250g/9oz (125g/4oz dried weight) white shi wheat flour noodles, cooked
Toasted sesame oil
1tbsp light soy sauce
2 skinless chicken breast fillets (about 500g/1lb 2oz)
1 large handful of unsalted cashew nuts to garnish
For the peanut sauce
1tbsp groundnut oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped
3tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
6tbsp vegetable stock
3tbsp water
To serve
1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and finely sliced
1 small handful of beansprouts
1 small handful of freshly chopped coriander
1 small spring onion, sliced lengthways
1. Toss the noodles in the sesame oil and soy sauce, cover and chill until needed.
2. Boil the chicken until cooked (about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast). Drain and shred by hand.
3. Dry-fry the cashew nuts for the garnish in a hot pan for a few minutes until browned. Crush in a pestle and mortar or place in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin.
4. To make the peanut sauce, heat a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Add the shallots and fry for less than 1 min until translucent, then add the peanut butter and red chilli and stir-fry together for less than 1 min. Add the stock and water and mix well. As the sauce starts to bubble, turn the heat off and transfer to a bowl. If you like a thick sauce, keep as it is – for a thinner sauce, add a few tablespoons of water and stir well.
5. Layer the noodles with all the serving ingredients on each plate and then top with the shredded chicken pieces. Finally, drizzle over the warm sauce, sprinkle on the crushed cashew nuts and serve immediately.

1 x 400g (14oz) packet egg noodles
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil or olive oil
250g (9oz) chicken breast or tenderloin, sliced into thin strips
4 green onions (shallots), sliced on the diagonal
½ red pepper, sliced thinly
75g (2.5oz) roasted nuts like macadamia’s, halves
Juice of 1 lime
3-4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 handful of fresh coriander leaves
1. Soak the noodles in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the wok, add the oil and swirl it around. Throw in the chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden all over. Add the green onions and capsicum and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the drained noodles and toss well to combine.
3. Add the lime juice and sweet chilli sauce and toss again. Divide between 2 warm bowls. Garnish with coriander leaves.

4 skinless chicken breast fillets
1tbsp tandoori spice blend powder
Juice of half a lemon
100ml low-fat Greek style yogurt
1 onion, sliced
3tbsp medium curry paste
2tbsp tomato purée
2tbsp tomato ketchup
2tsp garam masala
Fresh coriander, to garnish
Rice, to serve
1. Cut the skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and put in a glass or china dish. Mix the tandoori powder, lemon juice and yogurt together. Add this to the chicken and stir so that all the pieces are coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to let the flavour develop.
2. Put the onion and curry paste in a large pan and heat gently for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
3. Add the marinated chicken, 150ml water, tomato purée and tomato ketchup to the pan. Stir to mix well, bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for around 25 minutes.
4. Stir in the garam masala and cook uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander to garnish, and serve with rice.

For the Chettinad chicken bites
550g (1lb 3½oz) skinless chicken breasts, cut into mini fillets
1tbsp low-fat thick yoghurt
1tbsp Madras paste
For the Red Pepper Salsa
½tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
10 curry leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)
1tbsp desiccated coconut
¼tsp mustard seeds
75g (3oz) red pepper, sliced
1tbsp fresh ginger, sliced
50g (2oz) red onion, sliced
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh mint, for garnish
Few sprays of 1-cal oil
Salt to taste
1. In a bowl, marinate the chicken with Madras paste and yoghurt.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade. (For a more intense flavour, cover and refrigerate the marinated chicken for 2 hours or even overnight.) In a pan, spray some 1-cal oil and cook the marinated chicken on a medium flame for 7 minutes, turning occasionally to prevent the chicken from burning. Alternatively cook the chicken on a hot griddle pan or bbq.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan, spray some more 1-cal oil and add the mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add the red onions and black pepper. After a minute, add the desiccated coconut, red pepper, ginger and curry leaves (if using). Sprinkle in some water if the mixture starts to stick.
4. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt if required. Squeeze in the lemon juice before removing from the heat and garnish with some fresh chopped mint. Serve with mint and cucumber raita. Tastes sublime!

For the chicken curry:
3tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
400g (14oz) chicken fillets, skinned and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 green chilli, seeded and chopped
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground coriander
1tsp tomato puree
¼ tsp garam masala or 1tsp curry paste
2tbsp double cream
For the spicy salad:
1tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ green chilli, seeded and very finely chopped (optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)
½ tsp runny honey
1tbsp balsamic or cider or wine or malt vinegar
1 packet mixed green salad leaves a creamier texture.
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and fry for 1 min. Add the chicken and continue to fry for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chilli and continue to fry, stirring from time to time.
2. While the mixture is browning, make up the salad dressing. Take an empty jar with a lid and place inside the olive oil, black pepper, chilli, salt, honey and vinegar. Screw on the lid and shake.
3. Add salt, turmeric, cumin and coriander to the chicken mixture. Stir well and continue to fry. Add the tomato puree and garam masala or curry paste, then fold in the cream.
4. Place the salad leaves into a bowl. Shake the dressing again then pour over the salad leaves and toss. Serve the chicken beside a pile of salad, or push everything into pitta bread pockets.

1 fat chicken
2tbsp olive oil
Large knob of butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp sweet paprika
1tbsp hot paprika
1tbsp smoked paprika
1tbsp flour
250ml chicken stock
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1cm strips
4 large, ripe tomatoes (or 6 tinned will do)
250ml sour cream or smetana
1. Joint the chicken (or get your butcher to do it). Rub the meat with salt, then brown in the oil and butter and set aside.
2. In the same pan, sweat the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, then the flour, and stir till blended. Don’t burn it!
3. Add most of the stock and stir for 5 minutes to make the thick gravy base then add the chicken pieces. Add the rest of the stock (and then some boiling water) if it looks a bit dry.
4. Mix in half the parsley and bring to the boil then add the red pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the tomatoes then cook over a low heat for about an hour. When the chicken is cooked, add the sour cream and the remaining parsley. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

1tbsp groundnut oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges
3tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 x 400ml cans coconut milk (you can choose the low-fat version instead)
250g (9oz) fine green beans, trimmed
1 lime, zest and juice
2tbsp Thai fish sauce
8tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the onion is tender. Add the curry paste and cook for just 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the coconut milk, bring almost to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes until just tender. Add the lime zest and juice, fish sauce and coriander just before you’re ready to serve. Perfect with hot, sticky rice and a bottle of cool lager.

2tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion peeled and chopped
1 small carrot cut into matchsticks (75g)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts (350g) cut into bite sized chunks
1tbsp korma curry paste
½ tbsp mango chutney
1tbsp tomato puree
100g (¾ cup) frozen peas
150ml/5 fl oz coconut milk
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 150ml boiling water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and sauté the onion and carrot for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for half a minute. Then add the apple and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
2. Add the korma curry paste, mango chutney, tomato purée, frozen peas, coconut milk and chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season to taste.

4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
1 small-medium onion, peeled and sliced
15g fresh ginger, peeled
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt, to taste
¾ tsp red chilli powder (or paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder, for colour)
1 rounded tsp ground cumin
1 rounded tsp ground coriander
3 medium-large tomatoes, puréed
650g chicken joints or 4 large quarters, skinned
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan and add the whole spices; let them splutter for 15 seconds. Add the onion and cook until golden.
2. Meanwhile, using a blender, make a fine paste of the ginger and garlic with a little water. Add to the pan and cook until the excess liquid has dried up and the paste has fried for 30 seconds.
3. Add the salt, powdered spices and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until oil is released from the masala, around 10-15 minutes. Add 200ml water and bring to the boil, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, around 25 minutes. Take off the lid and add a splash of water from a recently boiled kettle if the gravy has reduced too much or, if necessary, burn off excess liquid over a high heat.
5. Serve with rice.

For the chicken:
4 skinless chicken breasts
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1 level tbsp smoked paprika
For the wraps:
6-8 tortilla wraps
Little Gem or iceberg lettuce, shredded
Guacamole, salsa and soured cream, to serve
1. Mix together the lime zest and juice, olive oil and paprika. Coat the chicken breasts in the mixture then place the chicken in a dish. Cover and leave to marinate overnight.
2. Cook the marinated chicken on a hot barbecue for 10-15 minutes until it’s cooked through, turning occasionally so that it cooks evenly. Test the chicken by piercing it with a skewer – if the juices still look pink, then cook it for a little longer.
3. Wrap the tortillas in a foil parcel and place them on the barbecue for a few minutes to warm, turning them occasionally.
4. Remove the chicken from the barbecue, cut into slices and unwrap the tortillas. To assemble the fajitas, place a line of lettuce in the middle of each tortilla and top with some chicken. Spoon on some guacamole and salsa. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla and then fold the sides inwards to encase the filling. Top with a little soured cream and serve immediately.