Lemongrass chicken skewers with spicy squash salad
This recipe combines fashionable fusion, with lime, chilli, coriander and lemongrass, which is wonderfully cleansing for the body. It's all cooked in the oven in around 30 minutes – fast, healthy food!
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus marinating
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
2.5cm (1in) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
5 long sticks lemongrass, 1 finely chopped, the rest reserved for skewers
2½tbsp sunflower oil
zest and juice 1 lime
3 skinless free-range chicken breasts, cubed
1 butternut squash, approx 1kg
(2lb 4oz), peeled (optional), deseeded and cut into cubes
2tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
50g (2oz) wild rocket
extra limes, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Put the ginger, half the chilli, chopped lemongrass, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and lime zest and juice into a mini-chopper or food processor and blend until smooth.
2 Thread 4 to 5 pieces of chicken on to each of the 4 lemongrass stalks and place them side by side in a dish. Spoon the lemongrass paste over the chicken, making sure it's all well coated. Cover and marinate for a minimum of two hours, or overnight.
3 Put the squash into a roasting tin, and sprinkle with the 5-spice powder and remaining chopped chilli. Drizzle with the rest of the oil and toss everything together. Season with salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.
4 Place the chicken on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. When the squash is cooked, toss with the rocket and serve with the chicken skewers, plus lime wedges for squeezing.
Per serving: 267cals, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 21g carbohydrate
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