Try our fuss-free ideas for laidback meals, including a jerk-spiced pilaf, schnitzel and sliders
Chilli chicken with peanut noodles
SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 8 mins EASY
2 nests wholewheat noodles
1 tbsp sugar-free peanut butter
½ lime, zested and juiced
1 tsp ground cumin
For the stir-fry
2 tsp rapeseed oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, (about 225g), all fat removed, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp ginger, cut into matchsticks
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely
chopped
175g long-stem broccoli, stems sliced on the angle, florets left whole
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
½ tsp tamari
1 Heat the oil in a wok and add all the stir-fry ingredients except the tamari. Toss over a high heat for 1 min, then cover, reduce the heat and cook for 5 mins more until the chicken is tender. Add the tamari to the wok and toss through.
2 Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a pan of boiling water for 5 mins. Drain, but reserve the water. Mix the peanut butter, lime juice and zest, cumin and 3 tbsp of the water, then toss with the noodles. Serve with the stir-fry.
PER SERVING 437 kcals • fat 12g • saturates 2g • carbs 42g • sugars 7g • fibre 9g • protein 36g • salt 1.0g
Turkish-style kebabs with tomato chilli sauce
You can marinate the meat the day before griddling, plus you can cook skewers individually if some of the family need to eat at separate times.
SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating COOK 10 mins EASY
2 garlic cloves
200g Greek-style yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp tomato purée
2 tsp each crushed chilli flakes and sumac
4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
300g baby plum tomatoes
1 thumb-sized red chilli, stem removed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
To serve
4 flatbreads
long pickled chillis (guindillas)
a handful each of fresh coriander and
flat-leaf parsley
1 Crush 1 garlic clove and mix with 3 tbsp yogurt, the lemon juice, 1 tsp tomato purée, half the spices, and some seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, toss, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr or overnight.
2 To make the chilli sauce, put 100g of the tomatoes, the whole red chilli, the remaining spices, garlic clove and tomato purée, plus 1 tbsp olive oil, half the red onion and the pomegranate molasses in a food processor. Add some seasoning and blitz until puréed, then set aside.
3 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and heat a griddle pan. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers or wooden ones that have been soaked in
