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Archive for the ‘Chicken’ Category

Chicken & Spinach Lasagne

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 April 2023| 1 Comment »

Make this with your roast chicken leftovers. It will generously serve 6 people and is very rich so you will only need a green salad on the side. Make sure you season all the components separately.

Wine Suggestion: We are big fans of Chardonnay, especially judiciously oaked and handled, no matter where they are grown. Tonight a hidden gem from Burgundy, the Patrick Javillier Bourgogne Côte d’Or Cuvée des Forgets which is grown on clay very close to Meursault. Quite vigorous and toasty with yellow and red apples poking through, plus layers of nuts. Generous and fleshy with a fresh, vibrant core that helps balance the richness of the dish.

Chicken and spinach lasagne – serves 6 to 8

  • 40g butter
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 100g button mushrooms, finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 600ml milk
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 50g grated Parmesan
  • 150g baby spinach
  • 1 large egg
  • 250g ricotta cheese
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • no-cook lasagne sheets, about 8
  • 400g cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 200g grated mozzarella cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Season and cook gently for a few minutes or until the mushrooms have softened.

Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, then gradually add the milk. Season generously, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for a few minutes, until thickened. Stir in the cream cheese and half of the Parmesan, then remove from the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted.

Whisk the egg, ricotta and parsley together in a bowl and season generously.

Spoon a quarter of the sauce into a large, deep, rectangular dish. Cover with lasagne sheets. Add a third of the ricotta mix, then add a third of the chicken, a third of the mozzarella and a small sprinkling of Parmesan. Repeat these layers twice more, then finish with a layer of lasagne sheets and the last of the sauce and remaining Parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned. Leave to settle before cutting into squares and serving with salad.

(Original recipe from More Midweek Meals by Neven Maguire, Gill Books, 2022.)

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Butter Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Indian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 23 April 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is Dishoom’s Chicken Ruby and it’s by far the best recipe for butter chicken that we’ve made. There’s definitely quite a bit to do but you can marinate the chicken and make the sauce in advance, so the last bit is very easy. Serve with rice.

Butter chicken – serves 4

  • 700g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 20g unsalted butter, melted
  • 50ml double cream

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 10g fresh ginger, chopped
  • 20g garlic, chopped
  • 5g fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp veg oil
  • 75g full-fat Greek yoghurt

FOR THE MAKHANI SAUCE:

  • 35g garlic
  • 175ml vegetable oil
  • 20g fresh ginger
  • 2 x tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1½ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
  • 30g butter
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 20g granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
  • ½ tsp dill fronds
  • 80ml double cream

TO GARNISH:

  • coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

You need to marinate the chicken for 6-24 hours. To make the marinade, whizz the ingredients together in a blender to a smooth paste, then transfer to a bowl.

Cut the chicken into 4cm pieces, add to the marinade and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge.

Next make the makhani sauce.

Finely chop 15g of the garlic. Warm a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chopped garlic and fry until light golden brown and slightly crispy, about 7-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Finely grate the rest of the garlic and the ginger.

Blitz the tomatoes in a blender until smooth.

Put the saucepan with the garlicky oil back over a medium-high heat and add the bay leaves, all of the cardamom pods and the cinnamon sticks. Let them crackle for a minute, stirring.

Turn down the heat and add the garlic and ginger paste. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing it to brown, but not burn.

Add the tomatoes, salt and chilli powder and bring to a fast simmer, then cook until reduced by half, stirring regularly – about 30 minutes.

Add the butter and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the garam masala, sugar, honey, cumin, crispy garlic, dried fenugreek and fresh dill and cook for another 15 minutes.

If you are using the sauce straight away, add the cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes. If not, allow to cool and chill in the fridge until needed. Add the cream when you reheat the sauce.

To assemble / finish:

When you’re ready for the curry, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the marinated chicken on a rack in the grill pan, then brush with the melted butter and grill for 8-10 minutes or until cooked and nicely charred.

Warm a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the makhani sauce, cream and grilled chicken and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Serve the curry garnished with the chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds with steamed rice on the side.

(Original recipe from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir, Bloomsbury, 2019.)

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Spicy Chicken Bake with a Blue Cheese Dressing

Posted in Cheese, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 April 2023| 1 Comment »

There’s a few different ingredients in this Ottolenghi dish but they are worth seeking out. We’ve served this to friends a few times and it’s very popular. Serve with steamed rice and corn tortillas.

Wine Suggestion: A juicy red with gentle, warm, velvety spices is what we’d recommend, like a Grenache blend from the Southern Rhône. Romain Roche’s Cairanne is a current favourite; so smooth and effortless, but with great depth and expression. All velvety southern French sunshine and joie de vie.

Spicy chicken bake with blue cheese dressing – serves 4

  • 15 dried cascabel chillies, stems and seeds removed
  • 15g dried chipotle chillies, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 limes, 2 tbsp juice and 1 cut into wedges to serve
  • 150g celery, peeled and very thinly cliced
  • 1 red chilli, roughly chopped with seeds left in
  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 450g cooked rotisserie chicken, discard the skin and roughly tear into large pieces
  • 20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 150g buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn

FOR THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:

  • 150g soured cream
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 100g Roquefort cheese or Gorgonzola, finely crumbled
  • 1 tbsp whole milk

Put the chillies into a small bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Weigh down with a saucer and set aside for 10 minutes.

Put the lime juice, celery and a pinch of salt into a small bowl, mix well and set aside to pickle.

Drain the chillies and roughly chop. Put into a food processor with the fresh chilli, garlic and tomatoes, then blitz until smooth.

Heat the oven to 240C, or as high as your oven goes.

Put the oil into a large, shallow cast-iron pan and place over a medim-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and deeply browned. Add the whizzed chilli mixture, 100ml of water and 1½ tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add the cooked chicken and another 100ml of water and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and two-thirds of the scallions.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the blue cheese dressing along with a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Reserve half the mixture and dollop the rest over the chicken mixture. Top with the torn mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Stir the rest of the scallions into the pickled celery and spoon half over the chicken bake. Serve the rest of the celery, the blue cheese dressing and lime wedges on the side.

(Original recipe from Ottolentghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Roast Chicken with Coconut Rice and Beans

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 21 March 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is all cooked in the oven in one tray and it’s super tasty.

Wine Suggestion: This works really well with Viognier, especially if it has a bit more depth than some entry level ones. We would have loved to open a Condrieu, but in the absence of that it was Jean-Michel Gerin’s Le Champine Viognier from the slopes near the more famed appellation. So well balanced with a purity of stone fruit flavours and a hint of nuttiness that lends itself to this food pairing.

Roast chicken with coconut rice and beans – serves 4

  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • 25g butter
  • 275g basmati rice, rinsed
  • 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
  • 350ml hot chicken stock
  • a bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Rub the chicken drumsticks with the oil and jerk seasoning.

Generously grease a large roasting tin with the butter.

Add the rice, then pour in the cococnut milk and chicken stock.

Scatter over half the scallions, then the kidney beans, garlic and thyme and stir gently.

Arrange the drumsticks on top, then cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and roast for another 15 minutes or until the drumsticks are golden brown and cooked through.

Garnish with the rest of the scallions and serve.

(Original recipe from More Midweek Meals by Neven Maguire, Gill Books, 2022.)

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Alphabeto in Brodo

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 March 2023| Leave a Comment »

Comfort food at its best. Don’t be tempted to strain the chicken broth of fat, it adds to the flavour and don’t skimp on the salt. You can use the poached chicken meat for sandwiches, or something else.

Alpabetto in Brodo – serves 4 (the recipe makes double the quanity of broth needed and it will keep in the freezer)

  • 800kg chicken thighs (skin on and bone-in)
  • 1 onion, peeled and halved
  • 1 carrot, peeled and halved
  • 1 stick of celery, halved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a few peppercorns
  • 200g alfabeto
  • grated Parmesan, to serve

Put the chicken into a large heavy pan, cover with 2.5 litres of cold water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and use a slotted spoon to spoon off any scum.

Add the vegetables, bring back to the boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down on the veg and chicken to extract all the flavor. You won’t need the chicken after this but you should strip the meat from the bones and keep it for something else.

Bring 1 litre of the broth to the boil, add the alfabeto and cook until al dente. Ladle into bowl and add grated Parmesan.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Cajun Chicken Melts

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

Perfect Saturday lunch – if the sun would shine it would be nice to eat outside.

Cajun chicken melts – serves 4

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 heaped tsp Cajun spice
  • 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 4 slices sourdough
  • 150g mature Cheddar, grated
  • 200g green salad leaves

FOR THE SALAD DRESSING:

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Put the chicken into a baking dish and rub with the oil, then sprinkle over the Cajun spice and season with salt and pepper. Pour about 4 tbsp of water into the dish around the chicken, then roast for 18-20 minutes or until just cooked. Leave to cool, then slice.

Mix half the chilli sauce in a small bowl with the mayonnaise and season.

Put the sourdough onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Spread the chilli mayo over the bread and arrange the chicken slices on top. Cover with the grated cheese and drizzle the rest of the chilli sauce on top, then finish with the pesto. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Meanwhile make the salad dressing by putting the oil, vinegar, honey and mustard into a container with 2 tbsp of water and blending until smooth, then season. Putt the salad leaves into a bowl and use enough of the dressing to lightly coat the leaves.

Arrange the Cajun chicken melts on plates with the dressed salad on the side.

(Original recipe from More Midweek Meals by Neven Maguire, Gill Books, 2022.)

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Chicken with Mozzarella, Parma Ham and Pesto Potatoes

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

If there are children around there’s nearly always a half-used tub of pesto. Too expensive to go to waste, and a good reason we’re always on the lookout for anything other than pesto pasta. This dish is a bit of summer in winter.

Wine Suggestion: Choose a fun and fresh red, preferably with a moderate alcohol. Fortunately we had a red blend from the Sebestyén family in the Szekszárd region of south-eastern Hungary. Their Szekszárdi Cuvée is a delightful blend of Kékfrankos, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; youthful, fresh and characterful.

Chicken with mozzarella, Parma ham and roast pesto potatoes, serves 4

  • 125g ball of mozzarella cheese (not buffalo), sliced
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 24 basil leaves
  • 4 slices of Parma ham
  • 24 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g baby potatoes
  • 3 tbsp pesto
  • 2 tbsp thick balsamic vinegar

Heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5.

Grease a baking sheet.

Season the mozzarella slices with salt and pepper.

Slice a small pocket in each chicken breast (we asked our butcher to do this) and fill with a slice of mozzarella and 6 basil leaves. Wrap each piece of chicken in a slice of Parma ham and set onto the greased baking sheet. Scatter the tomatoes around the chicken.

Drizzle everything with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then roast for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until cooked through, about 20 minutes, then drain and toss with the pesto.

Put the chicken, potatoes and tomatoes onto warm plates and drizzle the tomatoes with the thick balsmic vinegar.

(Original recipe from Herbs by Judith Hann, Watkins Media Ltd, 2017.)

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Sticky Miso Chicken on Sesame Pumpkin

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 28 January 2023| Leave a Comment »

We love pretty much anything with miso. This miso chicken roasted on a bed of sesame pumpkin is an excellent combination.

Wine Suggestion: We’re on a sherry so for this dish we pulled La Gitana Manzanilla out to find if it worked and were delighted to find it really does. If you have a Manzanilla/Fino to hand give it a go, otherwise find a textural Chardonnay which balances the flavours with an extra stalkiness and more time in bottle.

Sticky miso chicken on sesame pumpkin – serves 3

  • 1.5kg pumpkin, thinly sliced (we used crown prince)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced, to serve
  • coriander leaves, to serve

FOR THE STICKY MISO CHICKEN:

  • 95g white miso paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 60ml mirin
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
  • 6 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets

Heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Toss the pumpkin slices in a large bowl with the olive oil, sesame seeds and a good pinch of salt. Spread the pumpkin out over the baking tray and bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes.

To make the chicken, put the miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and brown rice vinegar into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat, then set aside.

After 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the chicken fillets and pour over any remaining marinade. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle over sliced scallions, coriander leaves and sesame seeds to serve.

(Original recipe by Donna Hay in Olive Magazine, Christmas 2020.)

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Soy Sauce Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 22 January 2023| Leave a Comment »

Happy Chinese New Year and all good fortune in the year of the rabbit. We celebrated with this simple version of a classic, super tender chicken with a delicous sauce.

Wine Suggestion: If you feel like a white, go for a Marsanne like Andre Perret’s VdP version from the Northern Rhone. That’s what we did.

Soy sauce chicken – serves 4

  • 1kg chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 4 scallions, 3 cut in half, 1 finely slice on an angle, to serve
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 240ml light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
  • steamed jasmine rice and steamed greens to serve

Season the chicken with salt and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, then add the 3 halved scallions, ginger, star anise and bay leaves. Toss for about 5 minutes until fragrant.

Pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, 2 tbsp of the sugar and 480ml of water. Turn the heat up to hight and bring to the boil.

Slide in the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a single layer. Add more water if need to just about cover the chicken.

Turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 35 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate and leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the bones and slice. Arrange on a serving dish.

Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid and discard the solids. Put 150ml into a small pan and put the pan over a medium heat. Just before it boils, add the cornflower mixture and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Remove from the heat once it’s at a nice thickness (you can add a bit more of the reserved cooking liquor if it gets too thick – you want it coating the back of a spoon).

Pour the sauce over the sliced chicken and sprinkle over the sliced scallion. Serve with jasmine rice and lots of steamed greens.

(Original recipe by Thy Lundkvist in BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2022.)

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Guisado de Pollo

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 December 2022| Leave a Comment »

A Diana Henry recipe inspired by but not quite the same as the Dominican dish. This is perfect for a weeknight despite the long list of ingredients. Most will be in your cupboard and it’s really easy to put together. Lovely bright colours and flavours. This works on it’s own or with some crusty bread or rice.

Wine Suggestion: despite the inclination to go for a richer white, we felt in the mood for a red instead so chose Domaine Gayda’s Cepage Grenache. A brambly, dark red fruited wine with a juicy core and gentle, ripe tannins. We served it slightly cool to great effect and it made a delightful counterpoint to the chipotles (ours were very hot!).

Guisado de Pollo – serves 6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 75g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
  • 400g waxy potatoes, cut into 1cm chunks – you can peel them if you like, we didn’t bother
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 4 tsp ground cumin
  • a small tin of pineapple in natural juice, drained and cut into small chunks
  • 400g tin plum tomatoes
  • 1 tsp soft dark brown sugar
  • 2 tinned chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, or 3 tbsp chipotle paste (reduce if your chipotles are very hot)
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 1 jalapeño chilli, halved lengthways and deseeded
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • juice of 1 lime
  • a small bunch of coriander, chopped, to serve

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large casserole and fry the chicken in batches until browned on both sides. It doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the chopped pumpkin and potato to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until starting to colour. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic cand cumin and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the pineapple, tomatoes, sugar, chipotles, thyme, chicken stock. Season and bring slowly to a simmer.

Cut the chicken into thick strips, then add to the casserole along with any juices from the plate. Add the potatoes, pumpkin and the jalapeño. Stir gently then leave to simmer for 25 minutes without a lid. Give it a stir now and again. It’s ready when the vegetables are soft and the sauce thickened.

Add the capers and lime juice and season to taste. Stir in the coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from A Bird in the Hand by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2015.)

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Chicken with Leeks & Orzo

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

This is a nice soupy-stew sort of thing. Perfect for cold nights but still with nice fresh flavours.

Wine Suggestion: We went a bit left-field for this dish and look for an aged white Rioja where you get the roundness and poise of an oaked chardonnay but with a slightly softer acidity. Graceful in age the Urbina Rioja Bianco Crianza 2014 was both youthful with melon and citrus fruits, and with a layer of aged, tertiary fennel, aniseed and peach. A joy to know this is the current release from an under the radar winery.

Chicken with leeks & orzo – serves 3

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 large chicken thighs
  • 250g leeks, cut into short lengths, wash well to get rid of any grit and pat dry with kitchen paper.
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • half a lemon, cut into 2 fat wedges
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 200g orzo
  • 150g frozen peas
  • a small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
  • a small handful of tarragon, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Heat the oil in a large, deep casserole dish. Fry the chicken thighs until well-browned on both sides, then remove and set aside.

Add the leeks to the chicken fat in the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, with the lid on, for 5 minutes, you want them softened but not browned.

Add the stock and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes to the boil, then add half the lemon, peppercorns and 1 tsp of salt. Scatter in the orzo and boil for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, then cover and bake for 35 minutes.

Add the peas, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and parsley and serve in warm bowls.

(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021)

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Za’atar, Paprika & Garlic Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 October 2022| Leave a Comment »

So tasty and an absolute doddle to prepare. We served with some crusty bread and baked halloumi. Delicious!

Za’atar, paprika & garlic chicken – serves 3

  • 6 large chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 heaped tbsp za’atar
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic granules
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½

Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.

Line a baking tray with paper.

Put the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and add the spices, lemon zest and juice and lots of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to coat the chicken in the mixture.

Put the chicken onto the lined tray and roast for 1 hour or until well browned and cooked through (you can check at 45 minute if your thighs are small).

(Original recipe from Persian Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)

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Barbecued Buttermilk Chicken, Charred Broccoli, Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil & Pine Nuts

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2022| 2 Comments »

This is a totally different barbecue recipe from Geniveive Taylor’s fantastic new barbecue book – Seared. The buttermilk makes the chicken super tender, so it’s worth marinating it the day before if you can.

Wine Suggestion: A round, fresh white was in order here with a bit of body to stand up to the barbecued flavours, so we chose an oaked Rioja for something a bit different. A bargain in any language, the Urbina Blanco Crianza 2014, yes that is correct … 8 years old, is released when ready and despite its age is fresh and vibrant, with layers of tertiary development, butter, toast and nuttiness alongside the melon, cirtus and jasmine flavours. It reminded us of a complex white Burgundy.

Barbecued buttermilk chicken, charred broccoli, mozzarella, tomato, basil & pine nuts – serves 4-6

  • 800g chicken thigh fillets
  • 300ml buttermilk
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 250g cherry vine tomatoes
  • a big bunch of basil, roughly chopped
  • 50g grated Parmesan
  • 50g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 50g pine nuts
  • 250g mozzarella, torn

Slash the chicken thighs with a sharp knife taking care not to cut the whole way through. Place in a shallow dish in a single layer.

Mix the buttermilk, garlic, mustard and sugar together with plenty of salt and black pepper. Pour over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Light your barbecue for direct and indirect cooking (half with coals and half without).

While the barbecue is getting hot, blanch the broccoli in lots of boiling salty water for a couple of minutes. Drain well and toss with the olive oil and some seasoning. Set aside.

Cook the chicken thighs over indirect heat for about 30 minutes or until they reach 60-65C inside, turning regularly. Move them a little closer to the fire and keep cooking until they reach 74C.

When the chicken is almost cooked, grill the tomatoes and the broccoli for about 10 minutes over the fire, turning until nicely charred on all sides.

Transfer the chicken, broccoli and tomatoes to a heavy roasting tin. Add the basil and gently toss to mix. Sprinkle over the Parmesan, breadcrumbs and pine nuts. Top with mozzarella adn drizzle over a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. Set the tin directly over the fire for 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Serve with crusty bread or some baby roasted potatoes.

(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)

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Chicken and Courgettes with Creamy Mushroom and Tarragon Sauce

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 24 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

It’s courgettes from now on in our house as we have them growing in our little garden and can hardly eat them fast enough. This dish is simple but really delicious – highly recommended. Serve with rice or potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: we’re quite fond of the wines of Hungary and think they’re unfairly overlooked, especially the reds which combine an earthy spice, quite often with a real sophistication and elegance. A new find is Csaba and Csilla Sebestyén’s Sekszárd Cuvée, a blend of Kékfrankos, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The latter two grapes have found a new spiritual home in the south of Hungary and the first a local grape with bags of character.

Chicken and courgettes with creamy mushroom and tarragon sauce – serves 6

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 small chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium courgettes, cut into thick batons
  • 350g button mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 200ml double cream
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 heaped tbsp freshly chopped tarragon

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, then fry the chicken in batches until well-browned on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside. You may need to add a bit more oil.

Add the onion and cook over a high heat for a few minutes until nicely coloured, then cover the pan with a lid and leave the onions to cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes or until soft. Turn the heat up again and add the courgettes, mushrooms and garlic and fry for a few minutes until softened. Scoop the veg out of the pan and set aside with the chicken.

Add the wine to the pan and boil over a high heat until reduced to about 4 tbsp. Stir in the cream and simmer again for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan for a couple of minutes to heat through. Stir through the chopped tarragon and serve.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks Up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK: Penguin Random House, 2019.)

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Marinated Chicken Kebabs for the BBQ

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , on 1 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

It hasn’t been the best of summers in Ireland so far but we’re barbecuing at every opportunity nonetheless. This marinated chicken is very tasty. We’ve given instructions for cooking on a charcoal barbecue but it will of course work just as well on a gas barbecue too.

Wine Suggestion: Choose a Mediterranean inspired, fruity, medium bodied red or white to pair with this. For a red something like a youthful Montepulciano would be great, but for tonight we chose the Edetana via Edetaria Grenacha Blanca from Terra Alta in Spain. A spot truly blessed with an amazing terroir for Grenache of both colours, and this version is bursting with flowers and fruit aromas and a core of citrus on the palate. It really complimented the char from the barbecue and the subtle spicing on the marinade.

Chicken kebabs – serves 6

  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • ½ cinnamon steak
  • 4 cloves
  • 35g cashews
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 800g chicken thigh fillets, diced
  • 150g Greek yoghurt
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 50g ginger, grated
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 50g butter
  • a small handful of mint leaves, chopped, to serve

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • a small handful of coriander, chopped
  • juice of ½ lemon

Warm a small frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, crumbled cinnamon stick and cloves. Toast for a minute until fragrant, then tip them into a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder.

Tip the cashews into the frying pan and roast for a couple of minutes, then add these to the freshly ground spices along with the turmeric and the nutmeg. Grind again, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the chicken, yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chillies and salt to the bowl and mix well. Cover and put in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to cook get your charcoal barbecue going with charcoal on one side only.

Thread the chicken, not too tightly, onto metal skewers.

Put the skewers onto the barbecue, on the opposite side to the coals so the heat isn’t too high. Cook with the lid on, turning regularly, until the temperature inside reaches 74C or for about 20 minutes.

Put the butter into a small frying pan on the hob to melt. When the chicken is almost cooked, move them over the heat to crisp them up and start brushing all over with the melted butter. Keep an eye on them as they’ll start to flare up a bit.

Toss the salad ingredients together and serve the kebabs with the salad on the side.

(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)

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Paprika Chicken Goulash

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 23 May 2022| Leave a Comment »

Tender chicken in tasty sauce, healthy stuff for mid-week. We served with brown rice.

Paprika chicken goulash – serves 4

  • 500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 green pepper, chopped into chunks
  • 1½ tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 400g tin cherry tomatoes
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • sour cream, to serve
  • rice, to serve

Toss the chicken with the seasoned flour. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large deep frying pan and cook in batches until browned all over, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft and browned at the edges. Add the pepper and cook for another 8 minutes or so or until soft.

Put the chicken back into the pan and add the spices, tomatoes and stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the chicken tender. Stir in the parsley and serve with sour cream and rice.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, May 2018.)

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Lemon & Herb Chicken Salad

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 May 2022| Leave a Comment »

This is absolutely lovely for lunch and you can make it up a few hours in advance and chill it in the fridge. It’s also easily doubled if your serving a crowd. Like everything it tastes better outside in the sun. Serve with some crusty bread and green salad leaves if you like.

Lemon & herb chicken salad – serves 6

  • 750g cooked skinless chicken, cut into thin strips (we cook our chicken on a barbecue for extra flavour)
  • 150g pitted green olives, halved
  • 290g jar chargrilled red peppers, drained and thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 200g feta cheese, broken into small pieces

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar

Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl and seasoning with salt and black pepper.

Add the chicken to the dressing and toss well, then addd the olives, half the peppers, the basil, parsley, and two-thirds of the feta. Season again.

Arrange the chicken on a large platter and top with the rest of the peppers and feta. Chill in the fridge for a bit before serving.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, Penguin Random House, 2019.)

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Chicken & Soba Noodle Stir-Fry

Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 May 2022| Leave a Comment »

In our house almost anything will be eaten if it’s mixed with noodles (though not mushrooms sadly … but we’re working on it). Any leftovers of this will make a popular lunchbox too.

Chicken & soba noodle stiry-fry – serves 4

  • 800ml chicken stock
  • 400g chicken breasts
  • 200g dried soba noodles
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
  • half a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
  • 150g green beans, trimmed
  • 150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • a small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a pot, then add the chicken breasts and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure they are completely submerged in the stock. Remove the chicken breasts, shred with two forks and set aside.

Add the noodles to the chicken stock and cook according to the pack instructions. Remove the noodles from the stock with tongs and set aside, reserve the stock.

Heat the oil in a wok, then stir-fry the ginger, chilli and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, green beans and mushrooms and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken, the noodles, 50ml of the reserved stock, the soy sauce and the sesame oil. Toss to combine and heat through. You can add a little more stock for moisture if you need.

Divide between warm bowls and scatter the coriander over the top.

(Original recipe by Nadine Brown in Olive Magazine, May 2021.)

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Murgh Seekh Kabab

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Indian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 May 2022| Leave a Comment »

We recently bought Ammu by Asma Khan, a book full of Indian home-cooking recipes interlaced with lovely stories about Asma’s family life. Today was its first outing and we cooked these kebabs on the barbecue because the sun was shining, and our friend Michael keeps gifting us huge jars of pickled onions that he got for a bargain price in M&S (true). Asma recommends serving with a black-eyed bean salad called Lobia – and we agree.

Wine Suggestion: Find an easy, juicy barbecue red that isn’t too heavy and you’ll be happy here.

Murgh Seekh Kabab – serves 6

  • 900g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
  • 5cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced
  • 300g well-drained pickled onions or shallots
  • 6 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • juice of 2 lemons
  • ¾ tsp sugar
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3cm piece of ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp chilli powder

Ideally you should marinade the chicken and leave in the fridge for about 4 hours. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together, then add the chicken and toss to coat, then cover and put into the fridge.

Get your barbecue going, we prefer charcoal but whatever you’ve got will do.

Thread the chicken pieces, thinly sliced ginger and pickled onions onto metal kebab sticks (you can use the wooden ones but you need to soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes first to stop them burning). Grill the kebabs for about 5 minutes on each side, basting with the ghee or vegetable oil.

(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Celebration Rice with Lamb, Chicken & Garlic Yoghurt

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 April 2022| Leave a Comment »

This takes a long time so the trick is to poach the chicken the day beforehand and store the torn chicken and stock separately in the fridge. Everything else is fairly easy to put together on the day. A feast!

Celebration Rice – serves 8

  • 1 small chicken, about 1.4kg
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 bulb of garlic, skin on and halved widthways
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped

FOR THE RICE:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 300g lamb mince
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 400g basmati rice, washed, soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour and then drained

FOR THE GARLIC YOGHURT:

  • 500g Greek yoghurt
  • 2 clove of garlic, crushed

FOR THE GARNISH:

  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 30g blanched almonds
  • 30g pine nuts
  • ¾ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes
  • 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Put the chicken into a large saucepan with the cinnamon sticks, onion, garlic, 2 litres of water and 2 tsp of salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 70 minutes, or until cooked through. Lift the chicken out and tear into large bite-size chunks when cool enough to handle. Put the chicken into a bowl with the ground cumin and cinnamon and set aside. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard the solids. Measure out 850ml of the stock and keep warm (keep the rest for something else). If you are doing this part a day ahead you will need to reheat the stock and put the spices on the chicken when ready to cook.

For the rice, put the oil and half the butter into a large saucepan, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden. Add the lamb, garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until the lamb has lost its pinkness. Add the rice, 700ml of the warm stock, 1 ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for another 15 minutes. Add the remaining butter and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the yoghurt sauce by whisking the yoghurt, garlic, ¾ tsp of salt and the remaining 150ml of warm stock in a medium bowl.

Put 2 tbsp of oil in to a large sauté pan on a medim-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minute, to warm through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then set aside.

Make the garnish by putting the butter into a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the almonds and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until lightly coloured. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes.

Spread the rice over a large serving platter. Top with the chicken, then pour over half the garlic yoghurt. Finish with the nuts and butter, followed by the parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve the rest of the yoghurt alongside.

(Original recipe by Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

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