Category Archives: Chicken

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Chicken, Pasta and Rice

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • Handful of green beans, cut in half to make them short
  • 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley – chop the leaves and stalks separately
  • 70-100g chorizo
  • 3 large chicken breasts, cut into large cubes
  • Olive oil
  • Paella spice mix
  • 1tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 chicken stock cubes
  • 300g paella rice
  • 750ml water
  • 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Heat some oil on a medium-high heat in a large lidded, shallow casserole pan or paella dish
  • Add the onion and cook for 5mins until starting to soften
  • Add the garlic and parsley stalks and cook for 1-2mins until fragrant
  • Add the chorizo and cook until it releases oils and starts to brown
  • Add the pepper and green beans, cook for 5 mins
  • Add the chicken and cook until browned all over (no need to cook all the way through)
  • Stir in the spice mix, puree and crumble in the stock cubes
  • Add the rice and stir until it’s all coated in the spices and flavours
  • Pour in 750ml boiling water, bring to the boil and then cover with a lid.
  • Turn down and let it simmer for 15mins – keep checking and stirring
  • Add water if needed but keep stirring until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked
  • Sprinkle with the parsley leaves and serve with lemon wedges

Korean Style Chicken and Halloumi Burgers

Chicken

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

For the burgers

  • 4x skinless and boneless chicken thighs
  • Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 pack of halloumi cheese (cut 8 slices)
  • Sriracha mayo
  • 4x brioche buns

For the glaze

  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar

For the pickled cucumber side

  • 1/2 a cucumber, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 tsp rock salt
  • 1/4 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tbsp white vinegar

Method

  • Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Open the chicken thighs out flat and coat them in the flour.
  • Add the chicken to the pan and watch it sizzle 🙂
  • While the chicken is cooking, make the glaze and pickled cucumber.
  • Glaze – add the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes then leave on a super low heat.
  • Cucumber – sprinkle over the salt and leave for 5mins to absorb. Mix in the sugar and vinegar and leave in a bowl for the flavour to develop.
  • Heat a medium sized non-stick pan on a medium-high heat and add the halloumi to the pan without any oil.
  • Flip the chicken once they’re half way cooked and crispy on one side.
  • Flip the halloumi and set aside once cooked on both sides.
  • Toast the buns and get ready to stack!
  • Add the chicken and spoon over some of the glaze.
  • Top with halloumi and the sriracha mayo.
  • Serve with pickled cucumber and your choice of salad/wedges/veg.

Home Made Tikka Masala

Chicken, Mains

Serves 4-5 people

You will need

  • A large high sided frying pan
  • Wooden skewers
  • Garlic press
  • Fine toothed grater

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lemon
  • 125g plain yoghurt
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced (use the grater)
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika (not smoked)

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons of coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika (unsmoked)
  • 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoons of garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
  • 800g tomato passata
  • 300ml water
  • 250ml coconut milk
  • Fresh coriander to garnish

Method

  • Slice the chicken into bite sized chunks and combine in a bowl with all of the marinade ingredients. Stir until evenly coated.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat your oven to 230C Fan/260C
  • Skewer the marinated chicken onto wooden skewers and place them over an oven dish. Make sure the ends of the skewers are over the edges of the dish so that the chicken isn’t touching the dish at all.
  • Bake the chicken for around 15mins until slightly browned
  • Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and saute the onion, ginger and garlic until tender but not browned
  • Add the spices and fry for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly
  • Stir in the puree
  • Add the tomato sauce and water then bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins.
  • Pour in the coconut milk gradually, tasting as you go until you’re happy – you don’t have to use the whole lot.
  • Mix in the chicken and leave to simmer.
  • Cook your rice/naan and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander!

Ultimate Roast Chicken

Chicken, Christmas, Mains

Ingredients

  • 1x 1.6kg whole chicken – adjust your cooking time for different weights.  The general rule is 20mins per 450g (1lb) plus 10-15mins on top.
  • 1 large or 2 medium onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 1 small whole bulb of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • 1x lemon
  • 1 bunch of mixed herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage

Method

  • Remove your chicken from the fridge around 30mins before cooking to bring it up to room temperature
  • Preheat your oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9
  • Wash and roughly chop the onions, carrots and celery – you don’t need to peel any of them
  • Break the garlic bulb up into cloves and leave them unpeeled
  • Pile all of the vegetables into a baking tray with some of the herbs and drizzle with olive oil
  • Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub with salt and pepper
  • Place the chicken on top of the vegetables
  • Prick some holes in the lemon with a sharp knife (this will release the flavour) and place inside the chicken with the rest of the herbs
  • Put the tray in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6
  • Cook for the allotted time, which is 1hr 20mins for our chicken
  • At this point, you can get on with your vegetables such as my perfect roast potatoes and whatever else you fancy.
  • Take the chicken out of the oven when it’s done, cover it with foil and a tea towel, and leave it for at least 15mins to rest.
  • When you’re ready, carve the chicken and serve 🙂

Creamy chicken pie

Chicken, Mains

There are many variations you can make here so I’ve written in the options/substitutes where I can but it’s a very flexible recipe so you can adapt it your own way.

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 1 onion OR 1 leek
  • 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves crushed/chopped
  • Optional: mushrooms
  • 50g butter
  • 2tbsp plain flour
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 chicken or beef stock cube (I use beef for more flavour)
  • 100ml boiling water
  • Ground nutmeg (optional)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Topping or side dishes:

  • Ready rolled shortcrust pastry OR
  • Ready rolled puff pastry OR
  • Potatoes for mashing

Method

  • Cook the chicken in a frying pan and set aside
  • In a new pan, heat a little olive oil and cook the onions and garlic on a medium heat
  • When soft, add the butter and once it’s melted, sprinkle over the flour
  • Combine into a paste and add the stock cube with the water
  • Gradually add the milk while whisking/stirring and make sure it stays thick (you don’t have to use all of the milk)
  • Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg
  • Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, add the chicken back in and simmer for 10mins.
  • At this point you can either cook your pie crust or mash your potatoes
  • You can either put the pie crust on top, cover with potatoes and cook in the oven for 20mins or serve with potatoes on the side.

Indian Summer – Mamaji’s Chicken

Chicken, Mains

Chef’s Tip: Try Indian Summer Rice as the perfect side dish.

Ingredients

  • 8 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 600-800g diced chicken
  • 2 large white onions
  • 300g tomatoes (chopped)
  • 4 whole dry red chillies
  • 1tsp fennel seeds
  • 75g garlic-ginger paste
  • 1tsp turmeric
  • 1tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 100g cashew nuts OR 50g ground almonds
  • 1/4 bunch fresh coriander

Method

  • Place oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
  • To test the heat of the oil, drop a few fennel seeds in. They should float and sizzle but not too quickly.
  • When hot add fennel seeds and dry red chillies.
  • Add the onions straight away and brown for about 30mins. They should be soft and starting to brown. 
  • If you find that the oil is bubbling away, turn it down at touch.
  • Add the garlic/ginger paste and stir.
  • Add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder which should make a nice paste. Cook for a few minutes while stirring.
  • Add tomatoes and salt.
  • Turn the heat down and simmer with a lid on until the mixture thickens (around 10-15mins).
  • At this point you can use a stick blender or masher to create your desired consistency.
  • Add the chicken and stir. Cook with the lid on for at least 30mins. Keep stirring it and making sure it’s still simmering away.
  • At this point, you can just leave it simmering for another 15-30mins as the chicken will become nice and soft.
  • If using cashews: Wash the cashew nuts and mix in a blender with about 100-150ml water, until it becomes a nice thick paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy.
  • If using ground almonds: simply add water to 50g ground almonds until it becomes a nice paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy but make sure all the almonds are mixed in.
  • Add this to the curry and stir in.
  • Add the chopped coriander right before dishing up.

 

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Chicken, Mains, Pasta and Rice

This is sort of my twist on a carbonara. It’s creamy and delicious 🙂

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Half a red chilli (or half a teaspoon of chilli powder) – this is optional to add a bit of spice but you can leave it out
  • 2 slices of smoked bacon
  • 100ml white wine – drink the rest of the bottle with the food 😉
  • 200ml cream (single or double, whichever your prefer)
  • 200g spaghetti
  • Parmesan to serve

Optional Extras

  • Try adding some red or green pesto after the cream.
  • Try adding a squidge of tomato puree before the cream.
  • Try adding a handful of spinach just before the cream.

Method

  • Get a large frying pan on a medium heat with some olive oil.
  • Get everything prepped so that you’re ready to get cooking. Chop your onion, mince or chop your garlic, chop the chilli into tiny pieces, slice the bacon into small strips and dice your chicken.
  • Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft and starting to brown.
  • Add the garlic and chilli to cook for 1 minute. Don’t let the garlic brown.
  • Add the bacon and stir until it’s cooked.
  • Now add your chicken with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir it around.
  • At this point, put a pan of water on to boil for spaghetti if you’re using dried. Cook as you normally would while doing the rest.
  • Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the wine and turn the heat down a bit so it can simmer for 5-10mins. This will allow the alcohol to cook away and leave you with the flavour.
  • If you are using fresh pasta, get it going now.
  • Now turn the pan down to a low heat and add your cream. Make sure you don’t add the cream until the pan has cooled down a bit or it will go lumpy.
  • Drain your pasta and add it to the pan. You can turn the heat off at this point as it will stay hot enough.
  • Serve and sprinkle with parmesan 🙂