• 250 ml uncooked fine polenta or mealie meal
•  45 ml dried mixed herbs
•  ½ tsp salt
•  Black pepper to taste
•  4 chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
•  250 ml buttermilk
•  45 ml sunflower or olive oil for frying

Serving size:  4
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Chicken strips or crumbed chicken is a firm favourite, but unfortunately often unhealthy as it is deep-fried. These chicken strips are coated in polenta or mealie meal which adds an extra crunch and are fried in a small amount of oil.

1. Mix polenta or mealie meal, dried herbs and salt in a large, shallow dish and season to taste with pepper.
2. Dip a few chicken strips at a time into the buttermilk and roll in the polenta mixture to coat each strip. (work with two forks to stop your hands from getting too messy.)
3. Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry chicken strips in batches, until just golden brown on both sides and cooked. The thin strips fry quickly, so don’t overcook them, as the chicken will become dry. Repeat with the rest of the chicken and oil.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges and a sauce of your choice, such as a sweet chilli sauce. Enjoy chicken strips with salad ingredients, fresh fruit or left-over veggies like butternut.

Tip:

1. Omit the buttermilk and lightly brush each chicken strip with a little extra oil and then coat and fry as above.
2. Try this recipe with any firm line fish.
3. For a delicious sauce to serve with your chicken strips, season mayonnaise or plain low-fat yoghurt with a little lemon juice.

Recipe by Pharma Dynamics
Cooking from the heart