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Favourite Quick Chicken
This lemony, herby, spicy chicken (memories of the Med) is just the best when it comes to kitchen blues. When dinner is required and you are absolutely not in the mood for pots and wooden spoons, your energy is flagging and you’d rather be in the garden, let this recipe save you.
800 g free-range chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
a little sea salt
MARINADE
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) fresh lemon juice
30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil
30 ml (2 Tbsp) brandy
15 ml (1 Tbsp) runny honey
2 cloves garlic, crushed
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) ground cumin
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) dried oregano
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) ground cinnamon
Arrange the chicken in a baking dish to fit closely. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade, pour over the chicken and refrigerate for 1–4 hours, turning a few times. Unless using a fridge-to-oven baking dish, return to room temperature before baking. Arrange the thighs skin side up, salt lightly, and bake, uncovered, at 160 °C for 45 minutes. Baste with the juices in the dish, then continue baking for a further 25 minutes or until the chicken is browned and tender. Transfer to a warmed platter and pour the juices over. Serves 4.
Spicy Chicken Curry
A perennial favourite, abundantly perfumed and flavoured.
45 ml (3 Tbsp) flour
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) garam masala
8 large, free-range, skinless chicken thighs (not less than 1 kg)*
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
10 ml (2 tsp) chopped, peeled fresh root ginger
15 ml (1 Tbsp) curry powder
5 ml (1 tsp) each ground cumin and turmeric
3 whole star anise
2 sticks cinnamon
300 ml (11⁄5 cups) chicken stock
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) tomato purée
2 bay leaves
60 ml (4 Tbsp) seedless raisins
30 ml (2 Tbsp) chutney
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Mix the flour, salt and masala, rub it into the chicken, arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish to fit quite snugly and sprinkle over any remaining flour mixture. Heat the oil, add the onions and garlic and fry lightly, then add all the spices and stir over low heat until the aroma escapes – if necessary, add a dash of water to prevent scorching. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, stir while heating through, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Check that the spices lie in the sauce and not on top of the thighs, then cover securely with a lid or a sheet of greaseproof paper and then one of foil, and bake at 160 °C for 45 minutes. Turn the chicken, cover again, and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until tender. Remove the whole spices and bay leaves, transfer to a heated serving dish and sprinkle with coriander leaves. Serves 4–6.
* Skinless thighs absorb flavours readily and ensure a non-fatty sauce.
Orange Coq Au Vin
A simplified version of the classic dish, with a new flip to the flavour.
15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil and a dab of butter
1 kg free-range chicken portions, preferably trimmed thighs and drumsticks
sea salt and milled black pepper
3–4 rashers lean shoulder bacon, diced
12 pickling onions, peeled
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
30 ml (2 Tbsp) flour
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) dried thyme
175 ml (2⁄3 cup) red wine
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) fresh orange juice
5 ml (1 tsp) finely grated orange rind
30 ml (2 Tbsp) brandy
15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) chicken stock
5 ml (1 tsp) honey
2 bay leaves
200 g button mushrooms, halved
chopped parsley to garnish
Heat the oil and butter and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove to a baking dish – not too large, or the sauce will boil away, but large enough to take the rather bulky ingredients. Season. Over low heat, toss the bacon, onions and garlic in the pan drippings and, when the onions are lightly browned, sprinkle in the flour and the thyme, crushed between the fingers. When absorbed, add the remaining ingredients, except the mushrooms and garnish. Stir until boiling, then pour the sauce over the chicken, tucking in the onions. Cover securely with a lid or with a sheet of greaseproof paper and then one of foil, and bake at 160 °C for 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Use a paper towel to blot up any little greasy blobs, remove the bay leaves and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4–5.
Quick Mushroom Chicken
An old-timer, slipped in again because it’s so eternally useful: breast fillets quickly simmered in a delicately flavoured sauce with a hint of tarragon and sherry, and a little cream to round it off. The whole operation takes about twenty minutes and this makes the dish a real pleasure to prepare at the end of a busy day. Instead of reducing the sauce by rapid boiling, it is thickened with cornflour – not a gourmet practice, but convenient, and the breasts turn out plump and succulent. So it’s easy, and good.
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
5 ml (1 tsp) butter
6 skinless chicken breast fillets (about 600 g)
6 slim spring onions, chopped
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) dried tarragon
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) sweet sherry (OB’s is perfect)
250 ml (1 cup) hot chicken stock
10 ml (2 tsp) tomato paste
250 g button mushrooms, wiped and sliced
a little sea salt
10 ml (2 tsp) cornflour
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) fresh cream (reduced fat cream works very well)
You’ll need a really large frying pan so that nothing need be done in relays. Heat the oil and butter, make three diagonal slashes on the skinned sides of the breasts, and quickly seal on both sides; don’t brown them – they should just turn white on the outsides and remain very pink underneath. Remove from the pan, reduce the heat, add the spring onions, tarragon and sherry, stir until almost evaporated, then add the stock, tomato paste, mushrooms and salt. Stir until just bubbling, then return the chicken, cover, and simmer over very low heat for about 10 minutes or until just cooked through, turning once. Slake the cornflour with the cream, add to the pan and simmer for a minute or two to make a medium-thick sauce, stirring gently to combine. Check the seasoning. Serves 6.
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach & Ricotta
There are four steps to this recipe: mixing the stuffing, slipping it into the breasts, making the tomato sauce, then adding the chicken and simmering until cooked. This does take a little time, but the result is a different way with chicken breasts using Italian-style ingredients. Plenty of flavour and colour, and good with buttered noodles and a green salad.
100 g baby spinach leaves
100 g ricotta cheese
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
a large pinch of sea salt
6 skinless chicken breast fillets (about 600 g)
shavings of parmesan or pecorino cheese for topping
SAUCE
1 × 410 g can Italian-style sliced tomatoes
4–6 spring onions, chopped
1 large carrot, very finely diced
300 ml (11⁄5 cups) chicken stock
30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
5 ml (1 tsp) tomato paste
a handful of chopped parsley
5–10 ml (1–2 tsp) sugar
Pour boiling water over the spinach, leave to stand for 5 minutes, then drain very well in a colander; press down hard with a wooden spoon until absolutely dry – pat with a paper towel to make sure – then chop – you should have 60 ml (1⁄4 cup) packed solid. Using a fork, mash the spinach with the ricotta and seasonings. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep vertical slit in the plump side of eac
h chicken breast, being careful not to puncture the flaps. Ease open, and smooth a heaped tablespoon of the stuffing into each pocket, then close the flap and pinch securely – no need to skewer. If working ahead, refrigerate. Make the tomato sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a very large pan, wide enough to take the breasts later on, without crowding. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fairly thick and the flavours have mellowed – salt is not usually necessary. Carefully add the chicken, ladle some sauce over each breast, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn carefully, then continue to simmer until cooked through – about 20 minutes altogether. Serve the chicken on heated plates with the sauce spooned over, and topped with a sprinkling of cheese to round it all off. Serves 6.
Chocolate-Chilli Chicken
The chilli bites only slightly, the chocolate is only subtly there, but the combination of ingredients adds up to an unusual medley of flavours that come as a happy surprise, because the dish looks like chicken in a richly-coloured sauce … yet it definitely is more than that. Serve with couscous and a green salad with avo, and use skinless chicken thigh fillets. They are available, and the dish is simply not the same using other cuts.
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) chicken stock
2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
200 g tomatoes, skinned, seeds flicked out, and chopped
1⁄2 bunch spring onions, or 3 baby leeks, chopped
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) ground coriander
1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) ground cinnamon
a little sea salt and a good pinch of sugar
30 ml (2 Tbsp) lightly pre-toasted, crushed almond flakes (use a rolling pin)
45 ml (3 Tbsp) finely grated dark chocolate (about 15 g)
14 skinless chicken thigh fillets (about 650 g)
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
Place the stock, chillies, tomatoes, spring onions or leeks, spices and seasonings in a blender goblet and whizz until well mixed – it won’t be absolutely smooth. Pour into a large jug and stir in the almonds and chocolate. Smear a very large, wide frying pan with oil and seal the chicken quickly on both sides (keep them doubled over to save space). Pour the sauce over, bring to the boil (smell the chocolate), then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently until tender and cooked through – about 30 minutes – these little nuggets do not take long. The next step is a bit of a nuisance, but necessary. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken, turn the heat up and reduce the sauce by rapid boiling – it becomes bubbly and suitably thickened very quickly. Return the chicken and sprinkle with lots of coriander. Serves 5–6.
Butter Bean, Mushroom & Walnut Curry
This easy, stove-top dish with its rather unusual ingredients is just fabulous. It has quite a lively tang, and a rather surprising colour – pale caramel – which looks surprisingly good on fragrant yellow rice. It’s easy to double up on the ingredients, which might be a wise step, as second helpings are usually called for.
45 ml (3 Tbsp) oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1⁄2–1 small fresh red chilli, seeded and shredded
15 ml (1 Tbsp) curry powder
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) each ground cumin, cinnamon and turmeric
45 ml (3 Tbsp) flour
250 ml (1 cup) hot vegetable stock
250 ml (1 cup) milk (preferably low-fat)
a little sea salt and a pinch of sugar
15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste
200 g brown mushrooms, wiped and coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and diced
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) coarsely chopped walnuts
1 × 400 g can choice-grade butter beans, drained and rinsed
fresh lemon juice
First make the sauce by heating the oil in a wide-based, heavy saucepan or large frying pan. Add the onion and chilli and fry very lightly, then add the spices and sizzle for a minute. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to mix and adding a dash of water if dry, then slowly stir in the stock and milk. Allow to thicken over low heat, then add the seasoning and tomato paste. Cover and simmer, keeping the heat low – the sauce should just pop – for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms, red pepper and walnuts in 15 ml (1 Tbsp) each oil and butter until the mushrooms are just softening but still chunky, then stir them into the sauce along with the beans, and simmer until heated through, OR omit this step and simply add these ingredients to the sauce and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked. Check the seasoning, and add a little extra stock if necessary – the mixture should be really moist – and add a dash of lemon juice to sharpen the flavour. Serve with chutney and a green salad. Serves 4–5.
Baked Rice & Vegetables with Omelette Topping
In this meatless dish (absolutely bursting with good things), the vegetables are first sautéed and then baked with the uncooked rice and herbs, resulting in maximum flavour with the minimum of fuss and a lovely aroma while it is in the oven. The omelette, sliced into strips for the topping, finishes it off beautifully. Serve with a tossed green salad.
60 ml (1⁄4 cup) oil
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks (white part only), sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250 g brown mushrooms, wiped and sliced
4 young carrots, julienned
2 sticks celery, plus some leaves, chopped
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) uncooked brown rice, rinsed
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) chopped parsley
800 ml (31⁄5 cups) hot vegetable or Marmite stock
sea salt and milled black pepper
30–45 ml (2–3 Tbsp) finely chopped fresh herbs*
30 ml (2 Tbsp) soy sauce
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) toasted
slivered almonds
a few pats of butter
Heat the oil in a large pan and lightly fry the onion, leeks and garlic. Add the mushrooms, carrots and celery and stir-fry for a few minutes until glistening, smelling good and starting to soften. Spoon into a 20 × 30 cm baking dish, add the rice, parsley, stock, seasoning and herbs, stir to mix well, then cover and bake at 160 °C for about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the stock absorbed. Fork in the soy sauce, almonds and butter.
OMELETTES
Make these a few minutes before the dish is done. Lightly mix 8–10 free-range eggs with a little water, salt and pepper. Cook half the mixture in an omelette pan (or lightly oiled frying pan) at a time. When just set, tilt the pan and roll the omelette over a few times, slide onto a plate and slice thinly; cook the second omelette, and arrange the slices on top of the rice dish as it comes out of the oven. Serves 6.
* A good mixture: rosemary, thyme, marjoram and oregano.
Chickpea Curry with Mango & Mint Raita
A mild, spicy, super vegetarian dish; serve on fragrant rice.
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 yellow pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and sliced
20 ml (4 tsp) curry powder (or more)
5 ml (1 tsp) each ground cumin and coriander
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) each ground cinnamon and turmeric
500 g really ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped*
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) vegetable stock
15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste
2 bay leaves
a little sea salt
a trickle of runny honey
750 ml (3 cups) cooked chickpeas OR 2 × 400 g cans, drained and rinsed
a handful of chopped parsley
roasted cashew nuts, chopped, for topping (optional)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and yellow pepper and, when softening, add all the spices. Stir briefly to release the flavours, adding, if necessary, a dash of water to prevent scorching. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cashews, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer very gently for about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally
to mash up the tomatoes. Check seasoning, and if the sauce needs thickening, tilt the lid of the saucepan for the last few minutes. Remove the bay leaves, spoon into a heated serving dish and top with the cashews, if using. Serves 4–6.
* A 400 g can (plus the juice) could, at a pinch be substituted, but in this case you will probably have to reduce the amount of stock by about 125 ml (1⁄2 cup).
Mango & Mint Raita
For the raita, mix 250 ml (1 cup) thick Bulgarian yoghurt (low fat or fat free), a few chopped spring onions, a pinch of salt, about 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) diced, ripe mango and shredded fresh mint leaves (start with 12) in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate while the curry cooks. Just before serving, sprinkle with garam masala.
Green Risotto with Butternut, Pine Nuts & Asparagus
An unusual risotto, a novel colour, and a memorable taste experience.
400 g butternut, peeled, cut into small dice (prepared weight)
a good sprinkling of ground cinnamon
a trickle of runny honey
1.125 litres (41⁄2 cups) vegetable stock
enough Swiss chard, cooked and well drained, to provide 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) tightly packed
1 large onion, finely chopped
45 ml (3 Tbsp) each olive oil and butter
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) arborio rice
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
45 ml (3 Tbsp) freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
sea salt to taste
poached asparagus and toasted pine nuts for topping