thebigfatnoodle

Chicken Marinade

2-4 small chicken breasts (each breast pounded flat to double its size)

1 cup plain yoghurt

1 small red/brown onion, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 slices of peeled ginger

1½ teaspoon ground cumin

1½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic granules

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Blitz the onion, garlic gloves and fresh ginger in a food processor, and in a large bowl, mix it together with the rest of your ingredients. Drop your flattened chicken breasts into the marinade, making sure the marinade coats every nook and cranny and leave overnight in the fridge. Remove it from your fridge about 45 mins to an hour to allow you to bring it back up to room temperature before you fire up your grill.

On a hot grill or griddle plan, gently place each fillet on the hot grill and leave it for 3-4 minutes. Resist the urge to move it around too much as you’ll only end up scraping off the marinade and you won’t get that nice charring. Turn the chicken breasts over and repeat the grilling process. After they’ve cooked, cover them on a plate with silver foil and allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes.

Cumin-roasted butternut squash

I butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-3 cm cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon sea salt

Spread the squash evenly on a baking tray and ensure they’re coated with the olive oil, salt and fennel seeds. Roast in a 180-200 degrees (celsius) for 45 minutes.

Wilted spinach and chestnut mushrooms

1 small knob of butter

1 teaspoon of olive oil

400 grams fresh spinach leaves, washed

4-5 chestnut mushrooms

Pinch of salt and black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

In a saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil and stir fry the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, drop in the spinach leaves and cover the saucepan with a lid to allow them to steam down for a minute. Give the mushrooms and spinach a stir and grate over some fresh nutmeg.

To serve, first lay a bed of spinach and mushrooms on the plate, leaving a circle open in the middle. Place your roasted butternut squash in the circle, slice your grilled chicken breast on top of the roasted pumpkin. Serve with a very chilled glass of your favourite white wine. 🙂