Jamaican Chicken with Pineapple Salad

This is one of my favourite recipes at the moment.  So fresh and simple, full of flavour and absolutely perfect for Spring.  For me, the best part of this dish is the salad.  It’s different which makes for an interesting way to incorporate vegetables into your diet.  The salad is versatile and can be partnered with many other proteins or can be eaten by itself as a tasty lunch perhaps with some quinoa tossed through it. The spice rub is also versatile and can be applied to other proteins, particularly fish.  This meal is quick to prepare, low in kilojoules and low in fat.  You could incorporate some more good fats by dicing half an avocado through the salad too, but be sure to do this at the last minute to prevent it from turning brown – Enjoy!

Ingredients:  (Serves 2)

  • 8 x Chicken tenderloins
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • ¼ Pineapple, skin and core removed, diced
  • 3 Spring onions, sliced finely on an angle
  • ½ Punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, deseeded, diced
  • ½ Bunch coriander, leaves picked
  • 1 Lime

Jamaican rub:

  • 1 Teaspoon allspice (ground pimento)
  • 2 Teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 Teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons onion powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon flake salt

Method:

  1. To make the Jamaican rub, stir all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Rub the chicken with the Jamaican rub on all sides. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high-medium heat with the canola oil. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through.
  3. Meanwhile, combine pineapple, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and coriander leaves in a bowl. Halve the lime, then squeeze juice into the bowl and stir to combine.
  4. Serve chicken immediately with pineapple salad.

Nutrition Information (per serve):

Per serve – Energy:1014kj  (243cal); Protein:29.0g; Sodium:184mg; Fat:6.8g; Sat Fat:1.0g; Carbohydrate: 14.0g; Sugar:9.8g; Fibre: 3.5g

-Themis Chryssidis

(Themis is an Accredited Practising Dietitian at Life Personal Trainers Hutt St Studio and Director of Sprout Cooking)