Israeli Style Chicken with Tahini
In our recent blog 7 staples in a dietitian’s pantry, we briefly talked about using different herbs and spices can diversify your basic ingredients. This recipe uses a mixture of spices to give a basic protein — chicken, an Israeli kick. Save this recipe if you like to introduce a Middle Eastern kick to your food rotation.
Israeli Style Chicken with Tahini
Serves: 2
Time: 10 minutes + 30+ min marinate time
Skill required: chopping, measuring, mixing, grilling, assembling
Equipment: 1x mixing bowl/container/zip bag, pan/griddle pan/oven, serving plate.
Ingredient list
Israeli-style chicken:
1/2 leek (sectioned/sliced)
160g chicken breast pieces (cut into ~1-inch cubes)
1tbsp oil
Salt & pepper
1tbsp ground coriander
2tsp ground cumin
1tsp smoked paprika
1/4tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1tsp onion powder (optional)
1tsp turmeric powder (optional)
drizzle of tahini
Make it a meal:
pita breads/flatbread
salad/vegetables
Methods
Marinating chicken: Mix leek, chicken breast pieces, oil and all spices into a bowl/zip-lock bag and marinade for at least 30min (best overnight). It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Prepare sides: Make/warm-up pita bread/ flatbreads. Prepare vegetables as your liking.
Cook the Chicken: On medium heat, grill the chicken on a pan for ~3-5 minutes on each side. Or grill in the oven: 220°C (conventional) or 240°C (fan-forced) for 15 minutes or until all chicken is cooked and coloured.
Assemble: Assemble as you like and finish with a drizzle of tahini. (we used homemade flatbread and Israeli Salad - see below for recipe)
Dietitian’s Tips
Minimal salt: Using only a small amount of salt can still get a punch of flavour due to the strong flavours from spices.
Use other carbs: It serves well with rice, quinoa, couscous salad or starchy veggies.
Vegetable choices: Choose the vegetables you like based on the grains. e.g. grilled zucchini, capsicum, carrot; sautee beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts; or mixed salad leaves
Vegetarian: The marinade is great for firm tofu, tempeh or Quorn pieces, etc.
Make it your staple: Bulk mix the spices and store in a jar. Now you have an Israeli spice mix ready to go.
The salad we use: Israeli-Inspired Salad
Serves: 2
Time: 10 minutes + 30+ min marinate time
Skill required: chopping, measuring, mixing, grilling, assembling
Equipment: 1x mixing bowl/container/zip bag, pan/griddle pan/oven, serving plate
Ingredient list
1/2 onion (finely diced)
1 Lebanese cucumber (finely diced)
1 tomato (finely diced)
salt and pepper to taste
2tsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
handful parsley (finely chopped; optional)
Methods
Finely dice onion, cucumber and tomato, and put in a bowl
Add all other ingredients into the bowl and mix well.
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Malcolm is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Provisional Sports Dietitian, trained eating disorder dietitian and founder of Timeless Dietetics. He is passionate about promoting a flexible style eating that balances health, goals and life enjoyment.