Baked Pesto Chicken

It’s already March and I still haven’t put up a pesto recipe! That’s Pesto Blasphemy in my books. You all know my heart skips a beat when I talk about Pesto. Every time I see good basil leaves in the market, I’m rushing home to make pesto. Because of my obsession with it, my friend even ribs me and asks me when I’m making pesto ice cream?! The flak I receive for my addiction, has led me restrain myself from spamming the blog with all things Pesto! BUT this recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen is so easy and so brilliant and tastes so Ah-maze-ing that I had to share.

This recipe requires no prepping or marinating and it’s ready in under 40 minutes. It’s also way healthier than a sauté/ pan fried option. The olive oil in the pesto is all you need to moisten and bake this baby. I must have made this innumerable times just because it looks so impressive when you plate up. I’ve bookmarked this one, to churn out something fabulous when guests arrive unannounced. Yes, we all want to be Domestic Goddesses with a sexy British twang ‘a la Nigella’ at the end of the day!

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash = Sausages and Mashed potatoes. It’s called Bangers because if you don’t poke a hole in the sausages when cooking them, they tend to burst with a “bang”. This is a cheap and economical meal, but there is no compromise on the taste. It's a British favorite and generally there serve whole sausages in gravy. However, I like to slice and dice mine up, so that the rich gravy can coat each mini piece of yumminess (Don’t know if that’s a real word!). The best part about this dish is that I can have it for breakfast or lunch or dinner. Promise you the kids will love them…and so will you. Easy Breezy.


Bangers and Mash

Cooking time – 15 mins
Serves 4

What you need:
8 Medium Size Sausages (Chicken - I like the flavoured ones)
2 Tbsp Oil
2 Med Onions (sliced)
4 Tbsp of Barbeque Sauce
2 Tbsp of Water
Salt and Black Pepper
For the Mash:
800 gm Potatoes
6 Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Cream
50 gm Butter
Salt and Black Pepper

What to Do:
Boil water in a saucepan and toss in the sausages for about 5 mins. Drain the water and dice them up. Keep aside.

In the meantime, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until soft. Drain and keep warm until ready to mash.

Heat Oil in a pan and toss in the slices onions till they turn pink. Then the sausages go in and we need to sauté for 5 mins, till they start turning brown. Now mix the Barbeque sauce with the water, to get a gravy like consistency and pour over the sausages. Stir fry for 2-3 mins till the gravy coats each piece. That's done.

Now mash the potatoes using a masher/ fork. Toss in the butter. The heat from the potatoes will melt it. Stir in the milk (adjust the quantity to how sticky you like the mash to be). Finally season with salt and pepper and mix in the cream.

Serve the Bangers and Mash with a nice Green Salad and you’re set.