DIET COLA CHICKEN

Diet cola may seem like a crazy ingredient to use, but trust us: this has become a classic Pinch Of Nom recipe. When the majority of the liquid has evaporated (have patience, because it will happen) you’re left with a sticky, sweet sauce that works perfectly with the balance and acidity of the vinegar-tomato base. It is perfect served with freshly cooked rice for a Chinese fakeaway night.

F GF

Serves 4 Prep time 10 mins Cooking time 25 mins 217kcal per serving

Low-calorie cooking spray 2 chicken breasts (skin and visible fat removed), diced

½tsp Chinese 5-spice

Sea salt

1 red onion, sliced

1.5cm piece of root ginger,

peeled and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely

chopped

6 mushrooms, quartered

½ a red pepper, deseeded

and cut into strips

½ a green pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

½ a yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

6 baby corn, halved

lengthways

2tbsp tomato purée

2tbsp dark soy sauce (use

gluten-free)

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1tbsp vinegar (such as

sherry or rice)

330ml can of diet cola

½ a chicken stock cube

1 chicken stock pot

5 spring onions, trimmed

and roughly chopped

Spray a frying pan with lowcalorie cooking spray and place over a low heat. Add the chicken, sprinkle with Chinese 5-spice and season with salt. Stir and cook for a few minutes, until the chicken has started to brown.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Add a few more sprays of low-calorie cooking spray to the pan, then add the onion, ginger, garlic and mushrooms and fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they start to soften. Add all of the peppers, the baby corn, tomato purée, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Stir, then add the diet cola. Stir again and then bring to the boil.

Crumble in the half stock cube, add the stock pot and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. When the sauce has started to thicken and go a bit syrupy, return the chicken to the pan and stir in the spring onions. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Check the consistency and if it’s not quite thick enough, simmer for a bit longer, until the required consistency is reached, ensuring the chicken is cooked through.