Blackened Chicken Breasts With Marinated Cucumber (Low-Carb)
"I've found this recipe in a local food magazine, "Food & Home". I liked the look of it, but tweaked the flavours just a little. Ideal for dieters and low-carbers, and it looks so pretty on a plate! I doubt that the tiny amount of sugar, most of which is discarded again, will spoil a diet! NB, March 9, 2009: justcallmetoni found the cucumber dressing still too sweet, so I reduced the sugar. Please taste it, and add more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, if you like."
photo by justcallmetoni
- Ready In:
- 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, whatever heat you prefer
- 2 ml ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- salt
-
Cucumber and marinade
- 1 cucumber, long ("English cucumber")
- 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon rind, grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon dill seeds or 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
directions
- Use the first 4 tablespoons lemon juice to rub into the chicken breasts. Shake off and discard extra liquid.
- Mix all the spices in a plastic or cooking bag. Add the chicken breasts, and shake until coated evenly.
- Use a non-stick skillet/frying pan, heat well, and dry-fry the chicken breasts until cooked and juice runs clear when pricked with a skewer.
- Set aside and cover lightly.
- With a potato peeler, peel long ribbons of cucumber. Even with the soft-seeded English cucumber the going can get tough. You could use 2 cucumbers, peel strips until it won't peel neatly any more and gets wobbly, and save that centre strip to use in another salad.
- Whisk the sugar, lemon juice, dill or mustard seeds, pepper and salt in a roomy bowl.
- (Keep the rind you've prepared before squeezing the lemon).
- Add the cucumber to the marinade, and with clean hands or a spoon mix well with the marinade. Leave for 10 - 14 minutes.
- On a serving plate, slice the chicken at an angle and arrange in a half-moon shape. Drain the cucumber of liquid and put on platter next to chicken.
- Sprinkle with the lemon strips or grated rind. Best served at room temperature!
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Reviews
-
The moment I saw this recipe I knew it would be ideal for me. An unusual combination of spices and a healthful preparation of my favorite protein. With no need to prepare and chill or marinade in advance, this easily came together as a Sunday brunch perfect for our warming weather. I can't say just how much I love the rub on the chicken and feel fortunate that I made a full batch of the blend using only half for the meal. It is spicy with a complex mix that tantalizes the palate. It will be used often. The salad, and I love cucumber salads, was good but I thought a bit too sweet even with my reduction of the sugar. It did not fare well as it was more like a lemonade with dill dressing than a lemon dill one. That said, the sweetness was tamed by the heat of the chicken so as a composed dish it worked fine. Thanks! Made for Photo Tag.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Zurie
South Africa
I'm a widow, retired, and I love cooking. I live on the coast in South Africa and I love seafood. You're welcome to my recipes (all kinds, definitely not just seafood!) Just remember that no recipe is ever cast in stone -- adjust to your taste!
The photo was taken at a rustic seaside restaurant on our West Coast, approx 1 year ago (2016).
