Cook once, enjoy many meals!
As a working mom, Heleen Meyer says she is constantly looking for creative ways to minimise time spent in a kitchen preparing supper, especially during the hotter months of the year. She says one sure way to make cooking easier is to spend a bit of time planning ahead. When she can manage to do some bulk-cooking, it makes all the difference. So, if you can plan a bit, have one recipe prepared that can be used in multiple ways, you are on the right (less hassled) track already.
Heleen’s recipe for roasted chicken is the perfect weekday supper. When she prepares this, she makes sure to put another chicken or extra portions in the oven, seeing that it’s already on. Having cooked chicken in your fridge is wonderful, as it can easily be turned into a variety of summer favourites. Then it’s so quick to whip up a summer chicken salad or add the chicken to wraps or pitas with some fresh ingredients. Even the ever-popular chicken mayo-sarmies are a breeze to assemble. Cooked chicken is also ideal to freeze for later. Just shred any extra chicken and divide it into the right portion sizes in suitable containers or bags and freeze for another meal. Heleen often turns leftover chicken into this delicious Thai chicken slaw recipe below – it’s so quick and easy and super tasty too!
The simple dressing has a lovely Thai twist, and the roasted flavour of the chicken is ideal in a salad like this. The slaw is so much more than just another coleslaw. Heleen uses traditional Thai satay-style flavours, like coconut milk, peanut butter and Thai red curry paste, which is absolutely divine together, but you can use a thick yoghurt instead of the coconut milk as well.
The colourful combination of veggies with chicken, pineapple, fresh coriander and nuts makes this salad a crunchy and refreshing meal – ideal for warmer days. So, prep ahead and reap your reward later in the week.
Thai chicken slaw
Recipe by Heleen Meyer
Serves 4 as a supper with enough chicken for another meal
Chicken
2 x whole chickens or 12-16 portions like thighs or drumsticks
60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
8-10 thin strips lemon rind, made with a veggie peeler
45 ml (3 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
200 ml strong Rooibos tea or chicken or vegetable stock
10-12 sprigs each rosemary and thyme
salt and pepper
Salad dressing
125 ml (½ cup) coconut milk or plain double-cream yoghurt, thinned with a splash of milk, if needed
20 ml (4 tsp) peanut butter
7,5 ml (½ tbsp) Thai red or yellow curry paste
5 ml (1 tsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
Slaw
½ each small white and red cabbage, finely shredded
¼ cucumber, cut into strips
2 carrots, coarsely grated
½ small pineapple, cubed
60 ml (¼ cup) cashew nuts or peanuts
1-2 handfuls fresh coriander leaves
1. Chicken: Preheat the oven 180 °C. Place chicken in a large oven dish. Mix all the seasonings together, pour over the chicken to coat well. Season to taste.
2. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked. Spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken halfway through the cooking time. (Portions will cook in just 40 minutes.) Enjoy it as a meal with side dishes and a salad of your choice.
3. Allow any remaining chicken to cool down and shred the meat from the bones.
4. Salad dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste.
5. Slaw: Toss the slaw ingredients together with half of the coriander leaves. Stir about 500 ml (2 cups) of the cooked chicken into the slaw mixture.
6. Drizzle the salad with some of the dressing. Serve with the remaining dressing and more coriander leaves and enjoy as a light meal.
For more recipes like this, visit Heleen's website http:heleenmeyer.co.za
Image by Adel Ferreira