Quick Dinner Recipes | RecipeTin Eats

Lemon garlic salmon tray bake – easy & healthy!

Nagi — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 06:13:43 +0000

This is a tasty salmon tray bake recipe that’s as simple as it is healthy. Salmon is slathered with an assertive lemon garlic paste that adds a stack of flavour, then cooks in just 11 minutes alongside parmesan asparagus and blistered cherry tomatoes. Sheet pan oven dinner. No stove splatter – yay!

Lemon garlic salmon tray bake

I am a little fussy about baked salmon recipes because a pale, colourless salmon fillet just doesn’t rock my boat. Give me caramelisation! A sticky glaze! A crunchy crust!

Thus, I tend to default to the stove. Also, crispy salmon skin. Yessss!

But for those days when I want to keep things simple – no stove splatter, no separate vegetable side – this salmon recipe is one I’ve made repeatedly over the past year. The secret is a bold lemon garlic slather-marinade. I know the word “slather” is not the most flattering, but that’s what this is and that’s what makes this oven salmon so tasty. It infuses the flesh with flavour but it’s also thick enough to stick to the surface of the salmon so it adds plenty of flavour even if you don’t have an hour to marinade.

Lemon garlic marinade-slather

Parmesan asparagus and cherry tomatoes cooked on the same tray

Also – proof of moist flaky flesh. ⬇️ No overcooked dry salmon in pursuit of surface browning!

Ingredients

Here’s all you need to make this salmon tray bake.

The salmon and marinade-paste

Salmon – It doesn’t matter if it’s skinless or skin on as the paste isn’t slathered on the underside. The skin won’t go crisp so if this bothers you, just eat the flesh off the skin. There’s enough paste to use for 4 fillets up to 200g/7oz. The standard serving size is 180g/6 oz of salmon per person. Substitute: recipe also works perfectly with trout.
Dijon mustard – This thickens the marinade into a paste that sticks to the salmon as well as adding a little mustard tang. You can’t really taste it, to be honest.
Garlic – The garlic cloves are grated finely so they almost dissolve into the paste. I prefer this to finely chopping so you don’t get little burnt lumps on the salmon, though if you don’t have a microplane or fine grater then just really finely mince the garlic.
Lemon – We’re using both the zest and juice. Zest for actual lemon flavour, and juice for tang. (Because lemon juice really is mostly just sour, most of the lemon flavour is in the zest).
Oil – Helps give the salmon colour.
Salt and pepper – Fish likes salt! Don’t shortchange yourself.

The vegetables

I’m using asparagus and cherry tomatoes because they cook in the same time as the salmon. Try to use thicker asparagus, else it will get a little too soft. If you can only find thin ones, consider adding them onto the tray partway through the cook time.

Asparagus – No need to trim the asparagus with a knife! Did you know the ends will naturally break at the point where the woody end is. Try it, it totally works! (But not with limp old ones).
Cherry tomatoes – Well, grape tomatoes actually! I use one standard punnet (200g/7 oz).
Salt, pepper and olive oil – For seasoning.
Parmesan – For showering at the end. Instant face lift!

Alternative vegetables – Anything that can cook in the same time as the salmon, such as green beans or thin broccolini (split thick ones in half lengthwise). I love how the florets go crunchy!

How to make this Lemon Garlic Salmon Tray Bake

It may become my mission in life to create more recipes that require only FOUR step photos.

(Though, we both know it’s not going to happen. I’ll get bored. I need to throw in challenges every now and then!!)

Lemon garlic slather – Mix the lemon garlic paste ingredients together then slather onto the surface and side of the salmon. Use all the paste – there should be just enough to coat all the surface. No point doing the underside, it will just sweat off.
Marinade for 1 hour if time permits, the flavour will infuse the flesh. If not, proceed to the next step (the paste has a lot of flavour so it will compensate for not marinating).
Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Prepare tray – Put the salmon on the tray with a bit of space between each one. Arrange the vegetables around it. Spray the salmon with oil.
Oven grill / broil for 11 minutes or until the salmon is cooked. The flesh should flake, and if you’re being accurate (which I like to be), the internal temperature should be 50°C/122°F for optimum juiciness.* Also by this time the asparagus will be cooked and the tomatoes will be wrinkled and some will have appealing charred spots.
To serve – Transfer the salmon and vegetables onto plates. Grate parmesan over the vegetables, squeeze lemon over everything, sprinkle with parmesan if using then dig in!

* 50°C/122°F pull temp out of the oven is optimum juiciness for salmon, the default to which chefs and restaurants cook to. It will rise to 53°C/127.4°F after resting for 3 minutes which is medium rare. For medium, pull at 60°C/140°F, it will rise to 63°C/145.4°F after resting. A little more done and slightly less juicy

There you go! Nice and simple. Tasty. Healthy. No greasy stove splatter to deal with. (Let’s ignore the periodical oven clean we all like to pretend doesn’t need to happen).

I usually just toast bread and add that to the plate for the starch quota, to fill out the meal and smear with the charred burst tomatoes. Though if I’m trying to “be healthy” I increase the volume of vegetables on the tray, skip the carbs, then do my very very best not to stick my hand in the cookie jar later that evening…. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Lemon garlic salmon tray bake – easy & healthy!

Recipe video above. A tasty salmon tray bake recipe that's as simple as it is healthy. Salmon infused with an assertive lemon garlic marinade cooks in just 11 minutes alongside parmesan asparagus and blistered cherry tomatoes. No stove splatter – yay!

Green beans would also work great, or thin broccolini stems (and the florets go crunchy!). Shower with parmesan and squeeze of lemon for an easy finishing touch.

Course Main

Cuisine Western

Keyword baked salmon, broiled salmon, easy salmon recipe, sheet pan recipe, tray bake recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 11

Optional marinading time 1

Servings

Calories 364cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

4 x 180g/6 oz salmon fillets , skin on or off, doesn't matter (Note 1)

Marinade slather:

1 tsp lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard (Note 2)
2 garlic cloves , grated using microplane (Note 3)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Vegetables (optional):

3 bunches asparagus , woody ends snapped or trimmed off (Note 4)
200g/ 7 oz cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes, 1 Aussie punnet)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Cooking & serving:

Olive oil spray
Parmesan , finely grated
Lemon wedges or slices , optional
Parsley , finely chopped, optional
Crusty bread or toast , for serving

Instructions

Lemon garlic paste – Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Slather onto the top and sides of the salmon. If time permits, marinade for 1 hour. Otherwise, proceed with recipe.
Preheat oven grill / broiler to 280°C/525°F or as high as yours goes. Place the oven shelf 20 cm /8" from the heat source.
Prepare tray – Toss the asparagus and cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a large tray then clear space for the salmon. Place salmon on the tray leaving a bit of space between each. Spray surface of salmon with oil.
Cook – Grill/broil for 11 minutes or until the salmon is done – the flesh should flake, the internal temperature should be 50°C/122°F (Note 5).
Serve – Transfer salmon and vegetables to plate. Grate parmesan over the vegetables. Squeeze lemon juice over the salmon, sprinkle with parsley. Eat!

Notes

1. Salmon – the skin won’t go crisp so if this bothers you, just eat the flesh off the skin. Recipe also works perfect with trout, direct sub.

2. Dijon – This thickens the rub into a paste that sticks to the salmon.

3. Garlic – Grating finely makes it mix into the paste better than finely chopping so you don’t get little burnt lumps.

4. Asparagus – Ends will naturally break at the point where the woody end is. Try it, it totally works! (But not with limp old ones)

5. Internal cooked temperature for salmon:

Medium rare – pull out at 50°C/122°F which will rise to 53°C/127.4°F after resting which is medium rare. This is the optimum point of juiciness and level of doneness chefs/restaurants will cook to by default.
Medium – pull at 60°C/140°F, will rise to 63°C/145.4°F after resting. A little more done and slightly less juicy.

6. Freezing tip – Slather salmon then freeze in a container with space around each piece, or freeze unwrapped until the surface is hard, then wrap. Then reverse for thaw – unwrap and thaw uncovered. That way you won’t lose any precious paste off the salmon skin. No need to marinate before freezing – that will happen as the salmon thaws.

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Nutrition per serving for the salmon and vegetables.

Nutrition

More salmon recipes

Asian Glazed Salmon

Honey Garlic Salmon

Garlic Butter Salmon recipe

Poached Salmon in Coconut Lime Sauce

Brown Sugar Broiled Salmon

Lemon Honey Glazed Salmon

Marinated Grilled Salmon

Sesame Crusted Salmon

Salmon Salad with Asian Ginger Sesame Dressing

Salmon

Life of Dozer

Giant bone. Dozer likes our new butcher.

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One pot chicken risoni with crispy salami

Nagi — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:11:21 +0000

This is a cosy chicken risoni (orzo) that’s a complete one pot meal: risoni in a creamy tomato parmesan sauce with swirls of spinach and pops of nutty chickpeas with juicy pan seared chicken breast, sprinkled liberally with crispy salami bits. Describing the dish is lengthy. The making part is not!

One pan creamy tomato chicken risoni with crispy salami

This dish came into existence because I had a stick of salami left in the fridge and wanted to make a dinner out of it. I did end up going to the grocery store for chicken and baby spinach and risoni, but that’s not the point! *She declares insistently* 😂

The point is that I always feel like salami is an overlooked ingredient in cooking and I wanted to use it in a dinner. If you take the time to think about it (and these are the sort of things I fall asleep dreaming about), it’s got the same characteristics as bacon and chorizo: salty, fries up crispy, and makes everything better. Bonus: it doesn’t spit fiery little bits of fat on your arms when you cook it (I’m glaring at YOU bacon!).

So, today’s recipe started with salami. And ended with a risoni in a creamy tomato-parmesan sauce with spinach and nutty pops of chickpeas stirred through, topped with juicy slices of seasoned chicken.

It’s very cosy, very easy, very delicious, and very much a crowd-pleaser that everybody will love.

What you need for this One Pan Chicken Risoni

Here’s what you need to make today’s chicken risoni.

Seasoned chicken

This combination of spices adds a nice savoury flavour to the chicken as well as giving it a warm red tinge. Don’t worry if you don’t have sage, just leave it out. I know it’s not a pantry staple for most people, though if you’ve made my homemade pork sausage patties you should find it in the dark corners of your pantry. (Or homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffins, the pork seasoning mix or chicken burger, for that matter.)

The creamy tomato risoni

The hero ingredient here is the salami which we fry up golden and crispy, then use the fat that renders out to cook the chicken and the risoni sauce. Win, win, win!

Salami – I use a stick of salami so it can be cut into chunky batons. Fries up crispy on the outside with a decent meaty bite to it. Pre-sliced salami will also work but you’ll have a larger volume and they will be crispier, because the slices are thinner. Not a bad thing, and handy because no need to peel the paper off the salami and half the chopping has already been done for you. Substitute with streaky bacon or chorizo. Both have similar frying-up and eating qualities!
Risoni – Also called orzo, small rice-shaped pasta. Find it in the pasta aisle. I like it because it’s small so it cooks quickly, it’s easier to use in one-pot dishes than larger pastas, and there’s no need to rest it after cooking like rice. You’ll need 250g/8oz which is half a standard size 500g/1lb packet. Use the other half for any of these risoni/orzo recipes!
Chickpeas – I added the chickpeas on a whim to add some textural interest and some lovely nutty flavour. It’s also got more nutritional value than risoni pasta (more fibre, protein and it’s low GI) and it takes no effort to crack open a can – so why wouldn’t we? Substitute with other beans or just leave them out.
Chicken stock/broth – The risoni cooking liquid, else the sauce and risoni is bland. Vegetable stock works well too. I use store bought, but if you use homemade chicken or vegetable stock, I will beam with pride!
Cream – Just 3/4 of a cup which we stir in at the end for a creamy touch. Because we’re not relying on the cream to thicken the sauce (the starch in the risoni takes care of this for us), feel free to use low fat cream or evaporated milk.
Parmesan – This adds a hit of savoury flavour into the sauce. It doesn’t make it cheesy.
Baby spinach or kale – For stirring in at the end. Our veg quota!
Garlic and onion – Aromatic flavour base.

Optional extras

Here are optional extras to add into the recipe, if you have them. Don’t make a special trip to the store. Explanation below!

I added these in the first time I made this risoni because I had them and they needed using up: a few limp stems of basil, an aging jar of sun dried tomatoes and wine (well, this was always going to be used up – in cooking or otherwise!). Wine for deglazing the pan, sun dried tomatoes stirred into the risoni and basil for sprinkling.

Then the second time, I didn’t have them, and the dish was still super, super delicious.

While there’s no denying that they add even more to the dish, I consider these optional extras. Don’t go out especially to buy them. Just use them if you’ve got them!

How to make this one-pan chicken risoni

Heads up: this is not the first time I have fried up salami in a recipe and it will not be the last! Try it once and I wager you will be hooked too.

Season chicken – Split each chicken breast in half horizontally so you have 4 thin steaks in total. Thinner = cooks through more evenly (no dry outer band). Mix the spice mix together then sprinkle on each side of the chicken.
Crispy salami – Start off by cooking the salami until crispy and golden. This takes about 2 – 3 minutes over medium high heat. Remove into a paper towel lined bowl using a slotted spoon to leave the salami fat in the pan. We’re going to use this to cook the chicken – free flavour!
ℹ️ You need a pan large enough to hold in the liquid to cook the risoni, at least 26cm/10.5″ wide. I use a 30cm/12″ non-stick pan that is 7cm / 2.8″ deep. I have this Pyrolux one (Australian store, not an affiliate link). I especially like it because it comes with a lid.

Sear chicken – In the same pan, cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until deep golden and cooked through. The internal temperature should be 67°C/153°F. It will rise to 71°C/160°F after resting. Remove the chicken onto a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Sauté & deglaze – Still in the same pan (one pot cooking, remember!), sauté the onion and garlic. Then deglaze* the pan using the white wine (if using, it’s optional), simmering rapidly until almost evaporated.

*This means dissolving the tasty gold bits left on the base of the pan from searing the chicken and salami into the wine. It’s free flavour and will make our sauce tastier!

Add everything else – Cook off the tomato paste for 1 minute, just to take the raw sour edge off it. Then stir to coat the risoni in the tomato paste, add the stock, chickpeas, salt and pepper.
Cook 8 minutes – Bring to a simmer, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute, until the risoni is just about cooked. At first, the stove should be on medium high so the liquid is simmering. But as the stock is absorbed and the mixture gets thicker, lower the heat to medium so the base doesn’t catch. The mixture should be fairly oozy, but don’t worry if yours is a little thick as the cream will loosen it up.
Cream + wilt spinach – Add the cream, parmesan, sun dried tomatoes (if using) and spinach. Stir until the spinach is wilted. The risoni should still be beautifully oozy.
Serving – Cut the chicken into thick slices. Spoon the risoni into bowls, top with chicken, crispy salami, sprinkle of extra parmesan and basil (if using). Then dig in!
(The alternative option is to serve it help-yourself style on a big platter: risoni topped with chicken, sprinkled with salami, parmesan and basil)

Yum. I love recipes like this. Just something that I made up on the fly one day, perhaps an unusual combination of ingredients (salami + risoni + chickpeas??).

But it just works. It’s easy to make. It’s 100% delicious and the sort of food that everybody loves!

I hope you give it a go. Let me know what you think if you do! – Nagi xx

PS OK, maybe not everybody. Not low-carbers and not gluten-free. Not vegetarians, vegans, those on low-gi or lactose free diets. But saying “this is the sort of food non-dieters without food allergies love!” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 😂

Watch how to make it

One pot chicken risoni with crispy salami (orzo)

Recipe video above. Risoni – also known as orzo – in a creamy tomato parmesan sauce with juicy slices of seasoned chicken and lots of awesome crispy bits of golden salami! The better bacon – bolder flavour, and it doesn't spit when you're cooking it. The addition of chickpeas adds a soft nutty crunch and another layer of texture to this one-pan wonder that's a cosy bowl of deliciousness! Total crowd pleaser.

Course Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword chicken and risoni, One Pot Dinner, one pot risoni, orzo recipe

Prep Time 15

Servings – 5 people

Calories 623cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1/2 tbsp olive oil
100g/ 3 oz salami stick , cut into 3mm / 1/8″ thick rounds then chopped into small batons (Note 1)
2 x 250g / 8 oz chicken breasts (large), each cut in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks (Note 2)

Chicken spice mix:

1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sage powder (optional)

Creamy tomato parmesan risoni (orzo):

2 garlic cloves , finely minced
1/2 onion , finely chopped
1/4 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine , optional (Note 3)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/4 cups risoni/orzo , uncooked (Note 4)
400g / 14 oz canned chickpeas , drained (or other beans)
3 cups chicken stock , low sodium (or veg stock)
1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup thickened / heavy cream (low-fat ok)
1/3 cup parmesan , finely grated (I use store bought sandy type)
150g/ 5 oz baby spinach (or 4 cups kale pieces)
1/3 cup sun dried tomato , chopped (optional) (Note 5)

Optional garnish

2 tbsp roughly chopped basil (optional) (Note 5)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Spice Mix – Mix the ingredients in a small bowl then sprinkle both sides of the chicken.
Crispy salami – Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Cook the salami for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until crispy and golden. Remove into a paper towel lined bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving the tasty salami fat in the pan.
Cook chicken – In the same pan, cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until dark golden and just cooked through (internal temperature 67°C/153°F). Remove onto a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Sauté – Still on medium high, cook the garlic and onion for 1 1/2 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the wine and let it simmer rapidly for a couple of minutes until mostly evaporated, stirring to dissolve the fond (gold bits) on the base of the pan into the wine.
Risoni (orzo) – Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute to cook out the sour raw flavour. Add the risoni and stir to coat in the tomato paste. Add the chickpeas, chicken stock, salt, pepper.
Simmer – Bring to a simmer, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the risoni is just about cooked. Lower the heat to medium as it gets thicker so the base doesn't catch.
Cream & spinach – Add the cream, parmesan, spinach and sun dried tomatoes (if using). Stir until the spinach is wilted then remove from the heat. The risoni should be oozy and tender. (Still firm? Note 6)
Finish – Cut the chicken into thick slices. (Bit cool? Note 7) Spoon risoni into bowls. Top with the chicken, sprinkle with lots of crispy salami, parmesan and basil (if using). Dig in!

Notes

1. Bacon and chorizo will both provide similar flavour pops in this dish as well as tasty oil to cook the chicken in.

2. Chicken – Skinless, boneless chicken thighs or tenderloins can also be used, around 500 – 600g / 1 – 1.2lb.

3. Wine – Deglazing the pan with wine adds a slight edge of extra flavour. But it’s still very tasty without.

4. Risoni (aka orzo) – Small rice shaped pasta, find it in the pasta aisle. You’ll need half a standard 500g/1 lb packet, use the rest for another risoni recipe! Rice etc – Recipe as written won’t work with rice, quinoa or dried beans. However, it should work with other very small pasta, like alphabet or star pasta.

5. Basil and sun dried tomatoes – these do add an extra sparkle to this dish but don’t make a special trip to the store for either because it’s 100% great without. I only added them because I had an aging jar of sun dried tomatoes in the fridge and a few limp stalks of basil that needed using.

6. Risoni not cooked? Add a splash of hot water and keep cooking. Risoni is so tiny, it cooks really quickly.

7. Warming chicken – If the chicken has cooled a bit too much for your taste, plonk it on top of the risoni and leave it for 30 seconds to warm through. Then take big scoops of risoni + chicken to serve into bowls.

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Pasta is not the best for freezing but it does work (3 months). The risoni is really tasty to eat even without the chicken.

Nutrition per serving. It’s a generous amount!

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

2024 is treating Dozer well. Other than a little social media blunder when I captioned the below photo “Dozer wants my thongs!”, in response to which many people laughingly pointed out that thongs means something different in other parts of the world…….!! Google thongs garment if you are a pure soul like me (though I do have horns).

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Qeema – Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince

Nagi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:26:28 +0000

This is an authentic Indian curried beef mince recipe called Qeema (or keema or kheema). It’s a gem of a find because it tastes incredible but unlike many Indian dishes, there are no hard-to-find spices in the ingredients. And it’s super fast – on the table in 20 minutes!

Qeema – Quick & Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince

This recipe is an excellent way to get an Indian food fix without having to hunt down hard-to-find Indian spices.

It’s also an excellent way to change up your usual rotation of beef mince recipes. Spag Bol, we love you, but sometimes it’s nice to try something new!!

And new this is. You probably haven’t seen Qeema on Indian restaurant menus because it’s a home cooking meal. But blimey, it’s a great find! 100% legit Indian flavours, 7 minute prep, 13 minute cook. Get all the spices from regular grocery stores – turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper.

What you need for Qeema

The key to achieving the bold, authentic Indian curried beef flavour in this quick ‘n easy recipe is a good amount of fresh garlic and ginger, and a generous amount of ground spices.

Here’s what you need:

Beef mince – That’s ground beef to those of you in the States! I’m using lean today, but regular is fine (fattier – juicier). I also made this recipe a few years ago using chicken mince which was terrific.
Fresh garlic and ginger – Key to flavour in this otherwise simple Indian dish, so don’t skip these.
Spices – Garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. You can get all these at regular grocery stores here in Australia. Garam masala is an Indian spice mix which I tell people is the “better curry powder” because it tastes more legit, whereas the curry powders you get at regular grocery stores are very Westernised.
Fresh coriander/cilantro for garnish. (Skip if you’re not a coriander fan).
Green cayenne pepper (optional garnish) – This is for garnish, and it adds fresh chilli flavour without much spiciness because cayenne peppers are not that spicy. But it’s entirely optional, so feel free to omit!

How to make Qeema

Sauté – Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until golden, don’t let it burn! Add onion and cook for 1 minute until it is starting to turn translucent.
Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from pink to light brown. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT water. Cook for a further 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
Cook 10 minutes – Add water, give it a stir, then put a lid on (or cover with a baking tray if you don’t have a lid for your pan). Turn heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated, but still a bit juicy.
Serve over with basmati rice or plain white rice, garnished with extra chilli and coriander/cilantro, and lots of Mint Yogurt. Naan or flatbreads would make it even better, though if time is not your friend, try frozen roti (pictured in post, more on this below the photo).

What to serve with Qeema

Serve over basmati rice and mint yogurt or plain yogurt (recipe below for mint yogurt). Then mix up the beef into the rice so it flavours the rice, then dig in!

It’s also pictured above with flaky, buttery roti which I stuffed with the Qeema and rice. Not homemade. I always have a stash of frozen ones which you can get at regular grocery stores. I love them because they can be cooked from frozen in a few minutes – how good is that! Ideal to use for any and all Indian / South East Asian saucy foods, like curries.

Though, if I have the time (or foresight to plan in advance), you can’t beat homemade naan. 😊

For vegetable sides, try one of these:

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Raita Dressing
South Indian Carrot & Cabbage Salad with Coconut is fresh and popping with flavours – love the coconut flavour in this!
Give this Everyday Cabbage Salad an Indian spin by sautéing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients.

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing

Cabbage & Carrot Thoran-style Indian Salad

Everyday Cabbage Salad

I really hope you try this Qeema recipe, the flavour is so authentic! Something a little different to make with that packet of beef mince you threw in your shopping trolley on the weekend. – Nagi x

recipe credit

This Qeema recipe is very slightly adapted from this Authentic Indian Minced Meat Qeema recipe from Scrambled Chefs. I just spied a 5 Ingredient Indian Potato Curry and this Chicken Curry has just jumped to the top of my Must Try list!

Watch how to make it

Qeema Indian Curried Beef

An authentic Indian spiced ground (minced) beef recipe known as Qeema (or keema or kheema). This is a gem of a recipe because it tastes incredible but unlike many Indian dishes, there are no hard-to-find spices in the ingredients. And it's super fast – on the table in 20 minutes!

Serve over basmati rice. Great with plain yogurt, even better with Mint Yogurt.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beef mince curry, curried beef, queema

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 255cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil , or other neutral oil
4 tsp ginger , finely mince
5 large garlic cloves , minced (about 4 tsp)
1 large onion , finely diced
500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder (pure, not US chili powder spice mix), omit for not spicy
1 1/4 tsp garam masala (Note 1)
1 1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup water

Garnish

1 green cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely sliced
Cilantro/coriander leaves
Plain yogurt or Mint yogurt (below)

Mint yogurt (optional, pictured in post)

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup (lightly packed) mint leaves
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Instructions

Sauté – Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until golden, don't let it burn! Add onion and cook for 1 minute until it is starting to turn translucent.
Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from pink to light brown. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT water. Cook for a further 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
Cook 10 minutes – Add water, give it a stir, then put a lid on (or cover with a baking tray). Turn heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.
Serve over with basmati rice or plain white rice, garnished with extra chilli and coriander/cilantro, and lots of Mint Yogurt. Naan or flatbreads would make it even better, though if time is not your friend, try frozen roti (pictured in post, Note 3).

Mint yogurt

Blitz then stir – Put just 1/4 cup of the yogurt with the mint leaves and salt in a jug just big enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until mint is very finely chopped. Then stir in remaining yogurt. (Note 4) Refrigerate until required.

Notes

Recipe credit – very slightly adapted from this Indian Queema Minced Beef by Scrambled Chefs.

1. American “Chili Powder” is not pure ground chilli, it contains other spices like paprika and is not very spicy. This recipe calls for pure ground chilli for spiciness, or cayenne pepper.

2. Garam Masala – Spice mix used in Indian cooking, a more legit curry powder. Sold at regular grocery stores in Australia -> Coles, Woolworths, Harris Farms.

3. Roti – Flaky Indian round flatbread that’s sold in the freezer section of large grocery stores these days. Love them because they’re so handy – cook from frozen on the stove in just a couple of minutes. Cheap, tasty, if you’ve never tried it, it’s a game changer! 🙂

4. Mint yogurt – Blitzing makes yogurt watery. So just blitz the minimum to puree the mint, then stir the rest in which thickens the sauce up again.

5. Leftovers keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition for beef only, not including rice or yogurt sauce.

Nutrition

First published April 2016. Republished 7 years later with sparkling new photos, brand new recipe video (couldn’t make them back then!) and of course added a Life of Dozer section!

My easiest Indian recipes

More easy Indian recipes!

Butter Chicken

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Oven Baked Tandoori Chicken

Naan recipe – chewy & fluffy!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Beef Biryani

Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)

Indian Recipes

Life of Dozer

He doesn’t realise it’s a vegetable platter. (Yet).

The post Qeema – Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Chicken Francese

Nagi — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Lightly battered pan-fried chicken breast with an elegant white wine lemon sauce. It’s like Chicken Piccata, but a thicker sauce, more of it, no capers, with subtle lemon flavour. It’s got a terrific crust that soaks up the sauce! Lovely restaurant dish that’s simple to make at home.

Chicken Francese

Chicken breast, being a lean, neutral flavoured protein, is a terrific blank canvas to get creative with. Stuff it, sear it, crumb it, bake it, fry it, marinate it, poach it – see the many, many ways I cook it in my chicken breast recipe collection!

Today, we are battering and saucing. The battering is a little unique. Chicken Francese is dredged in egg then pan fried which gives the chicken a lovely golden crust with excellent sauce clinging capabilities.

Speaking of the sauce! It’s an elegant white wine sauce that’s savoury with a subtle brightness from lemon. It doesn’t taste winey because it’s reduced to cook out the alcohol. And it’s not meant to be really lemony, it just has a subtle flavour from the juices of lemon slices put into the sauce. I personally think most recipes use way too much lemon which makes it lip-puckeringly sour.

Also, not all recipes thicken the sauce, it’s thinner. I am firmly in the thickened sauce camp. Like so:

The sauce in my Chicken Francese is slightly thickened with flour which I prefer over watery sauce!

So, if all that sounds good to you, read on!

Ingredients in Chicken Francese

Here’s what you need to make Chicken Francese:

Chicken breast is the cut commonly used for Chicken Francese. We only need 2 because we cut them in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total. Get big ones, so one piece makes a sufficient serving for a meal. You could also get chicken breast that’s already cut / pounded thin, usually sold labelled as “chicken schnitzel” here in Australia (it comes un-crumbed).
Boneless thighs will also work. Pound to even thickness to get a nice flat surface on both sides so the egg batter cooks evenly.
Eggs and milk whisked together make up the batter than the chicken is dipped in before frying.
Flour is used to thicken then sauce and for coating the chicken before dipping in the egg. It makes the egg cling better to the chicken and also makes the crust a little bit crispy.
Wine – Chardonnay is the best all-rounder cooking wine, in my opinion, for flavour. It is the only white wine I stock for cooking these days. No need to use an expensive one! Pretty well documented by cooking authorities that there’s no need to use expensive wine for cooking. Buy discounted bottles – I use ~$15 bottles discounted to ~$5.
Substitute with non-alcoholic white wine. Else, leave out the wine and add 2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice to make a lovely lemon sauce instead.
Chicken stock/broth is the other liquid that makes up the sauce.
Butter for the sauce and olive oil for cooking the chicken. We discard the surplus olive oil (which gets black bits in it) before adding the butter.
Lemon – Cut into slices then pan fried before adding back into the sauce. A very specific Chicken Francese step! More on this in the How To Make section below.
Parsley for optional garnish.

How to make Chicken Francese

A nice, leisurely 15 minute cook. We first pan-fry the battered chicken cutlets then make the sauce in the same pan. The chicken is returned into the sauce at the end so the crust gets soaked in the sauce, as well as re-warming the chicken.

Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.
Flour coating – Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate (I use my fingertips). Coat the chicken in the flour first, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate while you heat the oil in the pan, ready to cook.
Egg dredge – Once the oil is hot, dip the chicken in the egg, coating both sides, then hold it up for a couple of seconds to let the excess drip off.
Cook chicken – Put the chicken straight into the pan. Then continue to coat the remaining chicken pieces.

Cook the chicken for 3 minutes until golden. Flip, lower heat to medium, then cook for 4 minutes until the chicken is golden (target internal temperature 68°C/155°F). Then remove onto a plate. The chicken will rest while we’re making the sauce. It’s ok if it cools down, it will warm up when we put it back in the sauce.
Pan fry lemon slices – Next, cook the lemon slices for about 1 1/2 minutes until lightly browned or they become soft (usually the latter for me). In this step, the lemon slices are soaking up the tasty bits left in the pan from cooking the chicken (it’s called fond). This flavour is then released into the sauce when we pop the lemon slices in at the end.
This is a step that is unique to Chicken Francese! Great technique.

Clean the pan by giving it a quick wipe down with paper towels. You’ll see there are lots of black bits from cooking the chicken. No need to wash with detergent, just get rid of most of the black bits.
Roux – Next, we move onto the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat then cook the flour for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour flavour. This pasty mixture in the pan is called a roux and this is what thickens the sauce.
Make the sauce – While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. Keep stirring until the roux is mixed into the stock. Then you can pour the remaining stock in along with the wine, salt and pepper. Then mix to combine.
Lump free! The technique of stirring while you slowly pour in some stock should prevent lumps forming in your sauce. But if you end up with pesky lumps, swish a whisk across the surface of the liquid to remove them, taking care not to scratch the non-stick surface of the pan. Worst case – strain it.
Simmer to thicken – Simmer the sauce for around 4 minutes, stirring every now and then, until it thickens into a syrupy consistency.

Sauce thickness – This is what you’re aiming for. About the thickness of maple syrup. It will thicken more when the chicken is returned into the pan, from flour bits in the crust mixing into the sauce.
Finishing – Once the sauce is the right thickness, it’s time to bring it all together! With the pan still on the stove, pop the chicken pieces back in along with the lemon slices and let it simmer for about 30 seconds to warm through and bring the flavour together.
Then spoon sauce all over the chicken, then it’s dinnertime!

Chicken Francese with a side of pan-seared asparagus (recipe in notes) and bread for mopping.

How to serve Chicken Francese

This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce because it’s hard to make less in large pans. You’ll end up with over a cup in the pan in addition to the sauce clinging to the chicken. That’s a good amount to serve this over mashed potato (or faux mash), rice, or other similar starchy vehicles (risoni/orzo, couscous).

On the other hand, if you choose bread for mopping (as pictured), then you might not use all the sauce. But, having too much sauce is a much more desirable position to be in than not enough sauce (*her heart thuds in fear at the thought*) and this precious liquid gold is going to make your morning scrambled eggs or a plain omelette SO MUCH MORE EXCITING. Who wouldn’t want white wine lemon sauce on their breakfast eggs???! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

UPDATE in response to reader questions – YES I use the leftover egg to make an omelette! There is less than the equivalent of 1 egg left so it makes a thin omelette crepe. As long as you cook the omelette through thoroughly, and because it’s so thin, you can, it is fine to eat even after dipping raw chicken into it!

Chicken Francese

Recipe video above. Lightly battered pan-fried chicken breast with an elegant white wine lemon sauce. It's like Chicken Piccata, but a thicker sauce, more of it, no capers, with subtle lemon flavour. It's got a terrific crust that soaks up the sauce! Lovely restaurant dish that's simple to make at home.

Doesn't taste winey because the alcohol is cooked out, leaving behind magical flavour only wine can bring to sauces.

Course Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword chicken breast recipe, chicken francese, chicken french, chicken in white wine sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 368cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Chicken & coating:

2 large chicken breasts , skinless boneless (250-300g / 8-10oz each)
1/4 cup flour , plain / all-purpose
1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 large eggs
1 tbsp milk (any fat %)

Cooking & sauce:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon , thinly sliced 0.3cm / 1/8″
50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose
2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (Note 1)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (no pepper!)
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley , for garnish (optional)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.
Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
Flour coating – Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate (I use my fingertips). Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken – Dip the chicken in the egg, allow excess to drip off, then put into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until golden. Flip, lower heat to medium, then cook for 4 minutes until the chicken is golden (internal temp 68°C/155°F). Remove onto a plate.
Lemon – Add the lemon slices to the pan. Cook for a minute or until the lemons go soft / brown, then turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Remove onto a plate. (Note 2)
Wipe the pan clean using paper towels.
White wine sauce – Still on medium heat, melt the butter in the pan. Add flour and stir for 1 minute using a wooden spoon. While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. Once the flour is dissolved into the liquid, stir in remaining stock, then the wine and salt. (See Note 3 for lumps tip)
Thicken sauce – Turn the heat up slightly then simmer for 3 – 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency.
Sauce it! Return the chicken and lemon slices to the pan, then spoon the sauce all over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley then serve the chicken with the sauce (use it ALL!).

Notes

UPDATE – Yes, I use the leftover egg to make a thin crepe-omelette! Cook it through thoroughly so it’s safe to eat even after dipping raw chicken into it. I actually had this in the video but cut it out because I thought the video was too long!!

1. Wine – Chardonnay is the best cooking wine, in my opinion. Pretty well documented these days that there’s no need to use expensive drinking wine, buy discounted bottles for cooking (I use ~$15 bottles discounted to ~$5).

Substitute with non-alcoholic white wine. Else, leave out the wine and add 2 – 3 tbsp lemon juice to make a lovely lemon sauce instead.

2. Pan frying the lemon slices makes them soak up the tasty flavour left in the pan by the chicken (it’s called fond!) which is then released into the sauce at the end when we put the lemon slices in. So don’t skip this step!

3. Lumps in sauce – The method of stirring while you slowly pour in some stock should avoid lumps. But if you end up with pesky lumps in your sauce, swish a whisk across the surface of the liquid to remove them, taking care not to scratch the non-stick surface of the pan. Worst case – strain it.

4. Serving – Pictured with pan seared asparagus (drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan sear in hot pan until lightly charred. Do this while the sauce is simmering). For sauce mopping, I used bread but mash (or faux mash), rice and similar are excellent sauce-soaking options.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge though the crust does loosen.

6. Nutrition per serving assuming all the sauce is consumed.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

It was worth trying.

The post Chicken Francese appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.