If you make your own spice mix for the Cajun Chicken you instantly have a sugar free meal, whoop! As part of my healthy living diet I am experimenting with new recipes. This recipe is one such experimentation that ended up being an instant family favourite. Simply combine a bunch of spices to marinate the chicken, bung it in the oven while you whip up some quinoa with fresh vegetables, finish it all off with a squeeze of lemon and loads of fresh coriander. The result is a fresh, tasty meal that is healthy and surprisingly filling.
I have been a little late to the quinoa (apparently it’s pronounced kee-wah) bandwagon but after some research I figured it was pretty similar to couscous, just a different type of grain. And as we are avoiding wheat as much as possible at the moment, this is a happily non-bloaty alternative. The taste of quinoa is bit earthy, so it works best if flavoured with your favourite herbs of spices. For me, lemon and coriander are a perfect pair. Coupled with the sweetness of the peppers and sugarsnap peas and you have a wonderful balance flavours.
Cajun Chicken with Lemon and Coriander Quinoa (serves 5)
6 Chicken Breast, each breast sliced into 4 strips then halved
Olive Oil, drizzle
Cajun spice mix
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic granules
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 tsp coconut oil
pinch salt
3 peppers, yellow and green, diced
bag of sugar snap peas, chopped
1tsp lazy garlic or 1 crushed garlic clove
freshly ground pepper
1/2 lemon, juice only
handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
200g quinoa, cooked
400ml chicken stock
- Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with foil.
- Drizzle the tray with olive oil.
- Bung the chicken strips onto the tray and sprinkle half the cajun spice. Use your hands to toss the chicken so the oil and spices are rubbed in nicely. Add a little more cajun seasoning if necessary. Then spread the chicken across the whole tray so none are overlapping.
- Place in the middle to top of the oven and bake for at least 25 minutes.
- Cook the quinoa according to the packet instruction and using stock instead of plain water.
- In a large frying pan or wok heat half the coconut oil and fry the onion on low for a good 10-15 minutes until soft and starting to turn golden.
- Add the peppers and cook for another 3 minutes or so before adding the sugarsnap peas. Turn the heat to medium and stir fry for about 7 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and keep the heat low. Keep stirring. Add more coconut oil if necessary, you want the vegetables to be shiny.
- When the vegetables are starting to catch fluff up the quinoa with a fork and tip into the vegetable pan. Stir well. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add a good pinch of salt and lots of ground black pepper.Just before serving stir through 3/4 of the fresh coriander.
- Serve the cajun chicken with the vegetable quinoa and sprinkle with the remaining coriander.
Enjoy!