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5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

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5:2 Diet 225 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 225 Calorie Kebabs!

Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

I am rather proud of this low-calorie recipe! I often hanker after tasty “fast food” types of food when I am on a diet, and although I have never really found a decent chicken kebab outside of Cyprus (or Turkey and Greece) I do love a good take-away kebab now and then. This is a recipe that is suitable for any meal, whether you are on a low-calorie diet or not, and is perfect for the barbecue, when that elusive season arrives. I pan-fried my chicken in a non-stick pan, but it could also be grilled or cooked over coals, as I mentioned before. The recipe is for TWO portions (or two people) and the calorie count is 215 calories per portion (430 calories for the whole recipe), but, on a non-fast day ( for the 5:2 diet) I have eaten all the whole meal with just one pitta bread, and it still came in at a low 350 calories, so that may suit those of you who only eat one or two meals a day whilst fasting. ( I always eat three meals a day)

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

I work the calories out for all of my meals and recipes on a programme I have that was purchased for me by a large brand whom I develop recipes for, but there are several calorie counting websites out there, of which the one I use when I am on my iPad (and don’t have access to my calorie counting software) is My Fitness Pal. I like My Fitness Pal as there is a facility to save recipes to your account the site and I find searching for food and ingredients easy. This recipe was checked via My Fitness Pal, and as always, there is always a discrepancy with calories from site to site, as well as programme to programme. However,  my advice is not to worry about 5 or 6 calories difference here and there, as long as you try to stick to the 500 calorie mark (for women, and 600 calories for me) a day, you will be fine, given that you are probably eating a quarter of what you normally eat!

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

Here’s how my calories were calculated, as submitted on My Fitness Pal as well as taken from the back of the pitta bread packet: 

Calories for Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

Skinless chicken breasts (2 x small breasts about 75g each, total weight 150g) = 150 calories

Low-fat natural yoghurt, 100g – 50 calories

Fresh rocket leaves, 40g -= 8 calories

Fresh tomato, large  = 32 calories

Small red onion = 30 calories

2 Mini white pitta bread = 160 calories

Total: 430 calories

(215 calories per portion)

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

A purist will also add 4 to 5 calories (per portion) for the ground spices and the lemon juice, and by all means add those calories in if you wish, I sometimes add them in when I am right on or just over my limit for the day. A general rule of thumb is that a teaspoon of spice is between 6 and 8 calories, and juice from a lemon is about 4 calories. If you have trouble finding mini pitta breads, cut a large one in half, or use what you have available adjusting the calories of course. Anyway, I hope that my method of calorie counting has helped, in addition to calories, some people like to know what the other nutritional values are, so here is the breakdown for this recipe:

Nutritional Values per Portion: 

Carbs = 31 (62)

Fat = 3 (6)

Protein = 21 (42)

Calories = 215 (430)

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

That’s all for today, I have a delectable easy fish pie recipe for tomorrow, as well as some tea time treats over the weekend! See you later, Karen 

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

5:2 Diet 215 Calorie Kebabs! Cajun Chicken Kebab and Spiced Yoghurt Dip Recipe

Cajun Chicken Kebab

Print recipe
Cajun Chicken Kebab
Serves 2
Prep time 1 hour
Cook time 15 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 15 minutes
Meal type Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion Barbecue, Casual Party
Region American
By author Karen S Burns-Booth
Delicious low-calorie Cajun style chicken kebabs served with a spices yoghurt dip, pitta bread and salad, and only 215 calories per portion! These are easy to make and make a tasty change of pace if you are following a low-calorie diet, or for those following the 5:2 diet for fast days. The chicken is pan-fried, but is also suitable to be cooked on a BBQ or under the grill.

Ingredients

  • 2 x Chicken Breasts, Skinless, (150g in total weight, about 75g per breast, cut into chunks)
  • 1 teaspoon Schwartz Cajun Spice
  • Low Fat Natural Yoghurt, 100 g
  • 2 x Weight Watchers Pitta Bread (or 2 x mini pitta breads)
  • 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
  • Small Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Fresh - Rocket Leaves, 40 g
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 lemon, cut in half (one half cut into 2 wedges)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Note

Delicious low-calorie Cajun style chicken kebabs served with a spices yoghurt dip, pitta bread and salad, and only 215 calories per portion! These are easy to make and make a tasty change of pace if you are following a low-calorie diet, or for those following the 5:2 diet for fast days. The chicken is pan-fried, but is also suitable to be cooked on a BBQ or under the grill.

Directions

Step 1 Spoon about a quarter of the low-fat yoghurt into a bowl and add the Cajun spice mix, and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well and then add the chicken pieces and allow to marinate for at least an hour or up to four hours.
Step 2 Just before cooking, take the chicken pieces out of the marinade. Heat a griddle pan over medium heat (or a grill if grilling the chicken) and put the chicken pieces in the pan. Keep moving them around so they don't stick to the pan and keep cooking over a low heat until cooked.
Step 3 Mix the rest of the low-fat yoghurt with the ground coriander and cumin, and spoon in to a small bowl.
Step 4 Two or three minutes before the chicken is cooked, pop the pitta breads in a toaster or in a warm oven and heat them up. Arrange the rocket leaves, sliced tomatoes and sliced red onion on a plate.
Step 5 Divide the chicken pieces between two plates and allow the diners to assemble the kebab themselves by adding the salad and yoghurt dip to the chicken in a split pitta bread.
Step 6 PLEASE NOTE:This recipe serves TWO people; the total calorie count is 430 calories, but each portion is 215 calories with a mini pitta bread. If using other pitta breads, check the calorie count, as they can vary.

My other 5:2 Diet Fast Day Recipes: 

5 2 diet

Lavender and Lovage 5:2 Diet Recipes

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Comments

  2. steve says

    This recipe looks lovely.

    the 75 calories for 140grams of chicken seems very very low though. everywhere i looked seemed much higher and the myfitnesspal website unless i’m getting it all wrong seems to suggest 120 Calories for 4oz of organic chicken breast while 125G of pan fried regular chicken breast was a full 235 and 125G of (Tesco) chicken breast grilled was 170.

    Reply

    • Karen Booth says

      Thanks! On My Fitness Pal, Generic skinless breasts, small, are 150 calories for 200g. That is for raw chicken and not pan-fried chicken, as I add no oil to pan! That is for 2 x small skinless chicken breasts, raw and uncooked. I will try to get a screen shot if I can! Karen

      Reply

      • edward says

        I am with Steve on this one. Raw chicken breasts are over 100 cals per 100g. Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury all agree on about 105 – 120 cal per 100 g for the skinless chicken breasts that they sell.

        I use MyFitnesspal for fun and as a calculator, but prefer to take the calories of the packet of reputable supermarket brands. I don’t mean to be too critical as I love the ideas on your site – thank you.

        Reply

        • Karen says

          Thanks Edward, even based on your supermarket nutrition values, it would not be much more per serving as the recipe is for two people. If there is one thing I have learned since I started the 5:2 diet last year (I did fall off the wagon for a few months over the winter! Christmas and nasty cold weather etc!), is that it’s not to be too hung up over a few calories here and there, obviously they add up and you can’t be too relaxed, but if on one day I went over by 20 to 25 calories, I would still be eating FAR less than I usually do, and it clearly works, as I have lost over 10 kilos in 5 months! Plus, it works the other way too, I have sometimes over calculated calories and ended up only eating 450 to 475 calories in a day……

          I DO try to be VERY careful, I must reiterate, when creating these recipes and I spend hours cross checking calories on-line and on packets, as well as in WW cookbooks too. I was in France when I cooked that meal and I remember cross checking my calories against my packet there, and it still came out at more or less what I quoted.

          It’s interesting that even on the UK supermarket packets that the difference in calories is 15 – more than I would have thought.

          As I said before, my recipes clearly work as I have lost so much weight, as has my husband who has lost a staggering 13 kilos over 5 months! All the recipes I share here have been cooked and eaten by me SEVERAL times for fast days, and in some cases by friends too and I think they have been suitably tested for calories and more importantly, taste!

          Thanks for your kind comments about my ideas though, although they are not so much ideas but real recipes that I cook and eat! 🙂

          Karen

          Reply

  3. Carina says

    mmm, chicken, spices and yogurt, we have that often here, one of my favourite filling foods on 5:2, I think my stomach has shrunk for doing the diet though! I have myfitnesspal but am getting very good at judging calories and not worrying about it too much as you say, weight still going down steadily, love your recipes x

    Reply

  4. Kellie@foodtoglow says

    Great tips and yummy recipe, Karen. Which software programme do you use that was purchased for you? I’ve got a low-fibre section on my blog for some of the patients I see and am curious as to which software you use.

    Reply

  6. Fiona Matters says

    I don’t know how you manage to make your diet food look so delicious! I’m loving this idea. I adore yogurt, chicken and spices. Although I haven’t marinaded in a while. Would be easy to do though as I tend to defrost the chicken the night before I use it and it just sits in the fridge all day. All the calorie counting really brought back to me my diet last year! Never went as low as 600 calories though. I’m not sure I could do that!

    Reply

  12. Beverley says

    I keep hearing about this 5 2 diet and if you can have yummy things like this on it, I’m going to investigate!

    Reply

  16. Judith Allen says

    This looks a great idea, and I’m not following any diet. Just like to eat healthy fresh food. Most of the time at least…

    Reply

  17. Deon says

    Can I just say that I made this for myself and my husband as part of our fast day meal and it was divine – seriously, so tasty and everything worked really well together! Who knew fasting could be so tasty! Thanks Karen, we will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  18. Lesley says

    Made this yesterday for tea,added some chilli and fresh ginger to the marinade,absolutely gorgeous!

    Reply

  19. Barb says

    I have just had this for my one 5:2 main meal, I had the whole thing and it was absolutely delicious, very nice tastes all coming together. I thought I had pita bread but it was actually WW tortilla, so just had one piece, will definitely be making this again. Thoroughly recommended. Thank you.

    Reply

  20. Beverley says

    I’m still dithering over doing 5.2, but I have made these and they were so delicious, it’s pushing me more towards trying it. A diet where you can eat food like this can’t be bad.

    Reply

  21. Janet Bagnall says

    This looks absolutely delicious, totally agree that when on a diet we seem to crave ‘naughty’ foods and this would satisfy that urge in a good way!

    Reply

  23. Janet T says

    I make my own tomato and chilli sauce with a touch of clove, real tomatoes and real chillies. That would be lovely with this too and quite acceptable on a diet as long as you don’t use shed loads!!!!

    Reply

  24. Emily Fowler says

    Looks yum! I make my own cajun spice mix with cumin, ground coriander and paprika – makes it much cheaper! 🙂

    Reply

  25. Sharon Griffin says

    a really tasty sounding meal that won`t pile on the pounds, i will definitely try this one out x

    Reply

  30. Caroline Hammond says

    Wow, this sounds great. I’m really struggling to stick to healthy recipes but this sounds full of flavour

    Reply

  35. Wendy Tolhurst says

    Don’t know the 5:2 diet, but these look delicious for a healthy family meal. My children will enjoy them too, so that’s next Saturday’s evening meal sorted!

    Reply

  37. Lisa Williams says

    amazing ! not only dose it look so very delicious but it is also low in calories you must be some kind of food wizard 🙂 thanks for the post

    Reply

  39. Emma says

    Just made this, it was quick & easy and I really enjoyed it, I’m stuffed! My other half (not doing 5:2 and a general diet-ophobe) said ‘If this is diet food, sign me up’. Says it all really!

    Reply

    • Karen says

      I am so pleased that you both enjoyed this – this is one of my favourite 5:2 diet recipes too, it always satisfies! KAREN

      Reply

    • Karen says

      Yes you can; defrost in the fridge and reheat, but only once – so only take out of the freezer what you need to eat! Karen

      Reply

  42. Adrienne says

    Thanks for these fantastic recipes – I have been following the diet for approx 7 weeks and I don’t find it too hard, but I need to organise supper for myself, my partner and our son as I don’t believe in us all eating different meals – these recipes are excellent for the whole family too eat. I also use the Hairy Dieters book for inspiration and can reduce the calories further by tweeking here and there!

    Reply

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