On 24 September, we will be celebrating our heritage and Braai Day, and what better way to celebrate than with glorious, nutritious food! A braai is the perfect occasion for friends and family to connect and socialize – and can be done outdoors to safely spend time with our loved ones during the pandemic.

Adding in a few healthier options can be just as enjoyable, and don’t have to take away from the traditional braai meal we all love. This year, opt for some skinless chicken on the braai with a healthy homemade marinade. This will lower the total fat, saturated fat, and energy content of the meal.

Although meat is the star of the braai, healthy side dishes make up the meal. Impress your guests with healthier foods like grilled corn on the cob with chilli flakes; potato salad with half mayonnaise and half plain low-fat yoghurt dressing; and vegetable kebabs marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.

We have put together some healthier, delicious marinade recipes that you will most likely end up using at all your future braai’s!

Salome’s healthy chicken marinade recipes

Ingredients

Coriander & lemon

1 tbsp olive oils

1 lime/ lemon, juiced

½ tbsp honey

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp coriander, chopped

Sprinkle of salt

Freshly ground pepper

Curry yoghurt

1 tbsp olive oil

½ teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of cumin

⅛ teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ cup of low-fat Greek/ plain yoghurt

Sprinkle of salt

Freshly ground pepper

Greek lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon origanum

½ teaspoon basil

Sprinkle of salt

Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. For each of the marinades, place all the ingredients into a Ziploc bag or a large ceramic container.
2. Add 500g of skinless chicken of your choice into the bag or dish and mix well until all the chicken is evenly coated.
3. Let the chicken marinade in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 – 2 hours before cooking. Remove the chicken from the marinade 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the chicken.
4. For boneless skinless chicken breast: cook/ braai the chicken breast for 6 -8 minutes per side, until juices run clear, and the chicken is no longer pink.
5. For skinless chicken drumsticks: place the skinless chicken on the braai and cook for 8 minutes, then flip, brush with reserved marinade, and braai for an additional 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over one last time, brush again with the remaining marinade, and braai for 5 more minutes, or until no pink remains in the centre of the chicken.