to use up some of those lovely sauces and mayonnaises I received in my recent sandwich hamper, I decided to make us some delicious turkey burgers the other day.    We love turkey burgers almost more than we love regular burgers.  No word of a lie.



I have created quite a few turkey burgers in the past . . . with Thai flavours, Mexican flavours, Spiced Chipotle, Buffalo Wing Flavours, etc.   This time I wanted to do something completely different.  I put my thinking cap on . . . and here is what happened next.



One of our favourite casseroles to make here, after we have enjoyed a roast turkey, is my turkey divan casserole (or chicken, you can make it with both).  You know the casserole I mean, it incorporates the delicious flavours of sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon, curry, onions and broccoli cuts.  Oh, and cheese, lets not forget the cheese!



I used fresh lean ground turkey and incorporated all of those flavours into a burger, but not just any burger . . . a Turkey Divan Burger!!  By using some of the Hellman's Twist of Lemon Mayonnaise, chopped cooked broccoli, chopped red onions,  some salt and pepper, curry powder and some grated strong cheddar  (I used the dyed one this time for colour) I was able to come up with a delicious burger with all of the flavours of a Divan casserole.

 

It was moist and delicious . . . with a tiny bit of crunch and loads of colour from the broccoli, red onions and cheddar . . .  flavours from the lemon mayonnaise and the curry powder.   It was sooooo good.   I topped them with an additional slice of that same rich cheddar cheese, let it melt down over that juicy burger and then I served them on toasted ciabatta buns, spread with some more of that gorgeous  Twist of Lemon Mayonnaise and some shredded baby gems along with more thinly sliced red onions.  These were fabulous to say the least.  I hope you will give them a go!



 *Divan Turkey Burgers*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe    

A new take on our favourite Turkey Divan Casserole, created especially for 

picnic and barbecue season!  They are nice and moist and filled with a lovely blend 

of delicious flavours.  

1 pound of lean ground turkey

about 6 frozen broccoli florets, thawed and chopped,

and then well drained

180g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups)

(I used the dyed one this time for colour)

1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 TBS Hellman's mayonnaise (if possible use the one with lemon

in it.  If you can't get that, then add a teaspoon of finely grated

lemon zest)

1 tsp medium curry powder

fine sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

4 slices of strong cheddar cheese to melt over top

To serve:

4 ciabatta buns

Hellman's Mayonnaise (Lemon or toasted onion are good)

shredded lettuce

finely sliced red onions   

  

Mix the turkey, broccoli, grated cheese, chopped red onion, mayonnaise, curry powder, salt and pepper  together in a bowl to combine.   Shape into 4 evenly sized patties, each about 1/2 inch thick.   Heat the outdoor grill, if using, or a large non-stick skillet.  You may want to lightly grease it so that the cheese doesn't stick.     

 

Once hot, add the turkey patties.   Cook for five minutes on one side, until golden brown and then flip over and cook for a further five minutes  on the other side until golden and cooked through.  The juices should run clear.  Place a slice of cheese over top of each and allow it to melt.  

Heat the buns in a hot oven and cut in half through the centre.  Spread the bottoms with some mayonnaise and top with the shredded lettuce and red onions.  Place a burger pattie on each and top with the bun tops.  Serve immediately.  

Deliciously different!

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Spicy Sausage Pasta

  

   

I don't know about you, but I am about done with all that holiday food of the past few weeks.  Today I was craving something simple.   I also wanted to use up a bit of stuff that I had leftover from the hols . . . but I didn't want it to be holiday food, if you know what I mean.  

  

I had some chorizo that was left from all the finger food snacking/tapas occasions . . . and some cheddar cheese that needed using up and so I decided to torture the Toddster with some pasta . . . because as all my readers have surmised.  He only thinks he doesn't like pasta.  He usually eats it up whenever it is served and seems to enjoy it.  Methinks he doth protest too much.  'Nuff said.    

  

Anyways.   I browned the chorizo in a large skillet and added onions and garlic, until everything was nicely softened and fragrant.   I then added some stock, tomatoes and pasta.  I am rather lazy (as you also know) and so I just added the pasta raw.  It cooked in the tomatoes and stalk, absorbing some of it and thickening it all up a bit.    

   

I then added some richness using double cream and a bit of cheese, stirred into the mixture, just to melt it.  I tasted the sauce and I could have eaten it right then and there!  But I wanted to make it extra irristable and so I topped it with some sliced spring onions, which also needed using and which added a bit of colour and crunch . . . and more cheese.  

I then popped it under the grill until that cheese on top started to bubble, melt and brown and then I scattered on some parsley for colour and served it up nice and hot with some crusty bread and a salad on the side.    

 

Oh boy, was this ever good . . . and definitely not holiday food.   This be comfort food.  January comfort food.   Dig in!  

*Spicy Sausage Pasta*
Serves 4 to 6, depending on appetites

(Printable Recipe)  

I had some chorizo that was getting close to it's end and so I put it together with some pasta and a few store cupboard ingredients to make a simple, tasty and economical dish.  If you don't have any chorizo, you could use any highly spiced or smoked sausage.  

1 TBS extra virgin rapeseed oil

8 ounces of dried chorizo sausage, sliced

(Or smoked sausage, or even hotdogs)

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 to 1 tsp easy chilies (depending on
how hot and spicy you want it to be)

450ml of hot vegetable stock (2 cups)

400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained (10 oz tin)

125ml of double cream (1/2 cup)

1/2 pound of curly pasta (I used Fiorelli), uncooked

salt and black pepper to taste

120g of strong cheddar cheese, grated and divided (1 cup)

4 spring onions, thinly sliced 

chopped flat leaf parsley  

  

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and turn golden.   Tip in the onions and allow them to soften without browning, again stirring from time to time.   Add the garlic and cook, stirring until quite fragrant.  Stir in the easy chilies, stock, tomatoes and pasta.   Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer, cover and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pasta is tender.  (Start checking at 15)  At the end of that time, stir in half of the cheese, allowing it to melt.  Stir in the cream.


Preheat the grill to high.  Scatter the remainder of the cheese and the spring onions on top.   Place under the grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling and golden in places.  Remove from the heat, scatter with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.   Delicious!

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