BBQ’d Marinated Chicken Skewers & Coronation Picnic Naans
It’s time to get the barbecue fired up and get ready for some alfresco eating!
Here are two delicious and healthy barbecue and picnic chicken recipes ideas from the Foods Standards Agency, created following a recent survey revealing chicken as Britain’s favourite barbecue meat.
Bangers and burgers are less popular this year as more than a third (35%) of people named chicken as their top pick.
BBQ’d Marinated Mini Chicken Fillets
These flavour-packed mini chicken fillets are marinated in lime juice, soy sauce and chilli, then threaded onto skewers and served with salad and barbecued vegetables.
Serves 4 | Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating | Cooking time: 15 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED:
500g mini chicken fillets
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 courgettes, sliced diagonally
2 peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
Mixed salad leaves and cherry tomatoes, to serve
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice or white wine vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
WHAT TO DO:
Put the mini chicken fillets into a glass or plastic bowl (avoid using a metal one as the lime juices might react to it) and add the olive oil, soy sauce, chilli sauce, lime zest and lime juice. Season with a little salt and pepper. Toss together, then cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak 12 wooden kebab sticks in hot water (this helps to prevent them from burning). Otherwise, use metal skewers.
When ready to cook, preheat the barbecue or grill. Thread the chicken fillets onto the kebab sticks or skewers.
Cook the kebabs on the barbecue or under the grill for 10-12 minutes, turning them occasionally and basting with the marinade. At the same time, barbecue or grill the courgettes and peppers, brushing them first with a little olive oil.
Check that each kebab is fully cooked by inserting a clean sharp knife into the chicken – meat should be steaming and juices should run clear with no trace of pink juices. If there are, cook for a few more minutes and check again with a clean knife.
For the dressing, mix together the olive oil, lime juice or vinegar and mustard. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the chicken kebabs with the vegetables, salad and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with the dressing.
Cook’s tips:
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It’s very important to make sure that chicken is cooked the whole way through – check that meat is cooked thoroughly, steaming hot and the juices run clear!
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After handling raw chicken, wash your hands and any utensils used in hot soapy water, and clean all surfaces thoroughly.
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Cook marinades thoroughly if you intend to use them as a glaze or sauce.
Coronation Chicken Mini Naans
Bring a breath of fresh air to picnics and alfresco eating with this tasty Indian-inspired chicken recipe – made with chunks of cooked chicken mixed with mayonnaise, plain yogurt and curry powder, served on mini naan breads.
Serves 4 | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: None
WHAT YOU NEED:
300g skinless roast chicken breasts
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp low fat plain yogurt
1 tsp medium curry powder
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
8 mini naan breads
80g young spinach leaves or mixed salad leaves
8 radish, finely sliced
1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Coriander sprigs, to garnish
Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken breasts into even-sized chunks. Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder and coriander in a bowl, then stir in the chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper, then cover and chill until ready to serve.
Top the naan breads with a few spinach leaves or mixed salad leaves and share the chicken mixture between them. Add some sliced radishes and chopped red or yellow pepper.
Serve, garnished with chopped coriander.
Cook’s tip: ALWAYS keep cooked chicken cold when you buy it, bringing it straight home and refrigerating immediately. Keep any leftovers chilled and use within 2 days.
