This is a variation on a classic dish from the south of France, evocative of sunny Mediterranean meals. It’s vibrant colours transform your dinner to a delicious low calorie meal enticing all the family.
This chicken ratatouille is super simple to make and just the ticket to transport you to the Mediterranean with each mouthful.
- Serves: 2
- Per serving:
- 272 kcal
- 44g protein
- 15g carbs
- 4g fat
- Preparation: 10 minutes
- Cooking: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 250ml (8fl oz) chicken stock or LighterLife Savoury Broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 125g (4 oz) boneless chicken breasts, skinned and cut into strips
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
- 1 courgette, sliced
- 1 aubergine, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
- 1 x 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Add a few spoonfuls of broth to a heavy-based frying pan and place over a low heat. When the pan is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until the onion is softened and golden.
- Add the chicken strips, red pepper, courgette and aubergine and continue cooking, adding a little more stock if necessary, until they begin to brown.
- Pour in the remaining broth , and stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar and basil. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Stir well and then simmer, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens and all the liquid is absorbed. Season with black pepper.
- Serve the ratatouille hot with thin French beans or steamed green vegetables and plain boiled rice.
Top tips
- For the classic vegetarian version, just leave out the chicken and serve with rice as above, or use as a sauce for pasta, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
- You could also substitute Quorn pieces for the chicken.
- You can eat the ratatouille cold, if preferred, with a crisp green or mixed salad. Let it cool thoroughly after cooking, and then transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until you are ready to eat.
Explore more of LighterLife’s helpful weight loss tips and delicious low-calorie recipes on the blog today!
