Easy Midweek Chicken
6 Chicken thighs
4 tablespoons Pesto
30g Parmesan Cheese
1 Lemon zested & half the juice
Drizzle Rapeseed Oil
Method:
Here's what you do
Pre-heat Oven to 170 degrees C
Heat a non stick pan. Add a drizzle of rapeseed oil.
Place chicken thighs skin side down on pan and fry for 3-4 mins on medium heat. Turn over Chicken thighs and fry for a further 3-4 minutes.
Spread each chicken thigh with pesto and grated lemon zest.
Transfer to earthenware dish skin side up and squeeze juice of half a lemon over the chicken, cover with lid. Place in oven for 40 mins
Remove from the oven, grate some more Parmesan cheese on top and a few leaves of ripped fresh basil.
Brians Tip:
Serve with salad, new boiled potatoes or Rice.
Coq au vin (stew essentially)
It is a two to three day recipe and all about the slow cooking but no a whiff of a slow cooker
Ingredients
For the marinade:
1 bottle good-quality red wine (preferably Pinot Noir)
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
1 small onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, un-peeled, bruised
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
For the stew
4 large chicken legs (with thighs), skin removed
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for shallow frying
100g smoked pancetta/rashers cubes
1 tbsp plain flour
25g butter
20 button onions, peeled
20 button mushrooms
3 tbsp cognac
Olive oil, for shallow frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Boiled or steamed potatoes, to serve
Method
Day 1
Place the marinade ingredients into a casserole dish and bring to the boil. Allow the volume of liquid to reduce by one-third and strain into a clean, non-reactive bowl and set aside to cool.
Place the chicken pieces into the marinade, cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours or, preferably, overnight.
Day 2
Warm the olive oil in the casserole dish and gently fry the pancetta/ rashers until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Remove the chicken joints from the marinade, setting the liquid aside.
Season the chicken joints with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the joints in the flour, and then fry until golden-brown in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the butter to the dish and place the onions and mushrooms into the casserole and fry gently for 10 minutes, or until golden-brown.
Return the chicken and bacon to the pot, turn up the heat and pour over the cognac. Set alight, allow the flames to die down and then add the reserved, reduced wine. Gently simmer for one hour. (Alternatively, cook the casserole in an oven preheated to 170⁰C/325⁰F/Gas 3.)
Serve the coq au vin with simply boiled or steamed potatoes and with the bread triangles.
Day 3
A good coq au vin tastes infinitely better re-heated the next day. This also allows for any fat that has collected on the surface to be easily removed, having solidified in the fridge.
Chicken Burrito
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
200g basmati rice, cooked
1 pepper, sliced
400g mixed beans
1 courgette, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tsp cumin
1tsp smoked paprika
1 lime, zest & juice
4 wraps
1 avocado, diced
Salsa (fresh salsa recipe below) and sour cream to serve
Method
Combine the chicken thighs with cumin, paprika, garlic and lime zest and juice a little oil and salt. Roast in an oven at 180°C and roast for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and continue roasting for a further 10 minutes.
In a large pot, warm the beans and rice with a little water
Take the vegetables and chicken out of the oven allow cool. Remove the skin and shred the chicken thighs and discard the bones.
Add chicken & vegetables and diced avocado to the rice and beans mixture.
Grill the tortilla wrap fill with the ingredients and wrap up
Fresh salsa:
Finely dice some tomatoes and red onions, add a little red wine vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar or honey. Sprinkle with some chilli flakes, add salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Litre Chicken Stock
4 Boneless Chicken Thighs
2 Carrots, peeled & diced
1 Onion peeled & diced
2 Cloves Garlic chopped
2 Celery Sticks peeled & diced
80g Egg Noodles
Pinch Salt & pinch white Pepper
2 Bay Leaves
2 Springs Fresh Thyme
2 Table Spoons Rapeseed Oil
Handful fresh Chives
Drop Worcester Sauce
Method:
Place the chicken thighs in a pot and cover with water. Add a twist of pepper plus 1 bayleaf. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes
In a separate pot heat the rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and bay leaf. Sweat for 4 mins then add the carrots and sweat for a further 4-5 minutes until vegetables are soft and without colour. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cover with the chicken stock . Simmer for approx. 15 mins with a lid on. Add the fresh thyme followed by egg noodles and a drop of Worcester sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
While soup is simmering remove the chicken thighs from the pot and discard the water. Using two forks remove the cooked chicken from the thigh bones. Add the chicken to the soup after the egg noodles are cooked in the soup.
Add half the chopped chives to the broth and serve in a bowl and sprinkle the remaining chives on top of the broth.
Sticky Asian chicken
Ingredients
1kg chicken thighs, skinned and boned
6 spring onions, finely sliced
For the marinade:
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
Oil for frying
A little water
Method
In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.
Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and leave to marinate overnight, or longer.
Heat a frying pan with a little oil and once hot add the chicken and cook over a medium heat. Cook in batches to only turn once. Baste with marinade. Remove the chicken from the pan once cooked and add a small drop of water to loosen out the sauce.
Put chicken on a plate, glaze with the sauce, garnish with spring onions and serve.
Family Chicken Pot
Serves 4/6
1 KG Boneless chicken Thighs (skin on )
1 Red peppers deseeded and diced
1 Yellow Peppers deseeded and diced
1 Large Onion peeled & diced
3 Cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Drizzle Rapeseed Oil
2g Cumin seeds
2g Cayenne pepper
Pinch Salt & Pepper
1 Tin of Chick Peas
To Serve
Fresh Parsley
Fresh coriander
Feta cheese or Goats Cheese (Optional)
Method:
Heat a large skillet pan heat on medium heat, and add a drizzle of oil.
Fry the Chicken thighs skin side down first. Turn over chicken thighs and once browned all around place on a tray. Transfer to the oven at 170 degrees C for 20 minutes.
To the same skillet pan add the onions, garlic and peppers and sweat until softened. Season with Salt & Pepper. Add the cumin seeds and cayenne pepper and continue to sweat for 3/4 minutes..
Add the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and a little water to loosen the mix. Add the drained chick peas. Simmer for 12 minutes stirring occasionally on low heat.
Add the chopped herbs. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and place them into the sauce and cover with a lid.
Transfer back into the oven at 160 degrees C for 30 minutes . Ensure chicken is cooked by taking one thigh out and ensuring it cooked in the centre. Return to oven if further cooking is required..
Serve with sprinkle of feta or goats cheese on top. Sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Serve in the middle of the table and allow everyone take their own from the serving dish.
Brian's Tip: Serve with toasted sour dough
Wasabi schnitzel
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs, skinned and boned
1tblsp wasabi paste
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1tblsp sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten
140g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Soya sauce, for drizzling
Steamed rice to serve
Wasabi mayonnaise
100g mayonnaise
2tsp wasabi paste
1tsp sesame oil
Method
Place the chicken thigh between 2 pieces of grease proof paper. Using a meat mallet (or a rolling pin), pound each chicken thigh to 1cm thick.
Place the wasabi, garlic and sesame oil in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the chicken and mix to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Place the egg in a bowl.
Place the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper on a tray. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs and press to coat.
Heat 3cm vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook the chicken, one at a time, turning halfway, for 3–4 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel, set aside and keep warm.
To make the wasabi mayonnaise, place the mayonnaise, wasabi and sesame oil in a small bowl and mix to combine. Top each schnitzel with wasabi mayonnaise and soya sauce. and rice. Serves 4.
Chicken Thighs with Chorizo &Tomatoes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
8 Chicken Thighs
8 Fresh Tomatoes Diced
500ml Chicken Stock
Fresh Thyme
2 Red Peppers diced
150g Chorizo Chopped
1 Lemon
Drizzle of Rapeseed Oil
4 Garlic Cloves Sliced
Fresh Ground Pepper & Salt
Handful of Fresh Basil
Method:
Preheat Oven 180 °C
In a bowl mix the sliced garlic, thyme, lemon zest and juice with a drizzle of rapeseed. Season with salt & black pepper.
Cut a slit in the back of each chicken thigh and place on a deep earthenware dish. Massage the marinade into each chicken thigh and drizzle remaining marinade over the top of the chicken.
Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the chorizo, peppers and tomatoes and using a spoon push them in between the chicken thighs.
Pour in the warm stock and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve with freshly chopped basil.
Brian's Top Tip:
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Stuffed chicken thighs
Chicken thighs are super cheap and full of flavour. Fill with a herby stuffing for a tasty budget meal.
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs, bones removed, skin left on
75g butter
25ml oil
1 small onion, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
75g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180⁰C/350⁰F/Gas 5.
Heat the butter in frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, in a bowl until well combined.
Add the cooked onion and garlic and the and stir well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Lay each piece of thigh meat out and spread with an even layer of the stuffing mixture. Roll up each stuffed chicken thigh and secure with cocktail sticks.
Place each stuffed chicken thigh into a roasting tin.
Roast the stuffed chicken thighs in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through and golden-brown. Serve with steamed vegetables or salad