Winner, winner — chicken dinner!
Chicken is familiar, relatively affordable, wonderfully versatile and welcomes just about every flavour you can throw at it.
So dish editor Sarah Tuck and food editor Claire Aldous have joined together to combine forces and their favourite chicken dinners in their new recipe book dish Chook Book.
“What is it that makes chicken by far the most popular protein in Aoteraoa New Zealand? I think it is, in part due to its chameleon-like nature to take on a myriad of flavour profiles and moods with effortless style,” Tuck says.
Both have fond childhood memories of growing up with chicken regularly on the family menu.
For Tuck it is the smell of a chicken on the stove bubbling away that transports her back to her childhood.
“So much so that many a weekend finds me popping a whole chicken in a pot with carrot, onion, bay leaves, whole cloves, a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and it gets left to do its thing. Often I don’t even know what it’ll turn into.”
Aldous has a sweet spot for her mum’s chicken schnitzel always made with chicken thighs.
“The meat stayed wonderfully juicy beneath its crisp, golden coating and served with buttery mashed potatoes, it was a dinner that’s something I’ve carried with me ever since.”
They have divided the book into chapters according to flavours and occasions starting with spice, the ultimate ingredients to change the flavour profiles of chicken dishes, think curries and jerk chicken.
There is a section for classic chicken dishes — the ones that grace your dinner party table and use classic techniques to transform the humble roast chicken.
Then there are dishes that don’t stand on ceremony, that are their to comfort and hug you. They are soups, pies, old-school stuffed breasts and meatballs all designed for casual evenings.
And as summer is approaching there are dishes designed for the barbecue such as skewers and fried chicken burgers.
It is finished off with a chapter on bits and bobs to add that extra layer, dressings, flatbreads, pickles and salsa.
Chicken and mushroom lasagne
For a break from the traditional, this creamy, cheesy, chicken-based lasagne with mushrooms and caramelised onions is an absolute winner.
SERVES 8
Bechamel
50 grams butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups whole milk
1 chicken stock cube
1 cup grated parmesan
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 bay leaves
sea salt and ground pepper
To assemble
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
40 grams butter
700 grams mixed mushrooms, sliced
400 grams fresh lasagne sheets
4 cups shredded chicken (from a leftover cooked chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
1½ cups caramelised onions, see recipe on right
1 cup grated mozzarella
125 grams buffalo mozzarella, drained
Equipment: 23cm x 23cm baking dish or a dish of similar capacity.
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Bechamel: Melt the butter in a deep frying pan or pot over a medium heat, add the flour and whisk to a firm paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring so that it doesn’t catch on the bottom. Add the milk in three lots, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the stock cube and keep whisking, on the heat, until thickened and smooth. Whisk in the parmesan, nutmeg and add the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover the surface of the bechamel with plastic wrap and set aside to cool.
To assemble: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper and cook over a medium-high heat for 12 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of bechamel in the base of the baking dish and put a layer of lasagne sheets on top. Spoon over half of the shredded chicken, top with half of the caramelised onions and half of the mushrooms then top with a third of the bechamel and a third of the grated mozzarella. (These will meld together as it cooks.) Repeat layering with more lasagne sheets, chicken, onions, mushrooms and bechamel. Finish with the last of the lasagne sheets and the bechamel.
Dot with torn pieces of buffalo mozzarella and sprinkle with the remaining grated mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling and the pasta is fully cooked.
Caramelised Onions (gf) (v)
Caramelised onions are quick and easy to make, and keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Makes: about 1½ cups
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 large brown onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Sea salt and ground pepper
2 Tbsp balsamic glaze
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Method
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and add the onions and garlic. Season generously and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Increase the heat and add the balsamic glaze and brown sugar.
Cook until the onions are sticky and well glazed, about 20 minutes. Cool before using.
Mexican fried chicken burgers
Crispy fried chicken burgers with zesty coriander, chilli and lime mayo, fresh toppings and bold, vibrant flavours in every bite.
Makes: 6 burgers
Coriander, chilli and lime mayo
2 cups coriander leaves and tender stems
1 cup good-quality egg mayonnaise
2 long green chillies, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp finely grated lime zest
1 Tsp sea salt
Chicken
½ cup Greek natural yoghurt
1 Tbsp each ground cumin and smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
800 grams boneless, skin-off chicken thighs
To cook
2 cups potato starch
½ cup plain flour
Sea salt and ground pepper
3 cups neutral high smoke point cooking oil, e.g. rice bran
To serve
2 cups finely shaved red cabbage
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 avocados
1 Tbsp lime juice
6 brioche burger buns, halved
1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese
Pickled jalapeno chillies
Fresh coriander leaves
Equipment: Line an oven tray with baking paper and a cooling rack with scrunched-up kitchen towels.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Mayo: Whiz all the ingredients together with a stick blender or in a small food processor until smooth and bright green. Store in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to use.
Fried chicken: Whisk everything except the chicken together in a large bowl. Cut each chicken thigh into two or three pieces depending on their size, put between two pieces of plastic wrap and give them a gentle bang to flatten a little. Add to the marinade and turn so they are well coated. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours and ideally overnight in the fridge in a sealed container.
To cook: Whisk the potato starch and flour together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Using tongs or chopsticks, drop the chicken pieces into the flour and coat well. Put on the lined tray.
Heat the oil in a large pot or wok until a piece of bread dropped in rises to the surface and turns golden in about 30 seconds.
Fry the coated chicken in batches for about 4-5 minutes or until fully cooked through, turning occasionally. Drain on the kitchen towels, then use a sieve or slotted spoon to scoop out any batter that has dropped off into the oil. If desired, fry the chicken a second time (just for a minute) until it is golden and super-crunchy.
To serve: Put the cabbage and red onion in a bowl and toss with the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Scoop the avocado into a bowl, add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Lightly crush with a fork but keep it a little chunky.
Put the halved buns on a baking tray and top the bottoms with mozzarella. Heat until the cheese is melted, and the buns are toasted. Layer the buns with slaw, avocado, chicken, mayo, jalapenos and coriander leaves.
Tortilla bowls with sticky chicken and rice
The bowls are easy and fun to make, but you can also just roll everything up in warmed flour tortillas if preferred.
Serves 4 bowls
Sticky chicken
½ cup orange juice
3 Tbsp smoky barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp runny honey
1 Tbsp hot mustard
1½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground allspice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cooked chicken, meat shredded off the bone (we used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking
To assemble
2 packets precooked rice, hot
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
To serve
Tortilla bowls, see recipe below
Quick pickled red cabbage, see recipe below
Tex-Mex ranch dressing, see recipe below
Guacamole, see recipe below
Sliced pickled jalapenos
Coriander leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Sticky chicken: Whisk together all the ingredients, except the chicken and oil, in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss well to coat in the sauce.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, add half the chicken and cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes, spreading it out and only turning it when it is lightly charred in places. Wipe out the pan if there’s any burnt bits on the bottom, add a little more oil and cook the remaining chicken.
To assemble: Combine the rice and black beans and spoon into the tortilla bowls. Top with the chicken then add the quick pickled red cabbage, Tex Mex ranch dressing, guacamole, sliced jalapenos and coriander. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Cook’s note: This is how we assembled our bowls, but you can add or omit our serving options as you prefer.
Tortilla bowls (v)
Use these edible bowls to fill with any of your favourite salad combos.
4 x 20cm flour tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
Equipment: Ovenproof bowls about 14cm wide. We used two stainless steel mixing bowls, or you can use ramekins.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Brush the tortillas on both sides with oil. Put over the bowls and gently pinch the sides together in 3–4 places. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown, turning for even colouring if necessary. The tortillas will crisp up more as they cool. You can do these one at a time if you only have one ovenproof bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to two days.
Quick pickled red cabbage (gf) (v)
Pop this technicolor, crisp, sweet/tart pickle on the table whenever you need something fresh and crunchy.
Makes: about 2 cups
¼ small red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
100ml each water and apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
Method
Put the cabbage and onion in a heatproof bowl.
Put all the remaining ingredients in a small pot and bring to the boil. Pour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally and store in a sealed container
in the fridge for up to five days.
Tex Mex ranch dressing (gf) (v)
Pop this on the table to serve with tacos, burgers, salads, fried chicken, barbecue meats and fish.
Makes: 1 cup
Flesh of 1 large avocado
½ packed cup each mint and coriander leaves
½ cup sour cream or Greek natural yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp each lime juice and extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
¼–½ tsp ground chipotle, optional
Ground pepper
Method
Blitz all the ingredients together with a stick blender or in a small food processor until smooth. Season with ground pepper.
Guacamole (gf) (v)
This fresh, zesty guacamole is perfect with all your favourite Mexican dishes
Makes: about 2 cups
3–4 ripe avocados
Handful coriander leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1–2 tsp sea salt
Chopped red onion, to serve
Method
Roughly mash the flesh of the avocados and stir in the chopped coriander, lime juice and sea salt to taste. Top with chopped red onion to serve.
The book: dish CHOOK BOOK by Sarah Tuck and Claire Aldous, SCG Media, RRP $50.00