Category: Chicken Meals

Chicken satay served on a white plate.

Chicken Satay

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What you’ll need

  • Oven
  • Large baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Heatproof mat for the hot tray
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Mixing spoon
  • Small dipping bowl
  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Measuring jug

Before you start

Ingredients

For 2 servings. Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 8 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos labelled gluten-free and soy-free (or gluten-free soy sauce; this alternative contains soy)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
  • 1 lime
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 75 ml water, added gradually as needed

How to make it

Allow about 15 minutes to prepare and 18–21 minutes to cook, plus optional marinating for up to 24 hours.

  1. Mix the satay sauce

    Put all the ingredients except the chicken and water into the large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with the mixing spoon. Gradually stir in the water, adding a little at a time until the sauce is slightly runny. Peanut butters vary in consistency, so you may not need all the water.

  2. Set aside the dipping sauce

    Before adding the chicken, transfer a generous tablespoon of sauce to the small dipping bowl. Add a dash more water for a slightly runnier consistency, suitable for dipping or drizzling. Put this bowl in the fridge until serving.

  3. Prepare and coat the chicken

    Cut the chicken breasts into strips on the chopping board. Add them to the sauce in the large mixing bowl. You can move straight on to cooking or leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

  4. Prepare the oven and tray

    Preheat the oven to its maximum setting, then reduce it to 250°C. Line the large baking tray with baking paper.

  5. Bake the chicken

    Spread the chicken evenly over the tray, keeping the marinade on it. Cook for 18–21 minutes and check that the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

  6. Serve with the dipping sauce

    Take the reserved dipping sauce out of the fridge and serve it with the chicken. I like this with saffron rice.

Golden saffron chicken pieces with rice and a creamy yellow sauce.

Joojeh Kebab

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What you’ll need

  • Oven
  • Mixing bowl
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Kettle
  • Pestle and mortar
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Slotted spoon
  • Small pan
  • Hob
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Kitchen scales

Before you start

Ingredients

For 2 servings. Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 400 grams of plain Greek-style yogurt alternative labelled dairy-free and gluten-free; choose a soy-free version for the soy-free option
  • Juice of 3 lemons (or 6 tablespoons of lemon juice)
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons of crushed sea salt
  • Large pinch of saffron threads
  • 3 tablespoons of boiling water

How to make it

Allow 12–15 minutes to prepare and 18–21 minutes to cook, plus 10 minutes to 12 hours marinating. I recommend 3–12 hours when there is time, but the recipe also allows a shorter 10-minute marinade.

  1. Prepare the salt and saffron

    Boil water in the kettle. Crush the sea salt with the pestle and mortar and transfer it to the mixing bowl. Grind the saffron, then pour the boiling water quantity from your selected ingredient list over it. Leave for 10 minutes.

  2. Mix the marinade

    While the saffron infuses, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, turmeric and yogurt alternative into the bowl containing the crushed sea salt.

  3. Add the chicken

    Cut the chicken into pieces as close as possible to 2 × 1 inches. Once the saffron has infused for 10 minutes, stir its water into the marinade. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly.

  4. Marinate in the fridge

    Cover the bowl and refrigerate for between 10 minutes and 12 hours.

  5. Prepare the oven and tray

    Preheat the oven to its maximum setting. Line the baking tray with baking paper. Use a slotted spoon to lift the chicken onto the tray, leaving as much marinade as possible in the bowl for the sauce. Once the oven is preheated, reduce it to 250°C.

  6. Cook the chicken

    Place the tray on the middle shelf and cook for 18–21 minutes. Check the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

  7. Cook the sauce

    While the chicken cooks, put the remaining marinade into the small pan. Bring it to a boil on the hob before reducing the heat. Cook for about 10–12 minutes, stirring often to prevent a skin forming.

  8. Serve

    Serve the chicken with your choice of sides, such as rice or salad, and drizzle over the cooked sauce.

Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken Teriyaki

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What you’ll need

  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk
  • Slotted spoon
  • Cling film or a bowl cover
  • Fridge for marinating
  • Wok
  • Frying pan or griddle
  • Hob
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring jug
  • Kitchen scales

Before you start

Ingredients

Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 600g Chicken Breast/boneless thighs
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) of soy sauce (gluten free)
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) of freshly squeezed orange juice (1-2 oranges)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1.5 tablespoons of goats butter
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Spring onion and sesame seeds

How to make it

Allow about 5 minutes to prepare and 10–12 minutes to cook, plus 20 minutes marinating.

  1. Prepare the chicken and marinade

    Cut the chicken into fillets. In the large mixing bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of gluten-free soy sauce, ⅓ cup of orange juice, 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of finely grated ginger and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

  2. Marinate

    Add the chicken and make sure it is covered with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Finely chop the spring onions while you wait.

  3. Cook the chicken

    Preheat the wok on the hob over medium-high heat. Lift the chicken from the marinade with the slotted spoon, leaving as much marinade as possible in the bowl. Fry the fillets in the frying pan or griddle until golden brown, around 5–7 minutes, making sure they are cooked through.

  4. Set the chicken aside

    Transfer the cooked chicken to the small bowl.

  5. Cook the sauce

    Pour the remaining marinade into the wok and add the 1.5 tablespoons of goat’s butter. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until steaming hot throughout before returning the chicken to it. Allow it to thicken slightly.

  6. Combine and serve

    Remove the wok from the heat, add the cooked chicken and mix thoroughly. Serve over white rice and sprinkle with spring onions and sesame seeds.

Golden pan-seared chicken fillets with lime, oregano and coriander seasoning.

Lime & Herb Chicken

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What you’ll need

  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Bowl
  • Cling film or a bowl cover
  • Fridge for marinating
  • Frying pan, griddle or BBQ
  • Hob
  • Small saucepan for cooking remaining marinade
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Kitchen scales

Before you start

Ingredients

Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 600g Chicken Breast
  • 200ml of lime juice
  • 2/3 of a teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
  • Half a teaspoon of oregano
  • 1 Teaspoon of coriander
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

How to make it

Allow about 5 minutes to prepare. Marinating is listed as 1–3 hours, with a shorter 10–30-minute option; the method uses 1 hour. Cook for 6–8 minutes in a frying pan or on a griddle, or 10–12 minutes on the BBQ.

  1. Prepare the marinade

    Cut the chicken into fillets. Mix the lime juice, chilli powder, cumin, oregano and coriander in the bowl.

  2. Marinate the chicken

    Add the chicken and mix until coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour, or 10–30 minutes if you are short of time.

  3. Prepare to cook

    Preheat the hob or BBQ. For the hob, use medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bowl, leaving as much marinade behind as possible.

  4. Frying pan or griddle

    Fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side, making sure it is cooked through. Before adding remaining marinade that has touched raw chicken, bring it to a boil in the separate saucepan. Add the cooked marinade to the chicken and finish cooking thoroughly.

  5. BBQ alternative

    Cook the chicken for around 5–6 minutes on each side and check it is thoroughly cooked before serving. If basting, use only marinade that has first been boiled in a separate pan, or a portion reserved before it touched raw chicken.

Saffron & Thyme Chicken

Saffron & Thyme Chicken

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What you’ll need

  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Bowl
  • Cling film or a bowl cover
  • Pestle and mortar
  • Fridge for marinating
  • Frying pan, griddle or BBQ
  • Hob
  • Kettle for the boiling water
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Kitchen scales

Before you start

Ingredients

Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 600g Chicken Breast
  • 40g of carefully stripped Thyme
  • 2 large pinches of saffron
  • 2 tbsp of boiling water
  • 2 large heaped tsp of crushed sea salt
  • 2 tbsp Garlic Oil
  • Ground black pepper
  • Olive oil for the frying pan or griddle (pan method only)

How to make it

Allow about 25 minutes to prepare and 10–15 minutes to cook, plus 1–5 hours marinating.

  1. Infuse the saffron

    Grind the saffron with the pestle and mortar. Pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water over it and leave for 20 minutes.

  2. Prepare the thyme and chicken

    Finely chop the thyme and cut the chicken into fillets.

  3. Mix and marinate

    Put the chicken in the bowl. Add the saffron water, thyme, garlic oil, crushed salt and a generous seasoning of pepper. Mix until all the chicken is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  4. Prepare the heat

    Heat the frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat with olive oil, or preheat the BBQ.

  5. Frying pan or griddle

    Fry the fillets for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

  6. BBQ alternative

    Cook for around 5–6 minutes on each side. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

Paprika-roasted chicken breast with carrots, parsnips, leeks and courgettes.

Roasted Chicken & Veg

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What you’ll need

  • Oven
  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Foil
  • Two baking trays
  • Measuring teaspoon

Before you start

Ingredients

Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • Chicken (breasts or whole chicken)
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Leeks
  • Courgettes
  • Paprika
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • Olive Oil / Salt / Pepper

How to make it

Allow about 5–7 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook when using chicken breasts. A whole chicken needs its own adjusted cooking time.

  1. Prepare the oven and chicken

    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Score the chicken, coat both sides with paprika and lightly season with salt. Place it in a baking tray covered with foil.

  2. Prepare the vegetables

    Peel the carrots and leeks, then cut the carrots, leeks and parsnips into small chunks. Place them in the second baking tray.

  3. Season the vegetables

    Lightly coat the vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons of thyme.

  4. Roast and add the courgettes

    Place everything in the oven. After about 20 minutes, add chopped courgettes to the vegetable tray and return it to the oven for another 25 minutes. Stir the vegetables occasionally.

  5. Check and serve

    After a total of about 45 minutes, check the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving. Adjust this timing for the chicken you are using, particularly a whole bird.

Chicken korma with tender chicken pieces and leeks in a creamy coconut sauce.

Chicken Korma

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What you’ll need

  • Chopping board
  • Sharp knife
  • Wok
  • Hob
  • Measuring teaspoon
  • Measuring tablespoon

Before you start

Ingredients

For about 4 servings. Tick off ingredients as you go.

  • 400 g chicken breast
  • 3 tablespoons chicken korma paste (I use Patak’s Korma Spice Paste)
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • Frozen leeks, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons tomato purée
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

How to make it

Allow about 4 minutes to prepare and 21–23 minutes to cook.

  1. Prepare the chicken

    Dice the chicken breast. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the wok over medium-high heat.

  2. Cook the leeks

    Add the frozen leeks and cook for 4–5 minutes.

  3. Sear the chicken

    Add the chicken and cook over high heat for around 7–8 minutes, until seared on the outside.

  4. Add the sauce ingredients

    Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the 400 ml coconut milk, 3 tablespoons of korma paste and 2 teaspoons of tomato purée.

  5. Simmer and finish

    Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.