Sweet and Sour Apricot Chicken with Carrot and Spinach Slice
The sweet and sour in this recipe is the perfect accompaniment for the vegetable slice. Use either chicken pieces, or as I did, boneless chicken thighs and breast fillets.
You could also use frozen spinach and commercial orange juice to save time, however I prefer vegetables and fruit to be fresh.
Quite a filling, healthy meal - carrots are rich in vitamin A and spinach has iron.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
1.25 kg chicken pieces (skin taken off)
1½ tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
¼ tsp pepper
About 60 g dried apricots
¾ cup squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
3 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp French mustard
For the carrot and spinach slice
1 bunch spinach
3 eggs whites
2 whole eggs
1 packet salt reduced French onion soup
1 garlic clove
3 cups grated carrot
½ cup diced onions
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated cheese
¾ cup self raising flour
Extra ½ cup grated cheese for top
Method
*For the chicken
Preheat the oven to 190° fan forced.
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil and half the garlic and coat the chicken pieces with this mixture. Sprinkle with the pepper.
In a large, greased baking dish, lay the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 20 minutes (if using larger pieces with bones, add 10 minutes).
Meanwhile simmer the apricots in the squeezed orange juice for 10 minutes or until the apricots are tender.
Stir in the vinegar, ginger, sugar, mustard, and remaining garlic, and simmer a few minutes more.
Puree this mixture for about 30 seconds.
Coat the chicken with half this apricot mixture and cook for another 5 minutes.
Turn and coat the other side with the apricot mixture and bake another 5 minutes. Increase these quantities to 10 minutes if using chicken with bones.
Arrange on the plates and serve with a slice or two of the carrot and spinach slice.
For the carrot and spinach slice
Preheat the oven to 180° fan forced.
Wash the spinach and remove the white stalks. Cut it into thin strips and microwave for about a minute or until the spinach just starts to wilt.
Drain and when cool enough, squeeze as much juice as you can out of the spinach.
Mix together the eggs, and egg whites.
Add the soup mix, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and half a cup of the grated cheese.
Add the grated carrots, chopped onion and spinach and mix well.
Stir in the flour. Add some pepper.
Spray a quiche or similar dish with cooking spray, and spread this mixture into the dish.
Put the extra half a cup of cheese on the top.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until browned, and set in the middle.
Slice.
Serve the sweet and sour chicken with the sliced carrot and spinach slice.
Categories
#dinner
#lunch
#family
#party_food
#vegetables
#chicken
#eggs
#dried_apricots
#social_competition
%recipeyum
226912 - 2023-07-17 10:15:31