Quinoa and Almond Crusted Chicken Tenderloins with Coriander Yoghurt Sauce

I feel within my rights to say that fried food is one of the joys of summer. There is nothing like enjoying a bottle of cider - with something fried on the side – on a Friday afternoon post work.

It is an unfortunate reality that a lot of fried food these days can compromise our health due to the oils and the batters frequently used. With this in mind, I was determined to recreate one of my husband’s favourite past times – fried chicken – eliminating common harmful oils and batters full of refined flours.

As most of you already know, quinoa comes with a wealth of health benefits. It is rich in protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. It is also high is fibre, assisting in digestion and the processing of glucose. Of course this recipe doesn’t call for a lot of quinoa, but you’re sure to get in on some of these profits with even a small dose.

We spoke about coconut oil a lot last week, so I will only say this… Coconut oil is a great oil to use in cooking because it remains stable at high temperatures. On the other hand, vegetables oils form negative compounds that harm the body when raised above certain temperatures. On top of this, coconut oil also gives food a fresh summer flavour – it does not taste like coconut as some people may think.

This recipe is easy and delicious. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and offers you a bounty of quality fats to nourish your body. This meal can be enjoyed on a summer evening - or in my case - it went straight into the fridge for our lunches this week. Just add salad.

Quinoa and Almond Crusted Chicken Tenderloins with Coriander Yoghurt Sauce

Serves 3

You'll need:

For the chicken:

10 chicken tenderloins
¼ cup white quinoa
¼ cup almond flour
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 Tbsp coconut oil

For the sauce:

½ cup plain Greek yoghurt
1 Tbsp tahini paste
handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
half lemon, juice
¼ tsp salt
pepper to taste

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. In a small bowl mix together the quinoa, almond flour, paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Using tongs, dip and coat each tenderloin in the quinoa mixture. Set them aside.
4. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan on high heat. Be careful not to burn the oil. If it gets too hot turn the heat down.
5. In two – three batches, fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. Once slightly golden brown on both sides, place the chicken pieces on a lined oven tray.
6. Put the chicken in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
7. For the yoghurt dipping sauce, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
8. To serve, place the Quinoa and Almond Crusted Chicken on top of a salad of your choice followed by a large dollop of Coriander Yoghurt Sauce.