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Posts Tagged ‘Chicken’

BBQ Prawns with Miso

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 November 2025| Leave a Comment »

Smoky and savoury, these barbecue prawns with miso are the ultimate snack to kick off any gathering. A generous starter made for sharing that is perfect with cold drinks and good company.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve been exploring the wines of Quincy from the Loire Valley on our travels and discovering how universally well made and exciting they seem to be. Fortuitously the whites, made from Sauvignon Blanc, pair well with this dish. Anthony Girard’s La Clef du Recit is crisp, dry and pure fruited with a real depth and vibrant citrus fruits.

BBQ Prawns with Miso – makes 10

  • 750g large tiger prawns, peeled but with tails left on
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 80g butter
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • finely grated zest and juice of a lemon
  • 2 tsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 scallions, green part only, finely shredded
  • 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
  • lemon wedges

Put the prawns into a large bowl and add the garlic, ginger, miso, soy sauce and honey. Mix well and leave to marinate in the fridge for an hour.

Get your barbecue going for direct cooking.

Meanwhile, put the butter into a small saucepan with the sesame oil. Put the pan over a medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, tahini and toasted sesame seeds. Stir well and set aside.

Thread the prawns onto kebab sticks, then cook on your hot barbecue for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Put the prawns skewers on a serving platter and brush with the sesame butter. Pour the rest of the butter into a bowl and serve it alongside.

Scatter over the scallions and black sesame seeds and serve with lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from The BBQ Book by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury: Absolute, 2025.)

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Crispy Roast Potatoes with Herby Salsa Verde

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 9 November 2025| Leave a Comment »

We’re constantly roasting baby potatoes in hot olive oil with just salt and pepper and we never get tired of them. However, this salsa verde gives our go-to roasties a serious upgrade. Any leftovers are brilliant the next day, packed into lunchboxes or tossed in a salad.

Crispy Roast Potatoes with Herby Salsa Verde — Serves 4 (as a side)

FOR THE SALSA VERDE:

  • 20g flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 20g basil leaves
  • 6g mint leaves
  • ½ garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped cornichons
  • ½ tbsp capers
  • 1 anchovy
  • 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp extrta virgin olive oil
  • 2½ tsp red wine vinegar

FOR THE ROAST POTATOES:

  • 1kb baby potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 2½ tbsp olive oil

Make the salsa verde: Whizz all of the salsa verde ingredients in a small food processor or with a stick blender until you get a coarse, spoonable sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed — a splash more vinegar or oil can help balance it.

Roast the potatoes: Heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Spread them out in a single layer on a large baking tray — don’t crowd them or they won’t crisp up.

Roast for about 45–50 minutes, turning once halfway, until they’re golden, crispy, and tender. Let them cool slightly on the tray for 10 minutes.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and gently toss with around 60g of the salsa verde. Serve warm.

(Recipe inspiration from RecipeTin Eats Tonight by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2024.)

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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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Barbecued Meatloaf

Posted in Barbecue, Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 August 2025| 2 Comments »

Here is something a bit different for the barbecue. It’s a meatloaf stuffed with cheese and tomato chutney and wrapped in a bacon lattice. Serve in slices with salads and sides.

Wine Suggestion: a lovely, juicy red is what we like with this. Roc des Anges “Segna de Cor” a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah fits this bill with good deal of panache. It’s a wine that reflects the unique soils of Roussillon, but with a layer of brambly, juicy fruits on top.

Barbecued meatloaf – serves 4 to 6

  • 16 slices smoked streaky bacon
  • 400g beef mince
  • 2 tbsp barbecue spice rub (we used Pitt Bros Charr’d Rub)
  • 100g mature cheddar, grated
  • 3 tbsp spicy tomato relish (we used Ballymaloe)

You need to get your barbecue prepared for indirect cooking so you can cook the meatloaf away from the direct heat of the fire.

Start by making the bacon lattice to wrap the meatloaf. Line up 8 slices of bacon vertically on a flat baking sheet. From left to right, fold every other slice in half upwards. Lay a slice horizontally across the centre of the vertical slices. Unfold the vertical slices back over the horizontal one then fold up the other set of vertical slices. Lay over another horizontal slice and unfold the foleded ones. Repeat until you have a neat lattice.

Place the beef mince over the bacon in an even layer. Sprinkle over the barbecue rub and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the cheese in a line down the centre, then spoon over the relish.

Roll the meatloaf up as tightly as you can into a neat, fat sausage. Place the meatloaf on the barbecue, seam side down, away from the fire. Cover with the lid and cook gently for 35 to 40 minutes, turning with tongs a few times so it browns all over. The meatloaf is cooked when a probe reads 65-70C.

Rest the meatloaf for a few minutes, then carve into thick slices.

(Original recipe from Foolproof BBQ by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2021.)

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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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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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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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Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’ve made this a few times for and it’s never failed to impress. Reliable comfort food with lots of tasty additions!

Wine suggestion: we opened a velvety Côtes du Rhône red by Domaine Roche. A charming and quite sophisticated Grenache, Syrah and Carignan that we’ve enjoyed before. If you’re looking for a step up from this, their Cairanne is a joy and really shows the class of this under-sung appellation near Chateauneuf du Pape.

Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake – serves 6

  • 350g penne pasta
  • 150g streaky bacon rashers
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 80g sundried tomato strips in oil, drained and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped parsley, to serve

FOR THE CHICKEN:

  • 500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
  • ¾ tsp each cooking salt and black pepper
  • 30g unsalted butter

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 30g unsalted buter
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 60ml dry white wine
  • 50g plain flour
  • 500ml full-fat milk, hot
  • 250ml double cream
  • 375ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 100g finely grated Parmesan
  • 250g grated mozzarella

Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add plenty of salt. Cook the pasta according to the timings on the pack, then drain and leave to cool.

Place the bacon rashers in a large pan over a medium-high heat and cook for a few minutes until golden, then turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain on some paper towels, then chop into 1cm pieces. Discard the bacon fat in the pot.

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on each side, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into 1cm thick slices.

Melt the butter for the sauce in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds before adding the wine. Simmer rapidly for a couple of minutes or until almost evaporated. Lower the heat to medium, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and keep stirring until thickened, then add the cream and stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or until thick enought to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Stir in the onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper and two-thirds of the Parmesan and mozzarella. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Stir in the spinach, chicken, sundried tomato, most of the bacon and all of the pasta. Pour into a 30 x 22cm baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, then the mozzarella and bacon. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving sprinkled with parsley.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2023.)

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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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Chicken Fried Rice

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 16 September 2023| Leave a Comment »

A ‘magic’ recipe inspired by the lovely book Recipetineats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi. The magic is that you bake the whole thing in one tray and it tastes just like any excellent chicken fried rice. Give it a go.

Wine Suggestion: This dish was well enjoyed with an Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc from Santa Barbara in California, though we suspect a good Alsace Pinto Gris, or German Grauburgunder will work just as well. A generosity and breadth in the palate, underscored by a lovely texture allowing this wine to work with, but not overpower.

Chicken fried rice – serves 4

  • 300g basmati rice (or long-grain rice)
  • 400ml chicken stock (from a stock pot will be fine)
  • 2 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed (save 1 to add a bit later)
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 100g frozen peas
  • 100g frozen sweetcorn
  • 100g bacon lardons, or chop up some bacon yourself
  • 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into small pieces – about 1.5cm
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 4 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 eggs, scrambled
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped

You will need a deep metal roasting tin – about 23 x 33cm.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Put the rice, chicken stock, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 of the crushed garlic cloves, and the white pepper into the roasting tin. Give the tin a gentle shake to make sure the rice is distributed evenly and that it’s submerged in the stock. Sprinkle the frozen peas and sweetcorn over the top in an even layer, then sprinkle the bacon on top of that. Cover tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the chicken into a bowl and add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp of sesame oil and the last clove of crushed garlic. Stir to combine then set aside to marinate.

Remove the tray from the oven after the initial 25 minutes, gently remove the tinfoil and set it aside for later.

Spread the chicken in an even layer over the contents of the baking tray, then return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, uncovered.

Remove the tray from the oven and cover with the reserved tin foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Gently break up the rice with a wooden spoon and mix with the other ingredients.

Add the scrambled egg and sprinkle with 2 tsp sesame oil and the chopped scallion, then gently toss again before serving.

(Original recipe from Recipetineats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Bluebird, 2023.)

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BBQ Chicken & Corn Salad with Chipotle Yoghurt Dressing

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 August 2023| 2 Comments »

Yes, we know it’s like November outside but here’s a barbecue recipe for the next time the sun shines.

Wine Suggestion: We think the smokiness of Chipotle works well with the gentle and velvety spices of Grenache, or blends with this the dominant grape. From Jesus Romero in the obscure central Spanish village of Teruel is his Rubus which is grown on old terraced vineyards. A project of rediscovering and unearthing an old Roman tradition in an area depopulated and abandoned during the Spanish civil war. Bravo for the effort and idea, and bravo for the delicious wine: minimal intervention, just careful guidance to an expressive and joyous fruit.

BBQ Chicken & Corn Salad with Chipotle Yoghurt Dressing – serves 4

  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika, plus ½ tsp
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chipotle paste, plus 1 tsp
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 limes, 1 zested and juiced, cut the other into wedges to serve
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
  • 6 chicken thigh fillets
  • 150g natural yoghurt
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 corn cobs, husks removed
  • 2 little gem lettuces, halved and leaves separated
  • 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 avocados, cut into chunks
  • 2 corn tortilla wraps
  • a small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Mix the parika, oregano, 1 tbsp chipotle paste, cinnamon, garlic, lime zest and 2 tbsp oil in a bowl with some seasoning. Pour this mixture over the chicken thighs, then cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.

Get your barbecue ready for cooking, or heat a griddle pan over a high heat.

Mix the yoghurt, lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp chipotle paste and the honey with a pinch of salt, set aside.

Brush the corn cobs with a little oil, then cook it and the chicken on the barbecue (or griddle) for about 10 minutes, turning often, until cooked through.

Transfer the chicken and corn to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Arrange the lettuce, beans, tomatoes and avocado on a large platter.

Cut the tortilla wraps into strips and heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan. Fry the strips until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt.

Slice the cooked chicken into strips and cut the corn from the cobs. Add the chicken and corn to the salad, then drizzle over the dressing and any juice from the chicken. Toss everything gently together. Scatter over the coriander and tortilla strips, and serve with the lime wedges on the side.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Barbecued Chicken with Coconut & Soy

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 June 2023| Leave a Comment »

Cooking a whole chicken on the barbecue can be a bit tricky but it is much easier if you spatchcock the chicken. This is quite easy and we do this ourselves; cutting out the backbone with poultry shears and then turning over and flattening out by pushing down on the breast. There are plenty of videos online to help, or just ask your butcher to do it, they never mind.

A temperature probe is also an essential piece of kit when barbecuing all meat as its the best way of determing if the meat is cooked underneath any charring. They are relatively inexpensive, but a worthwhile investment. There’s a reason professionals use them and they help remove the risk of being under-done. Cooking over fire (or gas) is inexact and using the probe has meant that any timings are just a guide; sometimes the dish is done early as it’s hotter than last time, or takes more time than planned. The probe can help you get this right.

We served this sesame sticky rice and and a Thai salad.

Wine Suggestion: As it’s summer barbecue time, a good Provençal rosé, the Love by Léoube, was opened to great success. With the thai aromatic flavours and chilli you need to avoid to much tannin especially, but with charry barbecue chicken a bit of body is still needed which these rosés give, despite their light colour and freshness. The hints of gentle strawberry and raspberry flavours really picked up on the mint and lime too.

Barbecued chicken with coconut & soy – serves 4

  • 2kg free-range chicken
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g tin coconut milk (you can buy little tins or just use half a regular tin and freeze the rest for later)
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • a few sprigs of mint, leaves chopped
  • 2 red chillies, chopped

You need to get your barbecue ready for both direct and indirect cooking (i.e. hot coals on one side only).

Slash the breast and legs of the chicken with a sharp knife.

Rub the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Lay the chicken on the indirect side of the barbeuce. Put something heavy on top to weight it down, we used a cast-iron frying pan, then shut the lid and leave to cook for 45 minutes. Rotate the chicken a couple of times to make sure it cooks evenly but keep the skin-side up.

Mix the coconut milk, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime zest together to make a baste for the chicen.

Once the initial 45 mintues is up, turn the chicken skin-side down and cook for another 10 minutes, with the lid on.

Now move the chicken over the coals to cook over a direct heat and start basting with the coconut mixture. Keep basting and turning for 10 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through. A probe should read 74C.

Chop the cooked chicken into large pieces, then squeeze over the lime and scatter over the mint and chilli.

(Recipe inspiration from Foolproof BBQ by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2021.)

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