Dinner: Macaroni & Chicken Dish

SERVE
(6 Servings)
kcal/kJ per serving
399/1676

PREP TIME
20 min

COOK TIME
90 min

TOTAL TIME
110 min

Difficulty: Beginner

An animal-sourced food is a particularly good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, iron and zinc.

What makes this a good choice?

Starchy foods, like macaroni, should form a part of each meal and are a major source of energy. Chicken is a good quality protein. An animal-sourced food is a particularly good source of vitamins A,B1, B2, B3,B6, B12, iron and zinc; commonly lacking in our South African diets. Vegetables are rich sources of vitamins minerals and fibre without adding too much extra energy. The recommendation for school children and adults is at least 400 g/day of vegetables and fruit (five servings of 80 g). Aim to use lower fat cheeses as they are lower in saturated fat.

Items

  • Macaroni & chicken dish (recipe)
  • 1 cup of garden salad
  • Drizzle salad with 1 tbsp. salad dressing or mayonnaise

Ingredients

375ml uncooked macaroni (1½ cup)
5ml oil, canola or olive
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
125ml mushrooms, finely sliced (½ cup)
450g chicken breasts, skinned and thinly sliced (3 breasts)
250ml chicken/home-made stock (1 cup)
2.5ml mixed (dried) herbs (½ teaspoon)
30ml fresh parsley, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
60ml uncooked split lentils (4 tablespoons)
15ml Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp.) (optional)
1.25ml salt (¼ teaspoon)
Black pepper to taste
250ml skimmed or fat-free milk (1 cup)
2,5ml mustard powder (½ teaspoon)
30ml cake flour (2 tablespoon)
500ml mixed vegetables, frozen or fresh (2 cups)
1 tomato, thinly sliced
100g low-fat Cheddar, Gouda or mozzarella cheese, grated (1 cup grated)

Method

  1. Boil the macaroni in plenty of lightly salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil and fry the onion until transparent, stirring continuously.
  3. Add the garlic, mushroom and chicken slices. Stir-fry over lower heat until the chicken changes colour.
  4. Moisten the mixture with the 250ml chicken/home-made stock.
  5. Add the herbs, chopped parsley, split lentils and Worcestershire sauce and season to taste.
  6. Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes, until the split lentils are soft.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 ⁰C.
  8. Add the skimmed milk and mustard powder and stir well.
  9. In a cup or glass, mix the flour with 60ml (4 teaspoons) water to make a smooth paste.
  10. Stir the paste into the chicken mixture and cook over low heat until the sauce thickens.
  11. Add the cooked pasta and mixed vegetables (uncooked), and mix gently.
  12. Spoon into an ovenproof dish (15cm x 30cm). Decorate with tomato slices, then sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top.
  13. Bake for 30 minutes

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