Save these protein-packed dinner recipes for busy evenings

Tender chicken shawarmas that come wrapped in soft pita and a crispy chicken katsu drenched in rich curry sauce, or a salad with grilled chicken and wild rice, each dish is packed with the proteins that you want to round up your day with. Eat it before a great workout, or just on a day you want to wrap up early for a movie marathon. These recipes are for the rescue. 

Chicken or vegetarian shawarma

Ingredients: 1cup boneless chicken/paneer (cubed), 2 tbsp pure olive oil, 1 tbsp grated garlic, 2 tbsp store-bought vinaigrette, 1 fat spoon mixed spices (all 1 tsp: cumin powder, coriander powder, pepper, haldi, cinnamon powder, paprika), lemon juice and salt as per taste.

Ingredients for the toum: 3 tbsp garlic, 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon, salt.

Extra ingredients needed: 3 tbsp cream cheese, 1 packet of pita bread, 1 cup grated carrot and cabbage, 1 cup onions (sliced), 1 cup tomato (julienned). 

Method

Mix the chicken ingredients in a bowl and marinate for at least 3 hours. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes or cook on skewers over live fire. Shred the chicken into pieces. For the garlic sauce (toum), blend garlic into a paste, then gradually add oil like making mayonnaise, until creamy. Season with salt. Spread cream cheese on pita, add cabbage, carrot, onion, tomato (and lettuce, if desired), then top with chicken and toum. Roll and serve. Optionally, lightly cook the pita over fire for better texture.

Chicken katsu curry

Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil, 2 cups stock, 2 cups coconut milk, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 2 tsp ginger paste, 1 onion (sliced), 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chilli sauce, a dash of honey.

Ingredients for the katsu: 2 chicken breasts or 4 slabs of tofu, 1 cup panko crumbs, 1 egg (beaten) or corn flour slurry for vegetarians, salt and pepper as per taste, oil to fry.

Method

Heat oil in a pan and saute salt and pepper. Add all the powders and chili sauce, and sauté well. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar to taste and adjust the salt and soy sauce. Let it bubble a bit more before removing it from heat. In a bowl, coat the chicken or tofu in egg yolk or a slurry. Coat with panko crumbs and deep fry. Serve on top of the curry, and optionally, garnish with lettuce leaves.

Dried herb chicken salad with wild red rice
 
Ingredients for the salad: 1/2 cup black or red rice (boiled), 2 chicken breasts (flattened), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup cherry tomato (halved), 1/2 cup zucchini (sliced), 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tbsp fresh herb mix (finely chopped basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary), 1/2 cup any salad leaves, 1 bulb of burrata.
 
Ingredients for the dressing: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp walnut oil, 2 tbsp balsamic, 1/2 tbsp dark maple syrup, 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 tsp fresh herb mix, 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder, 2 tbsp walnuts (minced not powdered), salt and pepper.
 
Method

Blend all the dressing ingredients except walnuts. Transfer to a bowl and add walnuts, keep aside. In a bowl marinate chicken with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and rest for 30 mins. In a pan, heat butter and grill the chicken on both sides. Remove from the pan, shred and keep aside. In the same pan, gently char the zucchini slices and tomatoes, add more butter if needed. Do this for 6-8 minutes and remove from the pan, separately. Toss red rice with these veggies and adjust the seasoning. In a separate bowl, mix salad leaves with salt, pepper and olive oil. Now toss these with the veggies and allow it to chill. Serve with the salad dressing and burrata bulb on top.

Lead image: Pexels 

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