Tag Archives: chicken

Chicken Lady Chicken

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While living in Paris for four years I noticed several differences in the shopping, eating and cooking habits of the French, compared with ours.

They generally don’t stock up on food in big supermarkets. Living in an apartment, as almost everyone does in big cities like Paris, makes getting groceries from the supermarket into your home a real challenge. With limited parking and, for some Parisians, no elevator, it’s much easier to shop at the local markets every few days. Buy what you need, eat it fresh, then go and buy more. Little trolleys on wheels are perfect for shopping this way. An added deterrent to buying up big is that most Paris apartments have tiny kitchens with limited cupboard and freezer space.

I reckon one of the reasons most French women stay slim is that they don’t eat a big meal every evening. Several svelte French friends told me that during the week their husbands went out for a three course lunch and were quite happy with something very light in the evening. Women who work do the same. So as I was heading home to cook our main meal of the day, they were going home to have “un petit yaourt” or “une tartine” – a slice of toast with something on it.

I also noticed that the French don’t get stuck into baguettes and French cheeses quite the way we do. I’ve watched lithesome French friends make one slice of bread last through several courses, used as required to push food onto their fork. The cheese course is always served before the dessert and my svelte French friends take only a small sliver of each. French cheeses are marvellous, but they are also high in calories and cholesterol.

The French also tend to be more abstemious when it comes to wine consumption, as we noted when we cleared up the empties after a dinner party for mainly French guests and compared it with the week before when we had hosted mainly Aussies.

While they regularly eat out, our French friends like to entertain family and close friends. With the limitations of a small kitchen and an equally small oven, dessert often comes from the local patisserie. With such a wonderful array to choose from, why bother cooking? There are of course exceptions. I have several French friends who make wonderful cakes and desserts, using recipes inherited from their mothers and grandmothers.

Food markets pop up all over Paris in regular spots, once or twice a week. The twice-weekly market in Boulevard de Grenelle was less than five minutes walk from where we lived. Every Wednesday and Sunday from seven in the morning until lunch time the market sells fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, fish and more to a bustling crowd of mostly French customers.

On Sundays the rotisserie chickens and roast potatoes sold at the markets are popular to take home for lunch. Today’s recipe comes from well-known cook and food writer David Lebovitz who has been living in Paris for over 20 years. He managed to persuade the chicken lady at his local market to part with her recipe. Hence the name Chicken Lady Chicken. He uses the marinade for one chicken, but I found it’s enough for two. She uses white wine but red wine or even sherry is a good substitute.

1 or 2  x 1.5kg (3 lb) chickens
Marinade:
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs wine or sherry
1 Tbs soy sauce
2½ tsp harissa, Sriracha or other chilli paste
2 tsp Dijon or other mustard
2 tsp honey

Remove backbone from the chicken(s) by cutting along each side with a pair of poultry shears. Place chicken breast side down on cutting board and press hard with the heel of your hand to flatten it out as much as possible, then repeat on the other side. Loosen the skin a bit with your finger so the marinade can get in under the skin.

Mix all ingredients for marinade and pour over the chicken(s), rubbing it in and pushing it under the skin. Marinate for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, covered, turning from time to time. Levovitz does this in a plastic bag, but I used a shallow dish.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place chickens in a roasting pan breast side down. Cover loosely with aluminum foil then place a heavy weight on top. I used two bricks, one for each chicken. Lebovitz cooks his chicken for a total of 45 mins but I think it needs a bit longer. Roast for half an hour, then remove the brick(s) and foil and turn the chickens over, basting thoroughly. Roast for a further half hour or until chickens are well browned and cooked through.

Carve the chicken(s) and serve with roast potatoes and a salad.

Each chicken serves 4-6

Chicken in a Pot with Pasta

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This delicious one pot recipe comes from one of my favourite no-nonsense cooks, Nigella Lawson. As the chicken, leeks and carrots cook they create a delicious stock which soaks into the pasta. Nigella uses a very small pasta called Orzo or Risoni, which looks a bit like grains of rice. I only had a small amount of Risoni at the bottom of a packet, so I made up the difference with another small pasta.

The recipe will serve at least six. We had it on its own, but you could always add a crusty loaf and a green salad to feed more people. Choose a large heavy pot with a lid which will hold the chicken, with room around it for the vegetables and pasta. Mine is an oval Le Creuset casserole (from the 1970s, when orange was a very popular colour!) which can be used on the stove top as well as in the oven. Nigella uses dried tarragon, but as I have fresh in the garden at the moment I used that.


1 Tbs olive oil
1 whole chicken (1.5 – 1.7 kg)
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 leeks (the white part and some of the green) sliced
2 large carrots, cut into sticks
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tbs fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
2 tsp salt
½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
1L to 1.5L cold water
300g Risoni or other small pasta
6 Tbs chopped parsley
To serve:
Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole with a lid. Dry chicken with paper towels and place in the pan, breast side down, for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn the chicken over and then add the garlic, lemon rind and juice, tarragon, salt and chilli flakes, if using, filling the space around the chicken. Add enough water to cover the vegetables, but not the browned chicken breast which should be left sticking out of the liquid. Turn up the heat to bring the liquid to the boil, then cover the casserole and place in the oven for an hour to an hour and a quarter, by which time the chicken will be cooked. Add the pasta, pushing it under the liquid and stirring it as best you can.

Cover and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving. Mix in some of the parsley and scatter the rest on top. Serve a bowl of grated Parmesan on the side.

Serves 6-8

Note: if you don’t have a casserole dish which can be used on the stove top, brown the chicken breast in a frying pan, then put it into the casserole with the remaining ingredients and add boiling water instead of cold.

Chicken with Aleppo Pepper & Honey on Pumpkin Puree with Black Garlic Butter

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The photo shows double the recipe which I made to serve as part of a buffet at a birthday celebration. Aleppo pepper is sold in specialty shops such as The Essential Ingredient.

Instead of black garlic butter you can just use butter.

1 boneless whole chicken or 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
2 Tbs Aleppo pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs honey
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley
Pumpkin Puree:
½ a butternut pumpkin (about 1 kg)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-3 Tbs black garlic butter (see note)
2 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
Fresh lime wedges

Peel pumpkin and cut into large chunks. Cook in boiling salted water until very tender, then puree in a food processor, adding salt, pepper and black garlic butter. This can be made ahead and reheated in a microwave or saucepan at serving time.

Trim chicken pieces of any excess fat. Place in bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well, then leave to marinate for at least half an hour or overnight if that suits you.

Cook the drained chicken in a preheated oven 200°C for 20-30 minutes or on a BBQ – preferably a charcoal grill. If cooking in the oven, cook in a single layer and you may want to line the baking sheet with baking paper which comes up the sides a bit, to make the washing up easier. Burnt honey is always a pain to clean! Turn chicken once or twice during cooking time.

Heat the pumpkin puree and spread it thickly over a large serving dish. Slice cooked chicken and arrange on top. Garnish with spring onions and the lime wedges.

Serves 6

Note: black garlic is sold in specialty shops and farmer’s markets. Peel the cloves from two heads of garlic and whiz in a food processor with 250g butter, cut into chunks. When smooth scrape into a container. Serve with grilled steak or fish or mixed into pureed vegetables such as pumpkin or potatoes for a subtle sweet garlic flavour.

Mediterranean Chicken Piccata Meatballs

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I don’t buy chicken mince very often but this recipe caught my eye. The cream wasn’t in the original version, but we thought it really improved the sauce.

Meatballs:
500g chicken mince
1 egg
2 tsp Italian seasoning or mixed dried herbs
½ tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 Tbs finely chopped parsley
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Extra:
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
Sauce:
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
½ cup dry white wine or chicken stock
¼ cups capers
½ cup cream (optional)
To garnish:
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Using damp hands, form into 16 meatballs. Coat the meatballs in the extra ¼ cup of breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for half an hour or until serving time.

Sauce: Heat butter and olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the meatballs for a few minutes each side, or until golden all over. Remove from pan. To the pan add the lemon juice and zest, white wine, capers and cream (if using). Bring to the boil, stirring, then return the meatballs to the pan. Cook, turning them a couple of times, until sauce has thickened. Check sauce for seasoning. If you’re not adding the cream you may need to add a bit more water.

Serve garnished with the chopped parsley.

Serves 4

Chicken Confit with Coconut Rice & Red Curry Sauce

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Living in Paris some 20 years ago I was introduced to confit, a cooking method where poultry is covered with duck fat or olive oil and cooked at a low temperature for a long time.

Confit comes from the French word confire which means to preserve and is used to describe any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period as a method of preservation. It dates back to the days when people didn’t have refrigerators and this was a means of making things last longer.

The French mainly use this cooking method with duck, but chicken works just as well and I have also tried it with salmon. They say that confit duck or chicken pieces will keep in the fridge, submerged in the cooking fat, for up to a month, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving it for more than a week, just to be on the safe side. To serve, remove the chicken or duck pieces from the fat and pan fry them on both sides till crisp and golden brown.

The red curry sauce is a real winner. Quick to make and it can be frozen. If you don’t have time to confit the chicken, buy a cooked chicken at the supermarket, take off all the meat and mix it with this delicious sauce. The sauce goes with everything. Try it over steamed broccoli, green beans, noodles or fish.

The coconut rice recipe is also a winner because it requires no attention. It cooks in the oven and comes out beautifully fluffy and dry. This week’s recipe is perfect for entertaining because you can prepare all the elements beforehand.

There are two ways to serve this confit chicken. Either pan fried on top of the rice with the reheated curry sauce spooned over – as shown in the photo. Alternatively, remove and discard the chicken bones and mix the chicken meat (home-made confit or a cooked chicken from the supermarket) into the curry sauce, reheat and serve on top of the rice.

If you make the confit, don’t throw away the cooking oil once the chicken has been removed. Keep it to make the most delicious roast potatoes. Parboil them for 10 minutes, then drain, mix with some of the oil and roast in a hot oven or in an air fryer.

If you want to cut down on the calories in this recipe, use half a tin of coconut milk in the sauce and half in the rice. Add extra water to make up the difference.

Confit chicken pieces – see recipe
I used 6 chicken Marylands (drumstick and thigh)
Red Curry Sauce:
1 can (400g) coconut milk
2 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs red curry paste
2 Tbs fish sauce
2 Tbs lemon or lime juice
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup finely chopped peanuts
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Coconut Rice:
2 cups rice (Basmati or Jasmine)
1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil to grease the casserole
1 can (400g) coconut milk
1 cup water
4 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
To serve:
Thinly sliced spring onions
Chopped fresh coriander
Lightly toasted coarse coconut
Lemon or lime wedges

Make the confit chicken according to the recipe link or buy a cooked chicken and take all the meat off.

Red Curry Sauce: place all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring often,  for 10 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and reaches the desired consistency. Can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until needed.

Coconut Rice: thoroughly rinse the rice with cold water, then cover with cold water and leave overnight or for at least an hour. Drain rice and place in a lightly-oiled heavy casserole with a lid. I used Le Creuset. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover with the lid. Can be made ahead to this point. Bake for 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove from the oven and stir well about 15 minutes into the cooking time. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To serve: remove the confit chicken pieces from the oil they were cooked in, then fry in a frying pan until crispy and golden brown on both sides. You don’t need to put any oil in the frying pan as the chicken pieces will all have a light coating. Toast the coconut by stirring it in a dry frying pan over moderate heat until lightly coloured.

Serve the chicken on a bed of coconut rice, with half to three quarters of a cup over reheated curry sauce spooned onto each serving. Garnish with the spring onions, coriander, coconut and lemon or lime wedges.

Serves 6

Chicken with Lemon, Garlic & Parmesan

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This quick and easy chicken dish is perfect for a busy week night. Leftovers are delicious in wraps, salads and sandwiches.

1 kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed or 1 Tbs grated ginger
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp chilli flakes
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper to taste
To garnish:
Fresh herbs

Mix all ingredients for marinade. Marinate the chicken in about three quarters of the mixture. Keep the remaining quarter for serving. Make sure the chicken is well-covered with the mixture, then leave it to marinate, covered, overnight in the fridge. If you don’t have time to marinate it overnight, a minimum of 30 minutes will do.

Cook the chicken at 200ºC in the oven, or on a hot barbecue or in an air fryer at 200ºC for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and browned. Turn over about halfway through cooking. Slice downwards and arrange on a serving plate. Drizzle with the remaining marinade and garnish with herbs.

Serves 4

Chicken with Lemon and Tarragon

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I used to make this classic French dish many years ago and then for some reason I stopped. With a large crop of tarragon in the garden this vintage recipe is back on the menu. Serve the sauce with a whole roast chicken or chicken pieces or breasts.

Roast or pan fried chicken (whole or pieces or breast)
Seasoning to taste
Sauce:
25g butter
25g flour
3 Tbs white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1½ Tbs Dijon mustard
1-2 Tbs cream
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Juice from ½ a lemon or 1 lime

Season chicken and cook as desired. I used chicken breasts, cut into 3-4 pieces, seasoned then pan fried until cooked in a little oil.

While chicken is cooking make the sauce. Heat butter in a non-stick pan and cook, stirring until slightly brown. Add flour and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and stock, stirring or whisking constantly to avoid any lumps. Add mustard and cream and keep stirring. Check seasoning. Let simmer for a couple of minutes then mix in the tarragon. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.

Drizzle lemon juice over the chicken and spoon over the sauce.

Makes about 1½ cups sauce

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Burgers

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Everyone loves crispy fried chicken, but few people these days are into deep fat frying. We know it’s not good for us.

The good news is that the recent arrival of air fryers in our lives has made it possible to achieve the same crispy finish without adding any oil – well, just a smidge from a spray can.

This recipe is simple and quick, not to mention healthy. A perfect mid-week dinner and one which will appeal to the kids. The photo shows the burger without the top of the bun, so you can see the filling. As you can see in the photo of the chicken on its own, it was really crispy.

4 chicken thighs
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (you might need a bit more)
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Spray oil (olive or canola)
4 brioche buns
8 Tbs mayonnaise, preferably home-made
A little chilli sauce such as Sriracha (optional)
1 avocado, sliced
Lettuce leaves
Thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1 tomato, sliced

Trim chicken thighs and open them out, so they are of an even thickness. Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and herbs into the flour. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour, then coat with egg and lastly the breadcrumbs, pressing them in well. Chicken can be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to several hours.

Spray the base of an air fryer with oil, place chicken pieces on the base, in one layer. Cook for 15 minutes at 200°C, turning halfway through and spraying again. Chicken should be cooked after 15 minutes, but it may need up to another five minutes, depending on your air fryer and the thickness of the chicken. It will also take a little longer if chicken has been refrigerated.

While chicken is cooking prepare the other ingredients. Split the buns and lightly toast them. If liked, mix some  Chilli sauce such as Sriracha into the mayonnaise.

Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the buns. Fill with the crispy chicken, lettuce, avocado, tomato and onion.

Serves 4

Quick & Easy Italian Chicken

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Chicken Parmigiano is one of my favourite chicken dishes and the rest of the family like it too. However, it takes a bit of preparation and while it’s not complicated it doesn’t fall into the quick and easy category.

This recipe is similar, but without the tomato sauce and it can be prepared in a jiffy. Serve with a salad and crusty bread or rice. A real crowd pleaser which is easy to double.

4 or 5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tsp crushed chilli (optional)
½ tsp salt
Topping:
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs or home-made stale breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan, extra
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley
3 Tbs melted butter (optional)

Place the olive oil, lemon juice and rind, oregano, garlic, Parmesan, chilli and salt in a large rectangular lasagne-type dish and mix well. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so you end up with 8-10 thinner pieces. Place them in the dish, one by one, turning them to coat them evenly with the oil mixture, then arranging them to cover the whole dish.

Mix the breadcrumbs, extra Parmesan, parsley and melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the chicken. You can leave out the butter if preferred. Bake for about 30 mins at 180°C or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with a green salad or a tomato, red onion and basil salad dressed with a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing and crusty bread or rice, or both.

Serves 6

Note: crushed chilli is sold in jars in most supermarkets

Aleppo Pepper & Honey Chicken

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According to Wikipedia, Aleppo pepper is a variety of capsicum used as a spice, particularly in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Also known as Halaby pepper, its pods are ripened, semi-dried, de-seeded and crushed.

I’ve been seeing quite a few recipes which call for this spice and realised it was one which, believe it or not, I didn’t have in my collection. It’s not sold in Australia in your average supermarket selection, but I found it at The Essential Ingredient.

If you look at images online you will see that Aleppo Pepper varies in colour from bright red through to a dark brownish red. I suggest you buy a bright red one, as the colour is a big part of the appeal of this spice. The flavour is somewhere between a spicy, tangy pepper and a very subtle chilli.

This recipe can be halved or doubled. If preferred, you can use chicken breasts or bone-in pieces, such as wings or drumsticks, instead of boned thighs, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. I prefer to use thighs as chicken breasts tend to be a bit dry.

This recipe is easy and absolutely delicious, with a subtle pepperiness and a very attractive colour. You will want to make it again. Perfect for a weekend BBQ, but it can also be cooked in the oven.

1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
2 Tbs Aleppo pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs honey
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley
To serve:
Lime wedges

Trim chicken pieces of any excess fat. Place in bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well, then leave to marinate for at least half an hour or overnight if that suits you.

Cook the drained chicken in a preheated oven 200°C for 20-30 minutes or on a BBQ – preferably a charcoal grill. If cooking in the oven, cook in a single layer and you may want to line the baking sheet with baking paper which comes up the sides a bit, to make the washing up easier. Burnt honey is always a pain to clean!

Garnish with lime wedges to serve.

Serves 6-8