This year let’s ditch the generic and dive into specific, actionable food goals that will turn you into a healthier, tastier version of yourself. Here are some ideas to help you to make 2024 your most flavourful year yet!

Cooking at home unlocks a world of better possibilities. You control the ingredients, so you can skip the hidden sugars and sodium and create dishes that sing to your taste buds and health goals. Cooking at home is not just about chores – it’s about unleashing your inner kitchen magician, creating meals that nourish your body and soul. Plus, it’s a great way to get the family involved — food tastes better with love (and loved ones).

Ready to break free from the same old dinner routine? Venture beyond the familiar and explore the world on your plate! Think: Vibrant Moroccan tagines, steaming Vietnamese pho, or sizzling Korean stir fry. With the Internet at your fingertips, culinary adventures are more accessible than ever. Websites like The Best Dressed Chicken offer a treasure trove of recipes, while cooking tutorials on platforms like TikTok can spark your inspiration.

Still, even with all the resources available, we can get stuck in a rut. Arielle Oliver, brand manager at The Best Dressed Chicken, acknowledges this challenge: “I think sometimes we need a little nudge to move from just watching those videos to switching things up in the kitchen.” Oliver has made a personal pledge to try one new recipe every week. “I’m so excited to see how my culinary journey unfolds,” she says, “and I encourage everyone to join me! Find a cuisine that piques your curiosity, pick a recipe, and dive in. You might be surprised at what you discover.”

Meal prep is your secret weapon for delicious, home-cooked options all week. Replace the last-minute, what’s-for-dinner panic, and with just a few hours on the weekend, you’ll have a fridge full of meals waiting for you. The Best Dressed Chicken Boneless Thighs are the perfect mainstay for your weekly meal prep routine. These flavour powerhouses are as versatile as they are juicy. Toss them in salads, wrap them up, or stir-fry them into weeknight magic. Chicken thighs aren’t just delicious; they’re nutrition champs. Their richer fat content keeps them moist even after reheating, even after a four-day fridge snooze. Each thigh packs a protein punch (25 grams!) and heart-healthy good fats like omega-3s, making it totally rewarding, keeping your body happy and your taste buds singing.

Vegetables are the superheroes of your plate, packing a powerful punch of flavour, texture, and nutritional magic. You’re not just eating; you’re fuelling your body with the good stuff, giving it the energy to conquer your day and the strength to shine. No more sluggish afternoons or foggy mornings – just a vibrant life fuelled by veggie power! Step beyond the bland and embrace the veggie revolution! Roast, sauté, steam, shred, spiralise!

Think: Baby steps, not giant leaps – sustainable, everyday swaps that weave seamlessly into your life. Whole grains become staples, swapping in for refined carbs. Natural sugars replace artificial sweeteners, so consider honey or pure maple syrup. Healthy fats like avocado and olive oil become your flavour architects, adding a creamy richness to salads, dips, and even savoury roasted veggies. These tiny tweaks, like a single brushstroke on a canvas, might seem insignificant. But over time, they build a masterpiece of health and well-being.

Reducing food waste at home isn’t just about leftovers and compost (though those are crucial!); it’s about a conscious effort to use every part of the food we buy. Use vegetable scraps to make a flavourful broth. Turn stale bread into croutons or breadcrumbs. Freeze overripe bananas for smoothies or banana bread. These small steps can make a big impact on our environment and our wallets.

These are specific, actionable goals that can turn our resolutions into reality. So, let’s ditch the generic and dive into the delicious! Enjoy these recipes to kick-start the year of goodness.

The Best Dressed Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs The Best Dressed Chicken Boneless Thighs, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooked rice, for serving

Toppings: Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, tahini sauce

Method:

In a bowl, mix yogurt, olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to form a marinade.

Add The Best Dressed Chicken slices to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight for better flavour.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken slices for about 5-7 minutes per side or until fully cooked.

Warm the pita bread and assemble the shawarma with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve immediately.

Thai Green Curry with The Best Dressed Chicken

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs The Best Dressed Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons green curry paste

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 cup bamboo shoots, drained

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Method:

In a large pan or wok, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add green curry paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add The Best Dressed Chicken pieces to the pan and cook until browned on all sides.

Pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.

Add the sliced red bell pepper, zucchini, and bamboo shoots to the pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the Thai Green Curry over cooked jasmine rice and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

1 whole The Best Dressed Chicken cut into bone-in pieces

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

A few saffron strands (optional)

Method:

Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, cardamom powder, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and mix well to coat them evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight.

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry until golden brown.

Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot and cook until browned on all sides. Add the basmati rice, water, and saffron (if using) to the pot. Stir gently to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Fluff the rice gently with a fork and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve hot with your favourite Indian accompaniments.

Tips:

•If you don’t have saffron, you can use a few drops of food colouring instead.

•This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.

The Best Dressed Chicken Souvlaki

Souvlaki (pronounced soo-vlá-kee) is a delicious and popular Greek dish consisting of small pieces of meat grilled on skewers over charcoal. The meat is typically marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, and spices, which gives it a flavourful and juicy taste. The skewers are then cooked over hot coals until the meat is golden brown and slightly charred on the outside, while remaining tender and flavourful on the inside.

Ingredients

10 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon each of Kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

2 bay leaves (reserve for later)

For Chicken:

2 1/2 pounds The Best Dressed Chicken Boneless Breast cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Pita Fixings:

Pita bread

Tzatziki Sauce (prepare following the provided recipe)

Sliced tomato, cucumber, onions, and Kalamata olives

Ideas for sides to serve along (optional):

Method:

Prepare the marinade by combining garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice (exclude bay leaves) in a small food processor. Pulse until well-combined.

Place the chicken in a large bowl, add bay leaves, and top with the marinade. Toss to ensure the chicken is well-coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. (See note for a quicker marinating option.)

Soak 10 to 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 to 45 minutes. Prepare Tzatziki sauce and other fixings. If adding Greek salad or other sides, prepare those in advance.

Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers.

Preheat the outdoor grill (or griddle). Brush the grates with a little oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place chicken skewers on the grill (or cook in batches on the griddle) until well-browned and the internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Turn skewers evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes total. While grilling, brush lightly with the marinade (discard any remaining marinade).

Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill the pitas and keep them warm.

Assemble grilled chicken souvlaki pitas by spreading Tzatziki sauce on the pita, adding chicken pieces (remove them from the skewers), and incorporating vegetables and olives.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

Method:

Grate the cucumber using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain the excess liquid.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and garlic. Stir in the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and dill.

Add the drained cucumber to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

Taste the tzatziki and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve immediately.