Our resident nutritionist and founder of Real Food Func, Jon Hodgkinson, has created a delicious recipe for tarragon chicken that isn't accompanied with the usual rich creamy sauce that quickly ramps up the calorie count. Over to you Jon!

Instead of the standard combinations you see across the web when you search for tarragon recipes I wanted to create something a little lighter that was more refreshing as a mid-week meal option when time is tight.

I've served it up with leeks, cabbage and peas but you could also add homemade chips or mash on a training day to ramp up the carbohydrate content a little.

PREP TIME – 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME – 30 MINUTES

This recipe will create 4 portions.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 4 Tsp Tarragon (fresh or dried)
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp Butter OR Coconut Oil
• 1-2 Leeks
• 1 Cabbage (Savoy or Sweetheart)
• 2 Cups Frozen Garden Peas
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Baking tray / Pestle & Mortar / Large Pan with Lid / Baking Paper / Tupperware box OR Mixing Bowl.

METHOD:

Set the oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and set to one side for now.

Let’s get into making the marinade…

To your pestle and mortar add the following;

4 Tsp Tarragon, 3 Garlic Cloves, 1 Tsp Salt.

Bash everything up until you create a paste.

Add the paste to a Tupperware box OR mixing bowl. Then add in 2 Tbsp Olive Oil.

To the box add your Chicken Breasts, using your hands combine all the flavours together marinating the Chicken.

When the Chicken is covered in your marinade remove from the box and lay onto the baking tray.

Place into the oven, the Chicken should take around 20 minutes to cook.

Whilst your Chicken is baking it’s time to focus on the Greens…

For this you will need a large pan with lid.

Remove the bottom and outer layer from your Leeks then using a sharp knife slice the Leeks to around 0.5 cm thick slices…

Place the sliced Leeks in a colander.

Now for the Cabbage…

Slice in half to start, then slice each half of the Cabbage into 1 cm thick strips, leaving just the tough stalk to one side.

Place the sliced Cabbage into the colander with your Leeks and wash under the cold tap.

Add 2 Tsp Butter OR Coconut Oil to the large pan, and place on a low heat on the hob.

To the pan add the Leeks, Cabbage and Frozen Peas.

Cook the Greens on a low heat with the lid on your pan for 10 minutes, mixing occasionally to ensure nothing starts to burn.

When the Greens are starting to soften add 1 Tsp Black Pepper and mix.

By now the Tarragon Chicken should be cooked.

Remove from the Oven and serve one Chicken breast with a large serving of Greens.

One of the great things about a recipe like this Tarragon Chicken & Greens is that creating bigger quantities and having leftovers for the days to follow is so simple to do.

Not only will this save you loads of time throughout the week it will also help to play a big role in being consistent with your healthy food choices.

Better still, the Tarragon Chicken & Greens recipe will help you to control your energy intake whilst still keeping you feeling full for hours to come.

For more recipes like this plus loads of tips, advice and insight into nutrition, head over to the Real Food Func blog.