Chicken

Classic Baked Chicken

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Ingredients

Method

  1. Trim and salt the chicken: Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all sides with salt. Let the chicken pieces sit for 15 to 20 minutes to take the chill off.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
  3. Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Rub olive oil over the chicken pieces and on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  4. Sprinkle the chicken pieces all over with black pepper and a little more salt.
  5. Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan so that all the pieces are skin-side up, and the largest pieces (the breasts) are in the center of the pan. Don't crowd the pan; allow room in between the pieces.
  6. Bake the chicken: Bake (uncovered) in the oven for 30 minutes at 400°F (205°C). This initial high heat will help brown the chicken.
  7. Then lower the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for and additional 10-30 minutes more until the juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165°F (74°C), and of the thighs is 170°F (77°C) when tested with a meat thermometer.
  8. If the chicken isn't browning well enough, place the chicken under the grill for the last 5 minutes of cooking, until browned sufficiently.
  9. Let it rest: Remove from oven and transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
  10. Make gravy: If you would like to make gravy with the drippings from the chicken, place the roasting pan with all its drippings on the stovetop and set the burner to medium heat.
  11. Use a metal spatula to scrape up the stuck drippings from the bottom of the pan. When the pan is hot, pour in some white wine or chicken stock to help loosen the drippings from the pan.
  12. Transfer the drippings and stock/wine mixture to a saucepan and heat on medium high until reduced to your desired thickness.
  13. If you want the gravy even thicker, you can make a slurry with a little cornstarch or flour (a teaspoon) and water (1/4 cup), and add that to the gravy while it cooks.
  14. Serve: Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or Spanish rice.

Chicken Pie

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Ingredients

Smash
Peas
Seasonings

Method

  1. To Start: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Turn the oven on to 200C/400F/gas 6. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large wide pan on a medium heat and a large saucepan with a lid on a low heat. Put the thick slicer disc attachment into the food processor.
  2. Chicken Pie: Put the chicken breasts on a plastic board and slice into 1cm strips. Put a lug of olive oil and a knob of butter into the hot, large, wide pan. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes or so. Meanwhile, quickly trim the spring onions and wash the mushrooms, then slice together in the food processor. Add to the pan with 1 heaped tablespoon of flour and stir. Add 2 teaspoons of mustard, 1 heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche and 300ml of chicken stock and stir well. Pick the thyme leaves and stir into the pan with a few fine gratings of nutmeg and a good pinch of salt & pepper. Leave to simmer.
  3. Smash: Trim the carrots, then quickly slice in the food processor. Add to the saucepan with a lug of extra virgin olive oil, a good pinch of salt & pepper and a few thyme tips. Just cover with boiled water, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to high. Cook for 15 minutes, or until tender.
  4. Chicken Pie: Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and unroll the sheet of puff pastry. Use a small knife to lightly crisscross and score it. Take the pan of chicken off the heat. Tip the filling into an ovenproof baking dish slightly smaller than the sheet of pastry (approx. 30 x 25cm). Cover the filling with the pastry sheet, tucking it in at the edges. Quickly beat the egg, then brush it over the top of the pie. Put into the oven and cook on the top shelf for around 15 minutes, or until golden and gorgeous. Fill and reboil the kettle.

  5. Peas: Return the empty chicken pan to a high heat. Quickly wash the lettuces and slice them in the food processor. Add a knob of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan, then pour in 300ml of chicken stock, tear in the mint leaves and use a balloon whisk to mix to a smooth and bubbling sauce. Add the peas and sliced lettuce. Squeeze over the juice of 1/2 a lemon, pour in a splash of boiled water, season with salt & pepper, stir, the put the lid on.

  6. Smash: Check the carrots are cooked through, then drain and return to the pan. Taste, correct the seasoning and leave as they are or smash up. Take to the table.
  7. To serve: Take the peas to the table, then get the pie out of the oven and tuck in!

Notes

Ken Hom's Chinese-style Chicken and Broccoli

 

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Ingredients

Marinade

Method

  1. Separate the broccoli heads into small florets and peel and slice the stems. Blanch the broccoli pieces in a large pan of boiling salted water for several minutes, then immerse them in cold water. Drain thoroughly.

  2. Cut the chicken into 2.5-cm (1-in) pieces and combine them with the pepper, fish sauce and light soy sauce. Mix well and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Dust the chicken pieces with cornflour, shaking off any excess.

  3. Heat a wok or large frying-pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the 400 ml (14 fl oz) of oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, deep-fry the chicken pieces for 8 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. You may have to do this in two or more batches.

  4. Drain off all the oil. Re-heat the wok and add the 1 tablespoon of oil. When it is hot, add the garlic and onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the blanched broccoli and continue to stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry and water or stock and continue to stir-fry at a moderate to a high heat for 4 minutes until the broccoli is thoroughly heated through. Add the tomatoes, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the drained chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly heated through. Transfer to a warm platter and serve at once.

Notes

Spiced Roast Chicken with Peppers, Aubergine & Onion

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Ingredients

To Serve

Method

  1. An easy, all-in-one chicken traybake for a casual dinner with friends, packed with flavourful vegetables. Rather than a long list of spices,  I like to use ras-el-hanout for this. It's a readily available Middle Eastern spice mix that adds a lovely warming flavour to the dish. It isn't hot in the way that chili is, so if your guests like spicy food, add a teaspoon of chili flakes as well.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6. Tip the aubergine, peppers, onion, tomatoes and garlic into a large roasting tin along with 2 teaspoons of the ras-el-hanout, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sea salt flakes. Mix really well with your hands.
  3. Arrange the chicken breasts over the vegetables and drizzle the other tablespoon of oil over them, followed by a good pinch of salt and the remaining ras-el-hanout. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Serve scattered with the fresh coriander, with yogurt on the side along with a pile of flatbreads or buttery cous cous.
Source

The Quick Roasting Tin - Rukmini Iyer