Chicken sans oil

Even skinless chicken has minimum amount of fat in it. One can cook it without oil & turn into finger-licking dishes.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Chicken chunks 450-650 gms (preferred boneless or breasts)

Diced vegetables about 2 cups like variety of bell-peppers, tomato, onion, broccoli

Capsicum-onion-papaya-ginger-garlic-green chili paste & thick curd about 1 cup each

Turmeric, black pepper powder & salt to taste.

Method:

Marinate the washed chicken chunks in the paste & turmeric, black pepper powder, salt for 2-8 hours. Microwave or cook covered all the ingredients in medium flame till tender. Garnish with spice mix powder & anything you like.

Lemony chicken

It’s a fusion dish. Not the authentic Lemon chicken recipe. Follow it if it sounds yummy or try out new variations.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Chicken or boneless fish chunks 500-700 gms

Corn-flour 2 tbsp, egg white & oil for shallow frying

Diced crunchy vegetables including onion

Lemon juice about 3 tbsp & lemon zest

Turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, black pepper – 1 tsp each

Red dry chilies, crushed whole spices for tempering.

Method:

Smear turmeric powder & salt on the washed chicken. Now beat corn-flour & egg white in creamy consistency without any lump. Coat the chicken pieces & fry in a deep wok. Throw in red chilies & whole spices. Add the vegetables gradually. After mixing the spice powder, add lemon zest & salt to taste. Let it cook covered in medium flame. Finally pour lemon juice with corn-flour batter & some water depending on how much gravy you need. Garnish it however you wish to present.

Nutty-Honey glazed Hot n Sweet chicken

Again here’s a No oil dish. It can be a very delectable dish depending on how one prepares & present. I usually use whatever ingredients I have in our store. While targeting some occasion we can try few variations with boneless fish chunks, lamb or mutton by adjusting other ingredients & cooking time.

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

Chicken 500-700 gms (preferred boneless), tomato diced, curry leaves, choicest nuts washed n blanched, honey 2 tbsp.

Paste onion-green chilies 1 cup, ginger-garlic 1 tbsp, hung curd 1 cup, turmeric-pepper powder, salt for marination.

Method:

Wash & marinate the chicken with the ingredients for few hours to overnight.

Put rest of the ingredients except honey & microwave or cook in medium flame while covered. Add honey & cook on high flame for 5 minutes. Garnish with few left out nuts, fresh fruits & leave covered for 15 mins on standby. Enjoy it as you like. This is very handy when someone has less time to cook but can plan it beforehand.

Before & after cooking

Mugh sabziwale – Chicken with vegetables (Least oil)

This dish is particularly aiming for those who want less oily food to almost no oil. Those who dislikes vegetables or even won't eat potatoes can gorge it down without fuss. It can be cooked almost in all the mediums. 

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Marinate for 7-8 hours or max 24 hours

Chicken 500-700 gms cut into medium chunks

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp

Hung or thick curd less than a cup

Raw papaya grated about 2 cups

Grated or onion paste about 1 cup

Green chili paste about 2-3 tbsp (deseeded)

Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp

Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin paste/powder – 1 tsp each

Salt to taste.

Bay leaves 2; Red dry chillies 2 for tempering;

Whole spices crushed – few black pepper, green cardamoms, cloves, 1” cinnamon;

Mix of crunchy vegetables about 2-3 cups cut into julienne or bite size pieces

Tomato cut into chunks

1 tbsp oil

Any herb or curry leaves (optional).

Method:

Wash the chicken pieces & marinate with all the ingredients as long as you can.

Heat a thick bottomed pan or wok. Pour oil & let the whole spices start spluttering. Add the marinated chicken pieces only & let it cook for few mins while covered in medium flame throughout the cooking. Once it leaves ample juice then add the vegetables one after another & mix slightly. After 10 mins turn the chicken & add tomatoes, herbs if using. After 10 mins add left out marination & cook for some time till you get the consistency you wish. Or, microwave it in lower power till the chicken leaves bone.

Serve it with garnishing of your choice like whipped cream/hung curd, pomegranate seeds to poached egg. Use garam masala/spice mix powder. Relish it with hot rice, breads of your choice in any season and never forget to share your experiences and/queries, if any.