meal prep

Coriander and lime chicken salad – Meal prep

January 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

Busy week? These meal prep salad bowls are bursting with flavour and would be a perfect choice to have for lunch!

Macronutrients – Carbs – 27g / Fat 35g / Protein 22g / Calories 499

Chicken Marinade ingredients
Large boneless chicken breasts x 2
Lime Juice – 5 x limes juiced (save 1)
Fresh coriander – 2 large handfuls chopped
Paprika – 2 teaspoons
Fresh minced garlic – 2 teaspoons
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper – ½ teaspoon
Cumin – 1 teaspoon
Chilli flakes – ½ teaspoon (optional)
Onion – ½ sliced finely
Cold water – 80ml

Salad dressing ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil – 8 x tablespoons
Honey – 1 1/2 tablespoons
Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon
Sea salt crystals – 2 teaspoons
Fresh coriander chopped – 2 tablespoon
Lime juice – 80ml (4-5 limes)
White wine vinegar – 60ml

Other ingredients
@Frylight – oil spray
Salad ingredients of your choice
Reduced fat hummus – 50g per bowl

Mix together all of the chicken marinade ingredients in a small bow. Slice the chicken breasts through the middle. You will then have 4 thin cutlets. Place in a food bag or bowl, then pour over the marinade and leave to marinate overnight or at least for 4 hours in the fridge.
Preheat a griddle pan or grill to a medium to low heat level, spray some oil spray then place the marinated chicken cutlets on the grill. Grill for a few minutes on each side until cooked through. Set to the side, squeeze over some lime juice and chopped coriander. Then cut the chicken into small cubes.
Add all the salad dressing ingredients into a jar, cover and then shake until the dressing is fully emulsified. Prep your chosen salad ingredients and portion the hummus into 4 x 50g portions.
Assemble your bowls with dressing, cooled chicken pieces, salad and then finally top with the hummus pots.

Turkey Breakfast Burritos – High Protein

January 22, 2024 Leave a Comment

These breakfast burritos are full of protein, taste delicious and are super easy to make for meal prep!

Recipe

5 x burrito servings

Macronutrients : Carbs 43g / Fat 21.5g / Protein 31.7g / Calories – 496

Ingredients

Tesco Turkey sausages : 8 x sausages/ (454g sausage meat)
Dried sage – 1 teaspoon
Onion powder – 1 teaspoon
Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon
Black pepper – ½ teaspoon
Fresh tomato salsa – 200g (1 small pot)
Baby spinach – 4 large handfuls
Eggs x 8
Mission tortilla wraps x 5
Frylight oil cooking spray
Avocado oil – 1 teaspoon
Hot sauce

Remove the skin casing from the turkey sausages. Place into a bowl then season with sage, onion powder, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Use your hands to combine the seasoning with the sausage meat. Saute in a pan with some oil spray until the sausage meat is crispy and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs and scramble in a medium heated pan with some avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper as a base. You can add extra seasonings and spice at this stage to suit your palate. Remove from the pan once the eggs are fluffy, then set aside to cool.
Once the eggs have completely cooled down, assemble the breakfast burritos and wrap with greaseproof paper or tin foil. You can pre wrap all the burritos in advance or make them throughout the week and store the ingredients in the fridge.
To reheat the wraps straight from the fridge, microwave for 2 minutes on a plate. Make sure you remove the foil/greaseproof paper before forehand. Then toast in a dry pan for a few minutes on each side to crisp up the tortilla wrap.
You could also reheat in an air fryer. Remove the foil/paper and air fry for 6 minutes at 180°C / 32°F

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls

June 15, 2021 Leave a Comment

This middle eastern spiced Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowl recipe is a healthy & delicious meal! Succulent air fried chicken marinated in a homemade shawarma spice mix, served with fresh salad, rice and hummus! You need to try this AMAZING recipe! Perfect for lunch, meal prep or even for dinner!

air fryer chicken shawarma in a bowl with salad rice and hummus

What is chicken shawarma

Chicken shawarma is chicken that has been marinated in the middle eastern, Lebanese shawarma spice mix. The chicken is most commonly grilled or added to a kebab rotisserie but this chicken shawarma rice bowl recipe works well in the air fryer too!

What do you serve with chicken shawarma

You can serve chicken shawarma with an array of accompanying dishes. I love to serve air fryer chicken shawarma in a rice bowl with hummus and salad. Shawarma is also often paired with garlic sauce as a flavourful creamy condiment. Here are some other popular ways to serve air fryer chicken shawarma:

Wraps
Sandwiches
Inside a pitta
Kebabs
Meal prep salad bowls

air fryer chicken thighs shawarma on a plate

NEED SOME MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION? – TRY OUT THESE AMAZING RECIPES TOO!

Where is chicken shawarma from

Chicken shawarma originates form the middle eastern country of Lebanon.

What is shawarma spice

Shawarma spice is the foundation seasoning that brings together shawarma marinades. The aromatic dried spice blend can be used to marinate chicken, lamb, and even fish and vegetables. Shawarma spice can be purchased but I like to make my own as it so easy to do and can be used for other dishes when batch made in bulk. Essentially all you need to do is mix the following ground spices to create shawarma spice. (Get the FULL recipe including measurements + cooking instructions at the bottom of this page)

Allspice
Black pepper
Cinnamon
Cumin
Cardamon
Ginger
Chilli powder
Ground nutmeg
Ground coriander

Is chicken shawarma healthy

Full of protein and healthier when air fried or grilled / barbequed, chicken shawarma is defiantly a healthy addition to your meal! It can be even healthier when using lean chicken breast fillets rather than thighs to reduce the amount of saturated fat per serving.

How to marinate chicken shawarma

To marinate chicken with shawarma, add chicken thighs to a large bowl, pour over the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and then mix. Once combined mix in shawarma dried spice until all the chicken pieces are fully coated in the marinade. At this stage you can marinate the chicken overnight for extra flavour or air fry straight away!

air fryer raw chicken shawarma in an air fryer basket

What temperature to cook chicken thighs in an air fryer

For tender juicy air fryer chicken thighs, I find they cook best at 170c / 340f.

How long to cook boneless chicken thighs in an air fryer

Boneless chicken thighs cook a lot quicker in the air fryer compared to when the bone is still inside the thigh. For the best results I like to air fry boneless chicken thighs for 18 minutes. If you unsure about whether chicken is cooked I highly recommend buying an affordable kitchen prob to confirm accurate internal temps of cooked food. The chicken should be 75c/167f or over in temperature once fully cooked.

How to make air fryer chicken shawarma thighs

Making chicken shawarma is quick and easy to do, once the chicken is marinated in the shawarma spice it’s placed into the air fryer basket to air fry until cooked!

air fryer chicken thighs shawarma in the basket

What is a rice bowl

A rice bowl is a combination of ingredients paired with rice, similar to a buddha bowl. They are usually great for lunch when topped with proteins, vegetables, hummus, sauces, seeds and salads.

How to make a rice bowl

To assemble a chicken shawarma rice bowl spread spoonful’s of hummus at the base of the bowl, add rice to the other side of the bowl, then top with sliced pieces of chicken shawarma and salad. You can also add your favourite dressing on top too! Garlic yogurt & chilli sauce works quite well with the shawarma flavours.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AN AIR FRYER

Air frying is such a great way of cooking food! The popular small counter top electric air fryer convection oven, mimics the process of “frying food” without having to deep fry in oil! Here are some of the top benefits of cooking with an air fryer;

Healthier – Air frying is a much healthier alternative to deep or shallow frying food. Up to 80% less fat can be achieved in certain air fried meals by using this cooking method rather than frying conventionally in oil.
Even cooking – Because the fan in an air fryer circulates at a high speed within a small space, food tends to crisp up quicker and cook evenly throughout.
Time efficient – Although some air fryers have a pre heat setting, air fryers generally heat up very quickly. Due to their size, cook times are substantially lower compared to an oven, which can take up to 15 minutes to pre heat fully and come up to temperature.
Easy to use – Using Air fryers is very easy and is a great kitchen tool for cooks that might not be as confident in the kitchen.
Saves space – As air fryers are small and portable, they are great for people who may not have access to a fully functioning kitchen. For example a college student or someone who lives in a studio apartment where you may not have access to a full size oven.
Versatility – Air fryers are probably the most versatile kitchen gadgets available. Not only can you air fry food, you can also bake, grill, toast, steam and roast ingredients in the air fryer.

WANT MORE AIR FRYER MEALS? – TRY OUT THESE AMAZING RECIPES TOO!

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls

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Author: Catherine
Total Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 8 x Thighs

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Chicken

Boneless chicken thighs – 8 x thighs

Shawarma spice

Allspice – ½ teaspoon
Ground black pepper – ½ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon – 1 x teaspoon
Ground cumin – 1 x teaspoon
Ground cardamon – 1/2 x teaspoon
Ground ginger – ½ teaspoon
Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
Ground nutmeg – 1 teaspoon
Ground coriander – ½ teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
Fresh lemon juice – 1 x Lemon
Fresh garlic minced – 2 x Cloves

Optional – Serve with;

Hummus
Rice
Salad
Garlic sauce, chilli sauce or dressings

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Air fryer prep: Preheat your air fryer
Making the shawarma spice: Add all the dry spices to a small bowl, mix and set aside
Marinating the chicken thighs: Add the boneless chicken thighs to a large bowl, pour over the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and the mix. Once combined add in all the homemade shawarma spice and mix again until all the chicken pieces are fully coated in the marinade. *
Air frying: Using a kitchen tong, place the marinated chicken thighs into the air fryer basket or tray. Make sure the thigh pieces are evenly spread out flat and do not overlap the chicken. Cook in batches if you have a smaller air fryer model. Air fry for 18 minutes at 170c / 340f until the chicken is cooked, the internal temperature should be 75c/ 167f or above, (I like to use a kitchen probe which you can buy on amazon)
Serve: Slice the chicken thighs and serve with rice, hummus and your favourite salad combo and dressings. You can also eat the chicken shawarma as wrap or with pitta bread!

Notes

You can marinate the chicken overnight for increased depth of flavour.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 18
Category: Chicken
Method: Air fryer
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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Baked Jerk Chicken and Halloumi Meal Prep Bowls

May 13, 2019 Leave a Comment

My Baked Jerk Chicken and Halloumi Meal Prep Bowls are packed full of flavors from the Caribbean! This light salad bowl is perfect for your lunch time meals.

This recipe is one of my favorite salad meal prep bowls! The succulent baked Jerk chicken combined with green salad leaves, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, couscous and grilled halloumi cheese are just an amazing combination that will have you digging back in for more!

What is in Jerk Chicken Sauce?

Jerk is a classic Caribbean method of marinating, most commonly with chicken. I’ve made this recipe supper quick by using a premade jerk chicken paste which you can get from most supermarkets or online, to save you time in the kitchen! I used the Dunns River Jamaican Jerk Seasoning for this recipe, however you can make your own marinade. Jerk marinades vary with so may varieties and family recipes. The Jerk marinade can either be made as a dry rub with dried spices or as a wet marinade with fresh ingredients which are blended in a food processor. I’ve listed some of the staple ingredients in a wet jerk marinade below;

Spring onions/ Scallion onions
Garlic cloves
Scotch bonnet chilli
Fresh root ginger
Fresh thyme
Cinnamon
Pimento seeds/Ground Allspice
Black pepper
Nutmeg
Dark brown sugar
Honey
Soy Sauce

…Ideally marinade the chicken thighs overnight in the Jerk marinade to ensure maximum flavor…

Can you bake Jerk chicken?

The answer is yes! In this recipe I baked the boneless chicken thighs in the oven within a Pyrex dish. This method creates succulent chicken pieces which you can pull part with a fork. The traditional method of cooking jerk chicken would be to BBQ to chicken on a coal grill lined with pimento wood. This adds a smokey flavor to authentic jerk chicken.

How to make my Baked Jerk Chicken & Halloumi Meal Prep Bowls?

Preheat your oven to 220°c, place your griddle pan to the stove and set to a medium heat. Fill and boil a kettle with water.
Add the Jerk paste, salt, BBQ sauce, chopped garlic, dried thyme, allspice, chopped spring onions and 100ml of cold water to a large bowl then mix. Place the boneless chicken thighs into a deep oven dish, pour over the marinade, mix well, cover with tin foil and then bake for 25 minutes. Once cooked remove from the oven, drain off the excess cooking sauce* into a bowl then pull the chicken thighs apart with two forks in an outward motion. Ideally marinade the chicken thighs overnight in the Jerk marinade to ensure maximum flavor, if you have time.
Add the couscous into a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot vegetable stock. Cover with cling film or a lid and leave for 5-10 mins until the couscous is soft. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, season with salt & pepper to taste.
Grill the sliced halloumi cheese on each side for 2-3 minutes
Once the chicken and halloumi cheese have cooled assemble your salad ingredients & into 4 meal prep bowls. I like to serve my jerk chicken bowls with hummus, salad dressing, fresh coriander/cilantro and a lime wedge for extra flavor and garnish.

Enjoy 🙂

Catherine x