Pineapple Chicken Kebabs with Sumac

When Angie announced the Healthy Recipe Challenge, I was intrigued. When I looked at the ingredients that she wanted to be used in the recipe, I scratched my head. Greens and pineapple in one recipe!! I couldn't resist the challenge! I was making some Sumac chicken kebabs with vegetables for lunch. I figured I will throw in the pineapple with it & serve the kebabs on a bed of baby greens. Who could resist a platter like that??

During my recent visit to the grocery store, I came across Sumac. This is a spice that I have known through Elaine and other friends here at Fiesta Friday. I have been waiting to try it for a long time now. While we all love grilled vegetables, I was positive that grilled pineapple would taste delicious. And it turned out to be delicious!  Together with sumac, it was an irresistable combination! We ate the kebabs served on a bed of baby greens for lunch and ate the leftovers served with Pineapple Couscous Baby Greens Salad for dinner!! 

This is a very easy recipe that would be perfect for weeknight dinners , as appetizers or sides for parties! Super Bowl is next weekend guys!! You can prep, marinate and keep everything ready in the refrigerator ahead of time, and throw it on the grill or in the oven a few minutes before your guests arrive! Voila! Delicious kebabs ready in minutes!!

Servings: 2

Prep time: 45 mins ( including marination) 

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breast: 1 lb, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt: to taste
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp+ 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
Sumac: 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Italian herbs ( dry): 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Bell peppers: 2 ( different colors), diced big.
Cherry tomatoes: 10 ( may not need all)
Red onion: 1, diced big and petals separated.
Pineapple pieces: 1 cup
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Baby greens: 1 & 1/2  cups

Method:

Clean and marinate the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon juice, Italian herbs & sumac, for at least 30 mins.

In a bowl, take the bell peppers, diced onion, cherry tomatoes and pineapple pieces . Add olive oil, a pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, a little sumac and Italian herbs.

Set the oven on broil and preheat it.

Take a skewer and arrange the veggies and chicken pieces as you wish and the amount that you want.

Arrange it on a baking/grilling tray. Place the tray in the broiler and cook the chicken and vegetables for 14-16 minutes or until the chicken is cooked  thoroughly and to desired tenderness.

Divide the baby greens equally on two serving plates. Arrange the skewers on the bed of baby greens. Just before serving, sprinkle a little more sumac on the skewers.

Can be served with cilantro/ mint chutney.

Serve hot!

Enjoy! 

Apart from linking to the Fiesta Friday Healthy Recipe challenge, I am bringing this to Fiesta Friday #156 and Saucy Saturdays.

Cooling made easy:

The kebabs can be grilled on a outdoor grill, on a stove-top grill or even baked at 400 deg F or 200 deg Celsius on the middle rack of the oven. If you don't have steel skewers, you can use bamboo skewers, but make sure that you soak the skewers in water for sometime before using.

Tip for healthy living:

Grilling or broiling is a much healthier option for frying chicken or vegetables. It is low in calories and pretty much fat free!

Food for thought:

Think before you leap! Unknown

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Restaurant Style Chicken Tikka Masala ( Bite-size grilled chicken pieces in a rich cream and tomato based sauce).

Chicken Tikka Masala is ubiquitous in Indian restaurants, worldwide. Most people around the world who like Indian food are familiar with this dish. They would have tasted/ eaten this dish with naan or rice at least once!

Making it at home might seem like a far-fetched idea, but in reality it is not that difficult. I have a good friend from school, Sandhya, who is chef, par excellence. Everything she makes is delicious!! She is a North Indian and this dish is part of their cuisine. You see, I am a South Indian and chicken tikka masala is definitely not a part of my everyday cuisine ( traditionally). Coming back to my friend, she taught me this super-easy recipe for Chicken Tikka masala, and I would never go back to making it any other way!!

You have to check this super-easy recipe out!

Prep time: 15 mins + 30 mins plus for marinating.

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients :

Boneless chicken thighs : 1 lb ( 450) gms, cut into bite-sized pieces
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp
Ginger: 1 inch piece, cut julienne
Whole red chillies: 2-3 medium-sized
Half & half : 1 cup ( room temperature). ( If you don't have half & half, whole milk or heavy cream will also do).
Tomato paste: 1/2 8oz can
Kasuri methi ( crushed dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp ( optional)
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1 tsp
Coriander leaves ( cilantro) : 1 tbsp, chopped, for garnish.

For marinating the chicken:

Chicken tikka masala: 4 tbsp ( any brand will do). ( if you don't have this spice mix, check the "cooking made easy" for alternative
Ginger garlic paste: 2 tbsp
Lime/ lemon juice: from one lime/ lemon
Plain yogurt ( curd) : 1 cup
Kasoori methi (crushed  dried fenugreek leaves): 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste

Skewers for kebabs : 3-4 ( may not need all.

Method:

Clean the chicken thoroughly. Add all the ingredients listed under " marinade" in a bowl and mix well to make a paste. Add the chicken pieces to this bowl and mix well. Keep in the refrigerator and marinate for atleast 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, soak the wooden  skewers in water for atleast 30 mins. Soaking the skewers helps prevent it from catching fire while grilling.

Once marinated, you can arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the skewers. Reserve the remaining marinade, DO NOT DISCARD!

If you have a grill, you can cook the chicken on the grill. If not, use the oven.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
Place the skewers on a grill pan or baking sheet to catch the drippings. Bake for 16-18 mins, rotating the skewers once at the end of 8-9 minutes. Ensure that the chicken pieces are cooked before taking it out of the oven.

While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the sauce.
In a sauté pan or sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp oil on medium heat. 

Add the julienned ginger pieces and sauté for 10 seconds. 

Break the red chilli into 2 pieces and add it to the pan. Sauté for 10 seconds. 

Now add the tomato paste. Reduce the flame and sauté until the tomato paste loses its raw taste (or you see it leaving a little bit oil).

Add the half & half & mix well. 

Now add the remaining marinade, kasuri methi ( dried fenugreek leaves), salt , sugar and mix well. Bring it to a gentle boil.

Remove the chicken pieces from the skewers and keep ready.

Add the grilled chicken pieces to the sauce ( I ate quite a few pieces, enroute!;)).

Garnish with coriander leaves ( cilantro) & some cream!

Serve with rice/ roti/bread!

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday #47, Fiesta Friday #128  and Saucy Saturday #53!

Cooking made easy:

If you don't have tikka masala on hand, use the following in the proportions given for the above mentioned recipe:

Dhaniya (Coriander) powder: 1 $ 1/2 tbsp
Jeera ( cumin) powder: 3/4 tbsp
Haldi ( turmeric) powder: 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tbsp
Kashmiri mirch powder ( red chilli powder): 1 tbsp

Tip for healthy living:

If you want the dish to be low calorie, use whole milk instead of half & half. The dish may not be very creamy but it will still be delicious and low fat!

Food for thought:

You are confined only by the walls you build yourself. Unknown

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Chicken Sukka (South Canara Style Chicken in spicy coconut- based sauce)

Chicken Sukka is a specialty dish of where I come from ; South Kanara region of India. This is the coastal region of Karnataka State. This region has a culture that is very unique to the region. Tulu is the local dialect. This region also has the origin of the Bunt ( Shetty) community, to which celebrities like Ms. World Aishwarya Rai and Bollywood stars like Shilpa Shetty and Sunil Shetty hail from. They also have their very distinctive cuisine. Chicken Sukka is a dish that belongs to their cuisine. In Tulu, they would call the dish " kori aajadina". Another famous dish is Kori rotti, where crisp, dried rice crepes are served with chicken curry. While I never cared for kori rotti, chicken Sukka is something I would die for!! Really, it is that delicious! This dish can also be made using clams, mussels, crabs and for vegetarians, using black chick peas and gherkins. While there are several different versions of chicken Sukka, the essential ingredients are the coarsely ground coconut, all the different spices, curry leaves, red chilli, onion, ginger and garlic.

I personally think it is the coarse coconut mixed with all the spices and the aroma of the curry leaves that gives this dish so much texture and flavor.

There are several different recipes and methods to make the Chicken Sukka. The one I am sharing with you today is what I have found to be the easiest and one of the tastiest!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs: 2 lbs/ 1 kg.
Lemon juice: from 1 small lemon
Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste:  1 tbsp
Onion : 2 medium
Tomato : 1 large
Curry leaves : a handful
Chilli powder : 1 tsp ( can be adjusted as per individual spice level)
Coriander seeds : 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds (jeera): 2 tbsp
Black pepper powder : 1 + 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder (haldi): 1 + 1 tsp
Garam masala powder:  1 tsp
Freshly grated coconut : 2 cups
Salt: as per taste.

Method:

Clean the chicken. Marinate it with salt, lemon juice and black pepper powder. Cover and place it aside ( preferably in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.

Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a sauté pan or kadai.  Sauté curry leaves lightly and keep aside.

Add 1 cup freshly grated coconut,coriander seeds and cumin seeds to the same pan. Sauté  until i turns light brown. Let it cool down completely. Once it cools down, grind it with  pepper powder,chilli powder and garam masala powder. Keep it aside.

Add  1 tbsp coconut oil to the pan . Add chopped onions and tomato to the same pan. Sauté until lightly brown and oil separates. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 3-4 minutes .

Add the ground paste and mix well. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Add one cup water and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked thoroughly ( around 20 minutes).

When the chicken is cooked, add the remaining fresh coconut and cook for 5 more minutes.

Garnish with the roasted curry leaves.

Serve hot with rice/roti or bread!

I am bringing this delicious  dish to all my friends at Throwback Thursday#37, Fiesta Friday#118  and Saucy Saturdays#43! Angie's Fiesta Friday co-hosts this week are Kaila @ GF Life 24/7 and Laurena @ Life Diet Health

Cooking made easy:

You can cut the cooking time of the above dish by half if you make it in a pressure cooker. Once you add the chicken in with 1/2-1 cup water, let it come to a boil, cover the lid of the cooker, add the weight/whistle. Cook on medium flame until you hear two whistles. Turn off the flame. Wait for the pressure to be completely released before opening the lid. Add the freshly grated coconut and cook for 5 mins.
Garnish with toasted curry leaves!

Another way to make this dish faster is by using chicken breast instead of thighs. You can cook it in a sauté pan or kadai and the chicken will be cooked in under 15 minutes!

Tip for healthy living:

Always make sure that you marinate the chicken and let it sit in the fridge in a covered container as opposed to on your counter-top. You might think that you are going to cook it right away, but it might take you sometimes longer than you thought. Raw meat can go bad very quickly in hot temperature. It is much safer to leave it in the refrigerator.

Food for thought:

If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest. Publilius Syrus

Chole Chicken ( chicken with chickpeas )

Chole chicken??? Sounds weird right? Well, I agree that it sounds weird, but it tastes just fantastic! You have to try this dish to find out for yourself if I am telling you the truth.

Why did I come up with this dish? Quite accidentally actually. My little daughter has only now expanded her palate to include chicken. And she wants real chicken with bones that has been curried. Very interesting. One time, I was making Chole for my son's school family feast. My daughter comes upto me and requests for chicken curry for lunch. What was I supposed to do? That's when the idea struck. I kept aside some of the masala ( sauce ) that I made for the Chole . I had some chicken marinated in the fridge. I sautéed the masala and then added the chicken to it and cooked it until 2 whistles. Voila chicken curry was ready. Towards the end another inspiration struck and I added some chick peas to it. My daughter doesn't like to eat chick peas. I figured, with the chicken she would eat and she sure did. That was how Chole chicken was born!

This combination however is really not that novel. In Bangladeshi and Pakistani cuisine, combining chickpeas with chicken is common place. I strongly suggest that you try for yourself and see. I promise you, you will not be disappointed! It is a great side dish that pairs wonderfully with any kind of rice, bread or flatbreads.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Garbanzo beans/Chick peas ( Kabuli Chana): One 10 oz can
( you could also use 1 cup dried chick peas soaked overnight and then cooked to required level of tenderness).
Chicken: 2 lbs, drumsticks/thighs
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Cooking oil: 1 + 1/2 tbsp
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Onion: 1 large, chopped.
Garlic: 3-4  small cloves, chopped fine
Ginger: 1 inch piece, chopped fine.
Green chillies: 4, chopped fine ( you can adjust as per individual spice level).
Tomato paste: 2 tbsp ( can also use 1 fresh medium sized tomatoes).
Chole masala: 1 tbsp ( I use Everest or MDH brands) ( If you don't have Chole masala, kindly use the spices suggested in the "cooking made easy" section).
Red chili powder: 1/4 tsp
Kasoori methi( dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tbsp
Salt: as per taste
Sugar: 1/4 tsp
Water: 1 cup
Chaat masala: 1/4 tsp ( I use Everest brand)( optional).
Cilantro ( coriander leaves): 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp, chopped.

Method:

Marinating the chicken:
Clean the chicken thoroughly and cut it into big pieces. Marinate it with lemon juice, salt, black pepper and turmeric powder and keep aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp cooking  oil in a sauté pan/ pressure pan. Add the garlic, ginger, sauté for a minute. Add in the chopped onions and sauté until the onions sweat. Add in the green chillies. If using fresh chopped tomato, you may add it now. If using tomato paste, DO NOT ADD at this stage. Once the fresh tomatoes wilt a little, turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down. Once cooled take it in a blender/food processor and pulse it to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Rinse and drain the chick peas and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil in the same pan. Add jeera( cumin seeds). Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground paste and the tomato paste ( if you have not used fresh tomatoes earlier). Sauté for 4-5mins on medium flame until the tomato paste starts leaving oil.Add the Chole masala powder, red chilli powder and mix well. Add the marinated chicken, kasoori methi, coriander leaves, salt, sugar, and mix well. Add 1 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil. If using the pressure cooker, cover the lid with the whistle on. Reduce the flame to
medium-low and cook until you hear 2 whistles. Turn of the flame. Do not open until all the pressure inside has been released.

If using a sauté pan,  cover and let it simmer until the chicken has cooked to the desired tenderness.

Garnish with coriander leaves and chat masala.

Serve hot with rice/bread/flat bread.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday, Saucy Saturday and Angie's Fiesta Friday where  Josette @ thebrookcook and Lily @ little sweet baker are co-hosts. I know I am a little late for the party but I was busy having a birthday party for my daughter.

Cooking made easy:

If you do not have Chole masala or Chana masala spice mix, just add ( for the above recipe):

3/4  tbsp coriander powder,
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

The Chana masala or the Chole spice mix has a lot more ingredients in it, but the above mix more than compensates for the mix. The most and best compliments I have received is when I made Chole/Chana masala without the spice mix and using the above substitutes. This and other experiences has over the years, now has me with minimal spice mixes in my kitchen cabinet. If you notice you basically need coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala in varied proportions in most dishes. So, why buy all the spice mixes and let them sit in your pantry??
Think about it.

Tip for healthy living:

Make your meals healthier by gradually increasing the proportion of protein, fruits and vegetables in your plate while reducing the proportion of rice/roti/ bread on it.

Food for thought:

Imagination is the eye of the soul. Joseph Joubert

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Blackened Chicken; Diabetes Friendly Thursday

Amongst the nonvegetarian people in this world, one of the most commonly consumed food group is chicken. One could cook chicken in a hundred million ways; healthy and unhealthy. While it comes to appetizers that involves chicken, often it is fried in oodles of oil. Does it have to be that way? Absolutely not!!! There are many ways that chicken could be cooked with zero oil and yet be absolutely delicious. The best method for it is to grill or bake the chicken. I love anything that is grilled or baked: vegetables, fish or chicken. This week the DFT team brings to you a variety of grilled and baked dishes that are healthy and delicious! My contribution to this event is one of my favorites: Blackened Chicken.

Creating Recipes with a Cause!
I am a proud DFT blogger. 

To learn about DFT, read this link. 

To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

One would wonder what it could be when one hears " Blackened Chicken". Has the chicken been burnt?? What exactly is blackened chicken?? Well, let me tell you this: this is one of my favorite recipes. There are some recipes that you revisit over and over again.. This is one of them. This is my blogger friend Ruchi Airen's recipe. I have made this before with boneless chicken which came out very well and serves as a great appetizer. You can find that recipe here. The pictures in that particular post are kind of sad.. I will update it one of these days when I find some time. Needless to say, I like to think that I have come a long way in terms of my pictures from where I began. I still am continuing to use my iphone for pictures for this blog without much editing. I do not think my schedule could handle the additional steps of using a DSLR camera!! If I  have been posting less often now, then you may rarely see me!! May be when my kids grow up or I have retired, I could start re-doing all the pictures on this blog!! :) Until then, please go ahead and enjoy the recipes.. Trust me.. they are fool proof even if I say so..
Coming back to the chicken in hand,the fun of eating spicy drumsticks is entirely different. The best way I could describe this to my non-Indian friends is that it looks and tastes more like Jerk Chicken.While Ruchi's recipe which you can find here, is cooked over the stove top, mine is a modification of the recipe in which there are only two steps: 1.marinate the chicken, 2. Throw it in the oven and forget about it until the timer dings!! How easy is that. This works perfect for parties when you are cooking several other items. Try this recipe for yourself and let me know. I am positive you will fall in love with it! You can grill it on an outdoor grill too..

Servings: 3-4 ( 1-2 pieces per serving).

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks or thighs: 2 lbs( 6 drumsticks/ thighs)
Ginger garlic paste:  1 tbsp
Soy sauce: 1 1/2 tbsp
Vinegar: 1 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala powder:2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp ( you can adjust the amount based on your spice level)

Method:

Clean the chicken thoroughly and make 3-4 slits in each drumstick for better marination. Add them to a big ziplock( plastic) bag.

Now add all the rest of the ingredients listed above to the ziplock( plastic) bag. Seal the bag and shake it nicely so that all the ingredients mix well with the chicken. Marinate it for at least 30 mins. I like to marinate mine overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Place the marinated chicken on a baking tray or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 mins or until the chicken is done, turning once in between.

Serve hot. You can serve it with some kind of dip if you prefer.I have served mine with peanut chutney/dip.

Enjoy! Iam bringing this to Angie's Fiesta Friday!! I love her fiestas and look forward to every Friday. Josette@thebrookcook and first time co-host Julie@hostessatheart are co-hosting this week. I am sure everyone will enjoy the healthy grilling options and recipes presented here.

Cooking made easy:

Whenever you have a gathering or party, plan the menu in such a manner that you have some items that can be made ahead of time like dips ; some items that need stove -top cooking and a few items that can be baked/grilled , like this blackened chicken which can be marinated almost a week earlier and left in the freezer. On the eve of the event, take it from the freezer and put it in the fridge so that it thaws. Then all you have to do it throw it in the oven  and leave it there until it is ready to be served. When I intend to keep the chicken in the oven for longer, I reduce the cooking temperature to 350 deg F.

Footnotes (Tip for healthy living):

Out of all the meats, chicken is healthier as it is white meat and low in fat.The fat content can be reduced even more by discarding the skin and fat layers before cooking. Since skinless chicken breast has only one gram of saturated fat per 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving, chicken offers an easy way to eat protein while keeping consumption of saturated fat to a minimum.Chicken is a great source of protein comprising of 8 of the essential amino acids.A serving of 100 grams (about three ounces) of cooked skinless, boneless breast has only one gram of saturated fat and less than four grams of total fat.100 grams of skinless, boneless breast has 31 grams of protein – more than half the recommended daily allowance of 46 grams of protein for an adult female.
A single three-ounce serving of chicken (an amount about the size of a deck of cards) provides more than half the protein recommended for a typical day.Chicken is also a good source of niacin (vitamin B3), which aids in metabolism; vitamin B6, important to immune system and blood sugar level maintenance; biotin (vitamin B7), which helps cell growth; and vitamin B12, which is involved in nerve cell and red blood cell maintenance. Chicken also contains iron (oxygen transport and cell growth) and zinc (immune system functioning and DNA synthesis).

Disclaimer:


I am not a nutritionist or dietitian. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietitian before making any changes to your diet.

Go ahead and grill away the summer with these delicious and healthy recipes from team DFT!

1 Sonal's Hibachi Tofu Steak.

2 Anupama's Grilled stuffed peppers

3 Shailja's Grilled summer vegetables.

4. Prachi's Grilled tandoori masala tikka

5. Chahat's Achari chicken tikka 

6. Vidhya 's Baked asparagus

8.Apsara's Grilled black bean veggie patties.

Food for thought:

An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe in it. Don Marquis