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Archive for the ‘Chicken’ Category

Chicken Provençal

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 October 2025| 4 Comments »

Hanging onto summer like rosé in October… As Autumn seems to appear intermittantly in Dublin, we’re clinging to the flavours of sunnier days. This simple Chicken Provençal is sunshine in a frying pan. You can’t beat the cheerful tones of this French classic, perfect for lifting spirits as the evenings draw in. Serve it with buttery new potatoes or a chunk of crusty baguette.

Wine Suggestion: We paired it with a classic dry Provençal rosé from Château Léoube – textured and full-bodied (for a rosé), yet still elegant and crisp on the finish.

Chicken Provençal – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 anchovies in oil, chopped
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 red peppers, cut into strips
  • 1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 big fennel bulb, quartered, core removed and thinly sliced
  • 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm thick slices
  • 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 100g pitted black olives
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 15g flatleaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
  • a handful of small basil leaves
  • a small handful of capers

Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown well. You will probably need to do this in two batches. Put the browned chicken aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down and add the onion, anchovies, bay leaves and thyme with a good pinch of salt. Sauté gently for about 15 minutes or until very soft.

Turn the heat up a little, then add the peppers, fennel and courgettes, then sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute.

Pour in the wine and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, stock, rosemary and olives. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan with any juices on the plate and simmer very gently for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is very tender.

Stir in the parsley, half the basil and the capers. Taste and season again if required.

Serve with the rest of the basil scattered over.

(Original recipe from Lickedspoon with Debora Robertson on Substack, 4 Jun 2025.)

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Tarragon Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2025| Leave a Comment »

While rummaging through a relative’s bookshelf, we stumbled upon an old cookbook called Cooking with Katie Stewart and took a few recipes along on a recent trip to France — and we’re so glad we did. With some cuisses de poulet from a local butcher and the basic equipment in a holiday kitchen, we cooked a simple tarragon chicken that was so delicious, we made it again as soon as we got home. Proof that sometimes the best recipes are the ones you nearly overlook.

Wine Suggestion: Go classic and open a Chardonnay with a bit of oak — I dare you. It works so well with the tarragon and chicken. Tonight, we went with an old favourite: the Neudorf Tiritiri Chardonnay. Done.

Tarragon Chicken – serves 6

  • 4 tsp dried tarragon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 6 chicken joints (we used legs)
  • 50g butter
  • 300ml hot chicken stock
  • 300ml double cream
  • a handful of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

Put the dried tarragon into a small bowl and pour over the lemon juice, then leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the chicken pieces and slowly brown them on all sides (this may be easier in two batches). When the chicken is browned all over, about 15 minutes, put all of the chicken into the pan.

Season the chicken again and pour over the tarragon and lemon juice mixture, then add the hot stock and cream. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is really tender.

Lift the chicken on to a serving plate and pour over the sauce (you can strain it if you have a sieve). Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

(Original recipe from Cooking with Katie Steward, Hamlyn, 1974).

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Avgolemono

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Greek, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 June 2025| Leave a Comment »

A Greek chicken and rice soup with egg and lemon. Tastes delicious and can only be good for you.

Avgolemono – serves 4 to 6

  • 125g extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium white onions, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 2 ribs of celery, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 500g skinless chicken breasts
  • 125g rice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 75g lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp dill, chopped

Heat the oil in a large pot, then add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 30 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, put the chicken in a single layer in a large pan and cover with 2 litres of water. Add 2 tsp of fine sea salt, then bring to a simmer with the lid on. As soon as the water simmers, turn the heat right down and cook for 5 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave until cool enough to handle.

Remove the chicken and reserve the cooking liquid. Chop the chicken into 1cm pieces.

Add the rice, chicken and chicken cooking waterto the cooked vegetables and bring up to a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together, then add a couple of ladlefuls of the hot soup to this mix, whisking constantly, before adding the mixture to the soup in a thin stream, stirring all the time.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and leave for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened slightly. Remove the bay leaves and check the seasoning. Stir in half the dill, then take off the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Seve in warm bowls with the rest of the dill, some more black pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil.

(Original recipe by Nick Bramham in FT Magazine, 1/2 March 2025.)

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Thai Chicken with Basil

Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 3 June 2025| Leave a Comment »

A tasty and colourful dish which we have also successfully cooked with pork fillet so feel free to try that either. The Thai basil makes this dish so we only every make it when we can get that.

Wine Suggestion: Thai basil brings an herbaceousness that we think goes with red Northern Rhone or Burgundy, especially if there’s a little whole bunch fermentation. So for this dish we opened an bottle of Domaine Jamet’s Cotes du Rhone rouge which is made from Syrah grown on the upper slopes around Cote Rotie and with some whole bunch. A wine that benefits from 6 to 12 months in the bottle this had a smoothness, earthiness and well integrated tannins as well as remaining fresh and weightless so not to overwhelm the food.

Thai Chicken with Basil – serves 3

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1 Thai green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, julienned
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 medium red pepper, deseeded and diced into 1cm pieces
  • 3 scallions, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 1 tsp freshly roasted and ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar or soft brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 7g fresh Thai basil, shredded
  • plain rice and fresh coriander, to serve

Heat a tbsp of the vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat, then add half the chicken strips. Add the green chilli and garlic and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the chicken has changed colour. Sprinkle with a little of the sesame oil, then remove to a plate.

Add the remaining tbsp of vegetable oil to the wok, then add the red pepper, scallions, ground coriander and sugar. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the chicken.

Mix the cornflour with the fish sauce and soy until smooth, then pour into the pan, stirring constantly for a minute or until the juices thicken slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining sesame oil. Toss in the basil, season to taste and serve with plain rice and lots of chopped coriander.

(Original recipe from Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen, Kyle Books, 2017.)

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Ginger & Chilli Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 9 January 2025| Leave a Comment »

Just chicken fillets with a nice tasty sauce and water chestnuts, which we love!

Ginger and Chilli Chicken – serves 6

  • 6 small skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 level tbsp cornflour
  • 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 4 tbsp full-fat crème fraîche
  • 1 x 275g tin water chestnuts, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tsp finely grated root ginger
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, to make 12 thin fillets.

To make the marinade, measure the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken breasts, toss to coat and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (but don’t throw the marinade away) and place in a single layer in the pan (you will probably need to do this in batches). Brown for 3 minutes, turning halfway. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan with damp kitchen paper to remove any marinade.

Mix the cornflour with 4 tbsp of water in a small bowl until smooth.

Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan over a high heat. Add the shallot and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the reserved marinade, the stock and the crème fraîche and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Add the cornflour mixture, season and bring to the boil to thicken.

Add the water chestnuts and return the chicken to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has a nice consistency.

Serve with rice and sprinkle with coriander to serve.

(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)

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Chicken Fricassee

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 7 January 2025| 2 Comments »

So simple and yet so lovely. The bit that takes time can be done earlier in the day and it’s fairly easy to finish off later. Serve with rice or whatever you fancy.

Wine Suggestion: We like how the stonefruit characters, mixed with slightly lower acidity from a southern Rhône white goes with the gentle and elegant nature of this dish. The Grapillon d’Or Vacqueyras white is a good example and it’s fleshy character and minerally/nutty textures are just perfect.

Chicken Fricassee – serves 6 to 8

  • 2kg whole chicken

FOR THE POACHING LIQUID:

  • 750ml chicken stock
  • 2 banana shallots, sliced
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  • 8 tsp black peppercorns
  • ½ lemon
  • a large bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontallly

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • a large knob of butter
  • 500g banana shallots, thinly sliced
  • 3 sticks celery, finely diced
  • 200ml double cream
  • 3 tbsp chopped chives
  • 3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

Put the whole chicken into a large, deep saucepan. Add all of the poaching liquid ingredients and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.

When the chicken is cold, take the chicken out and remove the meat from the carcass – discard the bones and skin. Tear the meat into large pieces and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug. Squeeze the garlic from the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Discard the poaching veg, lemon and peppercorns.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and celery and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the mashed garlic and fry for 10 seconds, then pour in the vermouth and boil to reduce by half. Add 600ml of the poaching liquid, bring to the boil and boil hard for 3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp of the remaining poaching liquid to the cornflour and stir until smooth. Add this to the pan and cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the cream and cooked chicken and gently reheat until hot. Add the fresh herbs and season well with salt and black pepper.

(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)

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Chicken Chow Mein

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 22 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

Delicious noodles and made in minutes!

Chicken Chow Mein – serves 2

  • 200g chicken thigh fillets, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 200g cooked noodles
  • 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 200g finely shredded green cabbage
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 3 scallions, cut into 5cm lengths, white and green parts separated
  • 60ml water
  • 120g bean sprouts

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1½ tbsp Chinese cooking wine
  • 2 tsp white sugar
  • ½ tsp sesame oil
  • freshly ground white pepper

Put the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda. Toss to coat, then set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse in a colandar under tap water for 5 seconds, then shake off the excess water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

To make the sauce, mix the cornflour and soy sauce in a small bowl, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour 1 tbsp of the sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, then set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken and stir-fry until tinged brown but not cooked through – about 1 minute.

Add the cabbage, carrot and the white part of the scallions and stir-fry for 1½ minutes or until the cabbage is wilted.

Add the noodles, sauce and water and stir-fry for 1 minute, tossing the whole time, until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles.

Add the bean sprouts and the green parts of the scallions, toss for 30 seconds or until the beansprouts start to wilt. Remove from the heat and serve.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2000.)

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Black Pepper & Bay Leaf Curry

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , on 14 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

An easy but very tasty curry for two.

Wine Suggestion: we would keep this very easy and open an Asahi, a dry and savoury lager that quenches the thirst and makes a refreshing match for the curry.

Black pepper & bay leaf curry – serves 2

  • 3 cloves of garlic, 2 peeled and grated
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, finely ground
  • 300g chicken breast, cut into 4cm pieces
  • 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 250g vine cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 100ml single cream
  • juice of ½ lemon

Put the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay and stir for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile mix the turmeric, cumin, chilli, ground peppercorns and a tsp of salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the spiced chicken, fry for 2 minutes on each side, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until they’ve broken down. Add the cream, simmer for a couple of minutes, then check the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, taste for salt and serve with rice.

(Original recipe by Rukmini Iyer in The Guardian)

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Easiest Ever Chicken Curry

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 October 2024| Leave a Comment »

This is a very tasty curry despite the short list of ingredients. Even though it’s simple, it’s perfect for a weeknight and not too spicy for children or other sensitive palates.

Wine Suggestion: We usually find most Pinot Grigio’s a bit nondescript for our tastes, but have been exploring and enjoying a number from Trentino and Friuli recently and think they go quite well with mild curries like this. Zuani make their Sodevo Pinot Grigio in a fairly standard way, though from well tended and lower yielding vineyards. The big difference is both the soils, and keeping it on the fine lees after fermentation. Look out for this last step and you should find a wine that stands out amongst the sea of ordinary Piont Grigios.

Easiest ever chicken curry – serves 4

  • 2  tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp finely grated ginger
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 500g chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 2½  tbsp curry powder, plus an extra 2 tsp
  • 1 x 400ml full fat coconut milk
  • 375ml chicken stock
  • ½  tsp salt
  • 200ml frozen peas
  • a large handful of coriander, chopped

Sprinkle the chicken with the 2 extra tsp of curry powder and some salt and pepper.

Heat a splash of oil in a large, deep frying pan, the remove and set aside.

Add the rest of the vegetable oil to the pan and cook the garlic, ginger and onion over a medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add the 2½  tbsp curry powder and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and chicken stock to the pan, then simmer rapidly for about 20 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Add the chicken back in towards the end to cook it through.

Add the peas and salt to the curry and cook for 2 minutes, season again to taste and sprinkle over the coriander.

Serve with steamed basmati rice.

(Original recipe from RecipeTinEats)

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Barbecued Chicken

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 21 October 2024| Leave a Comment »

Everyone loves a piece of barbecued chicken. This was has a tasty herb marinade.

Wine Suggestion: to hand a bottle of Domaine Gayda “Sphere” Chardonnay and we were pleased with the match. Southern French sunshine, organic vineyards, cooling mountains behind, limestone soils, wild ferment and aging on lees in a mix of concrete tanks and barrels.

Barbecued Chicken – serves 6

  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp English mustard
  • 3 tbsp of chopped herbs – we used parsley chives and tarragon (you could also use thyme)
  • a little grated lemon zest
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • a small garlic clove, very finely chopped
  • 1 chicken, jointed

Combine the oil, mustard, herbs, lemon zest and juice, garlic and plenty of black pepper in a large bowl. Slash the chicken in a few places, then toss the pieces in the marinade and leave in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 4 hours.

Get your barbecue fired up.

Before cooking, pat away any excess oil, then seasson with salt. Grill on a moderately hot barbecue, turning often, until cooked through (best to use a meat thermometer and check for 74C). The breast pieces should take about 15 minutes on the hotter part of the barbecue and legs and wings on a cooler part for at least 25 minutes.

Transfer to a warm dish, sprinkle with a little more seasoning and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2009.)

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Chicken with Olives & Lemon

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 1 October 2024| Leave a Comment »

A dish full of all the flavours we love!

Wine Suggestion: Choose a white with a definite Mediterranean aspect. We opened a bottle of Domaine Ventenac’s “Dissidents” Cassandre. Made from Vermentino which is found in quite a few countries around Europe under a load of names. This was dry and tasting of grapefruits with hints of apricot and a really nutty, textural oiliness that matched the olives in this dish. Sunshine with substance in a glass.

Chicken with olives and lemon – serves 3

  • 6 skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • a good pinch of saffron strands
  • a handful of green olives
  • a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
  • olive oil

FOR THE SPICE PASTE:

  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • a few pinches of smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • olive oil

Make the spice paste first by crushing the garlic with a good pinch of sea salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the smoked paprika, turmeric and cumin seeds and grind to a paste, then mix in a couple of tbsps of olive oil or enough to make a paste that will coat the chicken.

Put the chicken thighs in a bowl, then add the spice paste and toss to coat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate at room temperature for an hour or overnight in the fridge.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large, shallow pan. Add the onions and soften a little, before adding the chicken thighs and cooking until coloured lightly on both sides.

Add the lemon to the pan and enough water to come halfway up the chicken pieces. Stir in the saffron, season well, then cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the olives and coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from The Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2012.)

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2024| Leave a Comment »

We love tacos and definitely don’t make them as often as we should. We’re lucky to have a local Mexican shop, Picado, who make proper corn tortillas, though tortillas from the supermarket will be good too.

Wine Suggestion: This goes great with a medium bodied, juicy red, like Adi Badenhorst’s Secateurs Red. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and a little Cinsault we find this always has a charming depth and persistence, despite the lowly price point.

Chicken tinga tacos – serves 5 to 6

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2½ tsp dried oregano
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 80g chipotle in adobo with sauce, finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 750g chicken thigh fillets
  • 20 x small corn tortillas, warmed
  • coriander leaves, roughly chopped (to serve)
  • guacamole (to serve)

FOR THE LIME CREAM:

  • ¼ tsp finely grated garlic
  • 100g sour cream
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • ¼ tsp salt

Make the lime cream by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Heat the oil in a large pot over a hith heat, then add the garlic, onion and oregano and cook for 3 minutes or until the onions are browning at the edges.

Add all the rest of the ingredients, except the chicken. Stir well, then add the chicken in a single layer and submerge in the sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for one hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally. The chicken should be soft and easy to shred.

Transfer the chicken to a large, deep, baking tray and shred with two forks. Meanwhile keep the sauce simmering on a low heat for another 10 minutes until quite thick. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and toss to coat.

Serve the tinga with the warmed tortillas, coriander leaves, guacamole and lime cream.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

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Afghani Chicken Curry

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2024| Leave a Comment »

There is a bit of a kick off this but it still seems quite light and fresh with delicious flavours. No wine suggestion as we don’t really think wine goes with this! We ordered some naan bread from the takeaway to serve.

Afghani Chicken Curry – serves 4

  • 600g skinless chicken thighs
  • 5 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves
  • 1cm cinnamon stick
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • ¼ green pepper, deseeded and chopped into 5mm dice
  • 1 tomato, deseeded and finely diced
  • Naan bread (to serve)

FOR THE SPICE PASTE:

  • 30g coriander
  • 130g full-fat natural yoghurt
  • 3 green finger chillies
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2cm piece of ginger
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 40g blanched almonds

Season the chicken thighs with 1 tsp of salt and set aside in a bowl.

Put all of the ingredients for the spice paste into a blender with 125ml of water and blend until smooth. Pour over the chicken, then leave in the fridge for up to a day.

Put a heavy-based casserole over a medium-high heat and add the ghee or oil. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick and sizzle for 30 seconds before adding the onions and green pepper. Fry for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Add the chicken and spice paste to the casserole along with 250ml of water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato and cook for another 15 minutes. The sauce should be quite thick and cling to the chicken, if it’s more liquid than this, leave the lid off to reduce it.

Check for seasoning and serve with naan bread.

(Original recipe from Misarana by Eddie Scott, Quarto, 2024.)

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Peas and Herbs

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 27 August 2024| Leave a Comment »

With the erratic weather we’re not doing nearly as much outdoor cooking as we’d usually at this time of year. To keep up our spirits this indoor dish was light and summery. Serve with some new potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: A fun and inexpensive Verdicchio from Umani Ronchi, their Villa Bianchi, which despite it being light and easy going shows the class that the whole range they make has. Summery fun in a glass.

Crispy chicken thighs with peas and herbs – serves 4

  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots, halved and sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 300g frozen peas (or freshly podded if possible)
  • 3 sprigs of tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • 2 springs of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • 30g cold butter, cut into cubes

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.

Trickle the olive oil over the chicken thighs and season both side with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over a medium heat, then place the thighs skin-side down in the pan and leave to cook for 15- 20 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

Transfer the thighs, skin-side up, to an oven tray and bake in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the sauté pan back over a medium heat. When it’s hot add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

Pour the stock into the pan and scrape all the sticky bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the stock to a simmer and cook reduce by half. Add the peas and herbs and cook for a few minutes until the peas are tender. Add the cold butter and stir until amalgamated into the sauce.

Remove the chicken from the oven and add the thighs to the pan with the peas, pouring over any juices on the tray. Stir and season with salt and pepper, then serve.

(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, Bloomsbury, 2024.)

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Chicken with Pineapple and ‘Nduja

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 March 2024| Leave a Comment »

A recipe from Ixta Belfrage’s excellent book, Mezcla. Pinapple has developed a bad reputation in savoury dishes but we love it … including on pizzas sometimes. Serve some steamed white rice on the side.

Wine Suggestion: we’re having an Italian moment, so chose the La Pruina Salice Salentino to go with this dish. A blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Negra it had a suprising elegance and didn’t overwhelm the flavours despite an obvious juiciness to the fruit. Balanced and surprisingly medium bodied; we’ll be revisitng this wine again.

Chicken with pineapple and ‘nduja – serves 4

  • 4 chicken thighs, at room temperature
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium onion, halved and very thinly sliced, ideally with a mandoline if you have one
  • 300g fresh pineapple, peeled, cut into rounds, then quartered and hard core removed
  • 4 tangerines or 2 oranges, squeezed to give 100g of juice
  • 100g chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp double cream
  • 5g coriander
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

FOR THE ‘NDUJA AND CHIPOTLE PASTE:

  • 50g ‘nduja paste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • ½ tsp chipotle flakes
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp fine salt
  • 20 twists of black pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Put the ingredients for the ‘nduja and chipotle paste into a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken thighs, garlic, and about ¾ of the onion and mix together well. Tip everything into a large oven-proof cast-iron frying pan or a baking dish. Make sure the chicken is skin-side up on top of the onions and garlic.

Add the pineapple to the mixing bowl and toss in any leftover paste, then arrange around the chicken.

Pour the orange juice around the chicken but make sure you don’t pour it over the chicken skin, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in the chicken stock – again avoiding the chicken skin. Put back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy.

Rest the dish for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle over the cream. Toss the coriander with the rest of the sliced onion and a little oil and salt, then sprinkle over the top. Serve with lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mezlca by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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BBQ Drumsticks

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 29 January 2024| 3 Comments »

Who doesnt love a chicken drumstick? These ones have a delicious Spanish inspired marinade. Serve with some alioli if you like.

Wine suggestion: when choosing wines to go with dishes we often start with the idea that the origin of the dish lends itself to similar wines, in this case Spain. So on this note we went for Edetària’s via Edetana Red which is a joyful and deep expression of Garnacha Fina and Garnatxa Peluda, two very closely related varieties of Grenache. It has both a purity and freshness alongside an earthiness and rounded, velvety spices; medium bodied so it didn’t overwhelm the chicken and worked alongside the marinade. An interesting aside, the very rare Garnatxa Peluda found only in Terra Alta is also called “Hairy Grenache” as the leaves are velvety.

BBQ Drumsticks – serves 4

  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • lemon wedges, to serve

For the marinade:

  • 50ml olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
  • 100ml fino sherry
  • salt

Mix all the marinade ingredients together and add plenty of salt.

Add the drumsticks and rub the marinade in with your hands. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.

Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before you want to cook it. Brush the marinade off the chicken and reserve it for later.

Prep your barbecue to allow for indirect and direct cooking. Put the chicken pieces over the indirect heat to start and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 30 minutes, turning regularly.

Move the chicken onto the direct heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes until cooked through and nicely charred. Baste often with the reserved marinade.

Serve with the lemon wedges and some alioli if you like.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)

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Spicy Coconut and Chicken Noodles

Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 January 2024| 2 Comments »

We made these noodles on the day we got our new puppy, Remy. We can barely remember what they tasted like as we were too busy congratulating ourselves on picking the best little dog ever. However we wrote, usefully, on the recipe that they tasted very good indeed … so we’ll go with that.

Wine Suggestion: The coconut and turmeric elements to this dish work really well with an off-dry Riesling, like those from the Mosel in Germany. The Dr Loosen “L” Riesling is an inexpensive, but very well made option with charming fruit and a very good balance, finishing clean and fresh.

Spicy Coconut and Chicken Noodles – serves 4

  • vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 600g boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp rose harissa
  • 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 300g medium egg noodles

TO SERVE:

  • a handful of bean sprouts
  • lime wedges
  • coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Put a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, drizzle in some vegetable oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the chicken and dry spices along with lots of salt and pepper and stir to coat the chicken in the mixture, then stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the harrisa and stir-fry for a few more minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the coconut milk and some water so that the chicken is just covered. Stir, then cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for an hour, stirring now and then to make sure it hasn’t stuck. You can top up the liquid a little if needed.

Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, then drain and divide between 4 bowls.

Pour the chicken over the cooked noodles, then add the bean sprouts, lime wedges and coriander.

(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)

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Chicken Dippers!

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , on 3 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

All they want to eat is chicken nuggets – at least you know what’s in this version and they’re baked in the oven. Little wins!

Chicken dippers – serves 3 to 4

  • rapeseed oil spray
  • 90g panko breadcrumbs
  • 500g chicken breasts, cut into 1½ cm strips
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt

FOR THE BATTER:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Spread the panko breadcrumbs onto a baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 7 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a bowl.

Get a grill pan and spray the metal rack with oil.

Put the batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the batter.

Pick the chicken pieces up with tongs and put into the breadcrumb bowl. Sprinkle the surface with the breadcrumbs and press with your fingers to make sure they stick. Transfer the breadcrumbed chicken to the metal rack and repeat until the chicken is all coated.

Spray the chicken pieces generously with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with ketchup or mayonnaise.

(Original recipe from Recipetineats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

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Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemon

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 18 October 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s the classic roast chicken but this time with fresh and preserved lemon. Yummy!

Wine Suggestion: We have a bit of a thing for dry Loire Chenin Blanc and were fortunate to visit Jacky Blot from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups earlier this year. Although he passed away not long after our visit, being able to taste the results of his work in a glass really keeps his memory alive. We opened a bottle of his Vin de France “Clos de la Bretonniere” with this dinner and were transported back to the tasting room and the couple of hours we spent with Jacky. A vibrantly dry Vouvray with tension and tautness in abundance and layers of minerally fruit, it paired beautifully with the roast chicken. Salut Jacky!

Roast chicken with preserved lemon – serves 4

  • 70g butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded and flesh and skin roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1½ tbsp of juice
  • 1 whole chicken

Heat the oven to 190C fan.

Put the butter, thyme, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper in a food proessor and blitz to combine.

Loosen the chicken skin over the breasts (careful not to tear it) and spread most of the butter mixture underneath. Spread the rest over the legs.

Put the chicken into a roasting tin and drizzle with the lemon juice and sprinkle over ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes per 500g plus an extra 10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the juices run clear. Baste every 20 minutes as it cooks.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Chicken, Chorizo & Spinach Pie

Posted in Cheese, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 October 2023| Leave a Comment »

There are a few bits to this but it’s not complicated – trust the process and start the night before, dinner will be easy tomorrow. Serve with a green salad.

Wine Suggestion: We think this dish works really well with a fruit forward, medium bodied red like a Grenache. We’re particularly enamoured at the moment by Jesus Romero’s Rubus, a Garnacha Tempranillo blend made with minimal intervention. Good grapes that ferment themselves in tank, then left to settle for a few months and bottled with a touch of sulphur to keep it stable. Pure brambly red fruits with a purple fruited core, gentle spices and tannins and an easy, but complex nonetheless, finish.

Chicken, chorizo & spinach pie – serves 6

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 125g cooking chorizo or chorizo ring, skin removed and chopped
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 250g baby spinach
  • 200g leftover roast chicken, shredded
  • 4 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 500g Maris Piper or similar potatoes
  • 2 x 320g sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
  • plain flour, for dusting
  • 125g mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 egg, beaten

Make the filling first. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the chorizo for a few minutes or until the oil is released. Add the onions, season and cook for 10 minutes or until soft and starting to caramelise.

Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken and crème fraîche. Season to taste, then tip into a bowl and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.

Peel the potatoes and thinly slice. Boil in salted water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potato slices from the water and set onto a cloth-lined tray to dry and cool.

Unroll one of the pastry sheets on a floured surface and roll out to make a square shape, transfer to a lined baking sheet and cut out a 28cm diameter circle (a dinner plate will help with this). Chill in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.

Season the potatoes and lay a quarter of them onto the pastry circle, leaving a 2.5cm border around the edge. Next add a thrid of the chicken and chorizo mixture, then a third of the cheese. Repeat these layers, gradually forming a dome shape and finishing with a layer of potatoes.

Brush beaten egg all around the border.

Next, roll out the second sheet of pastry and drape over the top. Smooth over the filling and press the edges together to seal, then trim off the excess pastry and crimp the border. Brush with the egg and chill again – you can cook the pie at this stage or you can leave it in the fridge until tomorrow.

Heat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.

When the oven is heated, brush the pie again with the remaining egg and score gently down the sides with a sharp knife. Cut a small hole in the top to let out the steam.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4 and bake for a further 40 minutes or until golden brown and piping hot throughout (especially important if you’ve had it in the fridge for a long time). Rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

(Original recipe by Tom Mitchell-Dawson in Sainsbury’s Magazine, September 2023.)

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