Cherry coke chicken thighs await you in a moment – and good news, this is just a quick post, but first…

Aaargh! I don’t know why I inflict facebook groups on myself, you know. With pancake day approaching, the pages are awash with people suggesting they can make “delicious syn-free pancakes” from blending oats, frying them in frylight and mixing with yoghurt and sweetener. Why? yeah, you might save a few syns, but what price dignity? What price the crap that you’re putting into your body in the name of trying to get a syn-free dinner? I know it’s personal choice and that’s all well and good but I bet there’s the same amount of calories, or close, in the amount of oats you’ll use, plus oil, plus sweetener, then there is in a couple of proper pancakes. And even then, why not enjoy your food? You’ve got one body and you’re here only once – why not enjoy your food? Have good food and eat a bit less and I guarantee you’ll enjoy it all the more. 15 syns to spend on making the stuff you’re eating enjoyable, tasty and memorable.

Ah I dunno. I can’t get my head around the mentality of thinking spending syns on your dinner is a bad thing but sitting cramming a chocolate bar into your mouth “because you can” is the way forward? Frankenfood and nonsense is totally against Slimming World anyway, and let’s be fair, I’m hardly their most ‘anal’ fnar fnar follower. You need this to be a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. When people lose all the weight will they be eating oat pancakes and “sausage rolls” made from wrapping a manky sausage in a wrap? No. Then what happens to that weight loss? But hey, what do I know? Follow SW’s rules, they know what they’re doing. Mostly.

Let’s do some cherry cola chinese chicken! The cherry cola adds a nice glaze and using chicken thighs keeps the meal cheap and easy. Let’s be honest: if there’s one thing you love, it’s some cheap and easy thighs. Right?

to make chinese diet coke chicken you will need:

• 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
• 150ml diet cherry coke
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes

top tips for chinese diet cherry coke

• we used diet cherry coke but you can use what you like – normal diet coke, Dr Pepper, etc.
• make easy work of the ginger and garlic with a Microplane grater!
• chicken thighs are the best for this because they’re so juicy but chicken breasts would work too!
• stop using Fry Light! It ruins your pans and tastes rank. Get one of these instead!

to make chinese diet cherry coke chicken you should:

• in a jug mix together the coke, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chilli flakes
• plop the chicken thighs into a bowl and pour over the marinade, turn the thighs over to make sure they get a good coating
• leave in the fridge for about an hour, then remove from the marinade and pop onto a paper towl
• heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and spray in some oil
• add the chicken thighs and cook until browned, then turn
• pour over the remaining marinade, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid
• cook for five minutes, then remove the lid and cook for another five or until the marinade is nicely thickened
• serve!

Still hungry? We’ve got plenty more chinese fakeaway recipes for you!

• saucy rainbow beef (1.5 syns)
• salt and pepper chips (syn free)
• speedy spring roll bowls (syn free)
• bacon and egg fried rice (syn free)
• salt & pepper chicken (syn free)
• perfect egg fried rice (syn free)
• beef in a black bean sauce (0.5 syns)
• stir fry cucumber and pork (1 syn)
• best ever lemon chicken (1.5 syns)
• thai chicken dipping balls (1 syn)
• best ever mixed chow mein (2 syns)
• sesame chicken and broccoli (1 syn)
• sticky sesame chicken (2.5 syns)
• crispy chilli beef (1 syn)
• spicy orange chicken (2.5 syns)
• sizzling steak (2 syns)
• spicy szechuan beef (1.5 syns)
• bang bang chicken (4 syns)
• mongolian beef (2.5 syns)
• fresh spring rolls and dipping sauce (3 syns)

Yum!

J