Balanced Plate Series: Grilled Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce, Green Beans and Mash

This week is all about love and there’s nothing more important than self-love. Doing what we love, indulging in self pampering and eating nutritious and balanced meals are the love letters we write to ourselves. What is your idea of a healthy meal? Dal, roti, sabzi? Maybe a fresh salad, or just anything homemade? While they’re definitely not unhealthy, a truly balanced meal goes beyond just being wholesome or homemade. A well-rounded plate will include all the key macronutrients – carbs, fats, protein and fibre. So your healthy plate of two rotis, a small bowl of dal and some aloo sabzi might not be as balanced as you think. To fully nourish your body it’s important to keep things interesting and varied while also getting all the essential nutrients in every meal

Today’s recipe is made up of  grilled chicken which provides lean protein; green beans which are packed with fibre and vitamins; and mashed potatoes for some comforting carbohydrates. An antioxidant rich roasted red pepper sauce ties it all together. The final result looks like a restaurant quality dish but break it down and you’ll see just how easy each component is. 

Equipment

The simplest of dishes often require the best of equipment. Which is why we’re turning to the Ferro Cast Iron series for this recipe. They retain heat like no other pan and since they’re pre-seasoned, they’re far easier to use than traditional cast iron pans. They’re also compatible with most cooktops. The Pre-seasoned Ferro Light Cast Iron Grill Pan gave me the perfectly grilled chicken breast while the Ferro Light Cast Iron 20cm Pan left me with crunchy, garlicky green beans.

It’s amazing just how many things an air fryer can do. While I used to roast my red peppers on the gas, it was always a messy affair. Thanks to the Wonderchef Platinum Digital Airfryer’s rapid heat technology, the peppers are roasted more evenly. It also makes them softer and sweeter.  A huge added advantage is that you don’t have to monitor it. Once you roast the red peppers, stick them straight into your Nutri-blend CKM or Nutri-blend Smart with the rest of the ingredients for yet another unsupervised job. All it takes is the push of a button and my velvety smooth sauce is ready. 

Paired with my Garlic Lovers’ Mashed Potatoes, this recipe is the perfect gift to yourself. Healthy, yet decadent and a labour of love on a plate. Use this formula of protein, carbs and vegetables to make a variety of dishes. Swap the chicken for paneer or fish, the beans for any vegetable of your choice and the mashed potatoes for roast potatoes, rice or pasta. 

RECIPE CARD 

Serves: 2 

Time: 1hr

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade: 

2 Chicken Breasts

½ tsp Garlic Powder 

1 tsp chilli powder 

1 tsp Vegetable Oil 

½ tsp Lemon Juice 

Red Pepper Sauce: 

1 Red Pepper 

½ Onion

2 Garlic Cloves 

1 tsp Lemon Juice 

1 tsp Chilli Powder 

Handful Basil 

25g Feta 

¼ cup Water 

¼ tsp Salt 

Green Beans: 

100g Green Beans 

3 Garlic Cloves 

1 tsp Salt 

½ tsp Lemon Juice 

Method: 

1. Marinate Chicken with all the ingredients listed above for 30 minutes
2. Place the Ferro Cast Iron Grill on heat, brush with oil and let the pan heat on medium-low for 5 minutes. 
3. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken breast on it and cook for 5 minutes. When the chicken is ready, it should come clean off the pan. 
4. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is done. Rest for 10 minutes. 
5. Trim the ends of the green beans and microwave with a little water for 4-5 minutes. 
6. Add a little oil to the Ferro Light Cast Iron Pan and add minced garlic once hot. 
7. Once fragrant, add the green beans and saute for 4-5 minutes or until done to your liking. 

Red Pepper Sauce 

1. Slice a red pepper in half and remove the stem, seeds and membranes. 
2. Place cut side up in the Platinum Digital Air Fryer set at 200°C and cook for 6 minutes. 
3. Flip the peppers and add the onions and garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the skin of the peppers is crinkly and burnt in some areas. 
4. Remove the peppers and onions and place the peppers in a bowl and cover to steam. This will help in removing the skin. 
5. Remove the skin and add the peppers, onions, garlic and all ingredients listed above for the sauce into the Nutriblend Smart Blender Jar. Blend until Smooth. 

Serving 

1. Plate the chicken and green beans with some mashed potatoes and dollop spoonfuls of the red pepper sauce over the chicken. 
2. Enjoy!