Content

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Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Chicken scaloppini over Broccoli Rabe recipe
Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
Chicken wings, agrodolce style
Chicken paella
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce
Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken with Coleslaw
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Kentucky-style fried chicken
Rosted chicken with Braised Spring
Arrosto misto
Chicken and Bacon Roll-Ups
Vanilla Balsamic Chicken
Quick Barbecue Chicken
Oven "Fried" Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce
Chicken Kiev
Pukka yellow curry
Spanish roast chicken
Special Chicken stew
Jerk poussins
Crunchy garlic chicken
Chicken, sausage & prawn jambalaya
Tandoori Chicken
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Introduction
First, Id like to thank my Wife. Without her this book would not exist. Thank you also to my
wonderful family and friends, who believed in this idea before anyone else. And thank you to
everyone who has taken the time to tell me what Good and Cheap means to them. I heard from
thousands of people throughout the course of creating and distributing this book. The outpouring of
love and support Ive received is probably enough for several lifetimes. To those who told me this
book has given them hope, inspired them, or otherwise brought them pleasure: I dont deserve so
much gratitude for so little, but doing work that matters is all I have ever wanted.
Eating is one of lifes greatest pleasures. In a perfect world, healthy and delicious food would be all
around us. It would be easy to choose and easy to enjoy. But of course its not a perfect world. There
are thousands of barriers that can keep us from eating in a way that nourishes our bodies and
satisfies our tastes. Money just neednt be one of them. Kitchen skill, not budget, is the key to great
food. This cookbook is a celebration of the many delicious chicken meals available to those on even
the most strict of budgets. Eating on a limited budget is not easy, and there are times when a tough
week can turn mealtime into a chore. At the same time, this book is not a meal planthose are much
too individual to share on a wide scale. Every person and every family has specific needs and unique
tastes. We live in different regions, different neighborhoods, and with varying means. One book
cannot account for all of that, but I hope it can be a spark, a general strategy, a flexible set of
approachable and cheap recipes. The rest is up to you. I think youll find that learning to cook has a
powerfully positive effect. If you can become a more skilled, more conscious cook, youll be able to
conjure deliciousness in any kitchen, anytime. Just as a good meal is best shared with others, so is a
good recipe. I may not be able to share a meal with you, but Id love to offer a few ideas.

01. Grilled Chicken and Lemon Salad

Ingredients
CHICKEN
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

SALAD:
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper strips
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation
To prepare chicken, combine the first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to
bag, and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Prepare grill. Remove
chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray;
grill 6 minutes on each side or until done. Cool completely; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. To
prepare salad, cook peas in boiling water 30 seconds. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Drain.
Combine peas and next 7 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl; add chicken,
tossing to combine. Place 1 3/4 cups chicken salad on each of 4 plates. Serve with lemon
wedges, if desired.

02. Chicken Tamale Casserole

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just
until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour
enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at

400 for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8
pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

03. Chicken scaloppini over Broccoli Rabe

racipe

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
4 lemon slices (optional)

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Combine breadcrumbs and pepper in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture.
Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Add wine, broth, juice, and butter to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broccoli
rabe; cover and cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is tender. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve
chicken over broccoli rabe mixture. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
8

04. Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients

500 g carrots
600 g potatoes
1 bulb of garlic
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
olive oil
1 x 1.6 kg whole free-range
chicken
1 lemon
5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7.
Scrub, trim and halve the carrots lengthways.
Scrub, peel and halve the potatoes, quartering any larger ones. Add to a large roasting tray.
Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled, then lightly crush with the flat side of a
knife. Pick the rosemary leaves, discarding the stalks. Add the garlic and rosemary leaves to the
9

tray.
Drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, then toss well and spread out in an even
layer.
Rub the chicken all over with a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil. Stuff the chicken
cavity with the whole lemon and the thyme sprigs.
Place the chicken in the tray, on top of the vegetables.
Reduce the oven temperature to 200C/400F/gas 6, then add the chicken and roast for 45
minutes.
Carefully remove the tray from the oven, use tongs to turn the vegetables over, then spoon any
juices from the tray over the chicken.
Return the tray to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. To
check, pierce a chicken thigh with the tip of a sharp knife if the juices run clear, its done.
Otherwise return the tray to the oven, cook for a little while longer and repeat the test.
Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a board and return the vegetables to the oven for a final 5
minutes to crisp up, if needed.
Cover the chicken with a layer of tin foil and a tea towel, then leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a sharp carving knife, carve up the chicken, then serve with the roasted veg. Delicious
with a green salad on the side.

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05. Chicken wings, agrodolce style

Ingredients

3 large red onions

1 fresh red chilli
16 free-range chicken wings
1 small handful of raisins
olive oil
1x400g tin of plum tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar
Runny honey
2 springs of fresh rosemary

Preperation
Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3.

Layer up 2 large sheets of tin foil and pile the chicken wings in the middle. Season with a good
pinch of sea salt and black pepper, gather up the sides of the foil to make a big bowl, add a
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splash of water then scrunch all of the edges of the foil to make a parcel.
Pop the parcel onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is
beautifully tender and the meat pulls away easily from the bone.
Meanwhile, make your glaze. Soak the raisins in a cup of boiling water and set aside.
Heat a lug of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic, chilli and most of the
sliced onion, saving a small handful for later. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until everything is
soft and sticky.
Once its done, tip in the raisins and their soaking water, and the tinned tomatoes, breaking
them up with a spoon.
Allow to bubble away for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, then add 4 tablespoons each of
the balsamic vinegar and honey. Take your time with it and dont be tempted to cook it too
quickly it will be worth it!
Season with salt and pepper, and then add the mixture to a blender (or use a stick blender) to
smooth the glaze. Dont go mad as a bit of texture in the glaze is good.
In a bowl, scrunch up the remaining onion slices with a pinch of salt and a good splash of
vinegar and set aside this will mellow the onions and they will add an incredible sharpness to
cut through the sweetness of the deliciously dark, sticky, shiny glaze.
When the time's up, check that the wings are as tender as you like them. Heat a lug of oil in a
large frying pan over a high heat, pick in the rosemary leaves and fry them until crispy, then
transfer to a small dish for later.
Keep the pan hot, then add the wings and fry until golden. Add the glaze and keep the turning
the wings to coat them (at this point you can add an extra drizzle of honey, if you like your wings
extra sticky.)
Scatter with the quick-pickled onions and crispy rosemary

12

06. Chicken paella

Ingredients

400 g quality chorizo

1 small onion
50 g jarred piquillo peppers
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
22 free-range chicken drumettes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoon tomato pure
400 g Bomba paella rice
120 ml white wine
750 ml organic chicken stock
200 g frozen peas
1 lemon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

Slice the chorizo, peel and finely dice the onion, and finely dice the peppers. Pick and finely
chop the parsley.
Season the drumettes all over with sea salt and black pepper. Place a 30cm ovenproof saut
pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil, then add the chicken drumettes, in batches, and
brown well on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
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Add the chorizo and onions to the pan, and cook until the onions are softened about 4
minutes. Add the piquillo peppers, paprika and tomato pure, season and cook until the tomato
pure bubbles.
Add the rice to the pan and stir well to coat it evenly with the tomato mixture. Cook the rice for
about 3 minutes.
Add the wine, stir through and bring to the boil. Once the rice has absorbed the wine, add 750ml
hot water or stock, then stir in the peas and half the parsley. Arrange all of the chicken
drumettes on top of the rice, in a spoke pattern.
Bring the paella back to the boil then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes,
or until the rice is nice and tender.
Remove the paella from the oven, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
Serve with the rest of the parsley on top and lemon wedges on the side.

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07. Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
12 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skinned
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oilchopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat oil in a large
skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until
browned. Place chicken in an electric slow cooker. Add garlic to pan, and saut 30 seconds,
stirring constantly. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine
mixture in cooker. Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to cooker. Cover and
cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper,
olives, and parsley.

15

08. Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken with Coleslaw

Ingredients
COLESLAW:
4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
CHICKEN:
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cracker meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Preparation
1. To prepare coleslaw, combine first 6 ingredients; toss to coat. Cover and chill.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. To prepare chicken, combine buttermilk and chicken in a shallow dish, turning to coat.

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4. Combine flour and cracker meal in a shallow dish. Transfer chicken from buttermilk to a work
surface. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Working with one chicken
breast half at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess; set aside. Repeat
procedure with remaining chicken and flour mixture.
5. Melt butter in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan,
meat side down; cook 4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn chicken over, and bake at 425 for
32 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165.

17

09. Chicken and Wild Rice

Soup

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Preparation
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and
garlic; saut 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover,
reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.
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Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5
minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until
cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

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10. Kentucky-style fried chicken

Ingredients

vegetable oil, lard or a

mixture of both
1 large free-range chicken ,
jointed into 8
plain flour
cayenne pepper

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Preperation
In a large, deep cast-iron frying pan, add the fats until about one-third full.
Heat it until a haze rises, or a cube of bread browns in a minute or less.
Place some flour in a brown paper bag this is not optional, the best bags come from
Wholefoods, but two greengrocers bags doubled-up will do. Plastic bags make the coating
claggy.
Season with a pinch of sea salt, a sprinkling of cayenne and lots of black pepper.
Shake the chicken parts in the bag. The chicken parts should be dry when tossed in the flour
to soak them in buttermilk, or use batter, is heresy.
Shake off the excess flour, then fry the chicken in batches, so as not to crowd the pan. Do the
dark meat first, skin-side down, turning. When the chicken is golden all over, cooked through
and perfectly juicy with a crunchy crust, it's done.
Drain the chicken on kitchen paper and serve quickly though some prefer it cool, at room
temperature.

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11. Rosted chicken with Braised

Spring

Ingredients

5 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
200 g green beans
1 x 1.8 kg whole free-range
chicken
olive oil
120 g baby leeks
120 g baby fennel
3 fresh bay leaves
2 thin-skinned lemons (or
you could use 2 regular)
200 ml white wine
SPRING SALSA
1 big bunch of fresh basil
1 bunch of fresh tarragon
1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf
parsley
1 bunch of fresh mint

Method
Peel the shallots and garlic, then trim the green beans.
Drizzle the chicken with oil and rub in a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper.
Place the chicken in a casserole dish and surround with the shallots, garlic, leeks, fennel and
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bay.
If youve got thin-skinned lemons, remove the pips, squeeze in the juice, then add the lemon
halves too. Otherwise, peel the zest off in thick strips and add with the juice, discarding the
halves.
Add the wine and 400ml water, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to
a simmer and cover. Simmer gently for about 1 hours, till the chicken is cooked and tender.
Spoon over the broth now and then and check its not bubbling too vigorously.
When its 10 minutes from being done, check the liquid for seasoning. Add the green beans,
then put the lid back on and leave to finish before removing from the heat.
Pick all the herb leaves, discarding the stalks, then place in a food processor. If you can fish out
the garlic from the casserole, add that too. Blitz to a paste, then transfer to a small bowl. Stir in
a little oil and a few spoonfuls of braising liquid.
Sit the chicken on a board (discard the skin) and carve into thick slices. Divide the meat
between bowls with the vegetables, spoon over some braising liquid and serve with the
dressing.

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12. Arrosto misto

Ingredients

300 ml organic chicken stock

GREMOLATA
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves of garlic
1 lemon
POLENTA
250 g polenta
100 g unsalted butter
150 g Parmesan cheese
1 bulb of garlic
a bunch of fresh thyme
olive oil
1 x 1.8 kg free-range chicken
2 quails
500 g quality sausages in one string
1 handful of fresh bay leaves
1 tablespoon plain flour
150 ml chianti
1 x 400 g tin of plum tomatoes

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1 lemon
1 x 2 kg duck
1 stick of cinnamon
a bunch of fresh sage
4 bulbs of fennel
6 red onions
8 sturdy sprigs of fresh
rosemary
2 pigeons
2 partridges

Preparation
Preheat the oven to full whack.
Peel and add 3 cloves of garlic to a pestle and mortar, pick in half the thyme leaves and bash
well with a good splash of oil and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Rub the paste all
over the chicken, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Halve the lemon and place
in the chicken cavity along with the remaining thyme sprigs.
Season the duck all over, rub in a good drizzle of oil, then finely grate over half the cinnamon
stick. Place the remaining stick in the cavity along with the sage.
Place the chicken and duck on the top shelf of the hot oven, directly onto the bars.
Reserving the fronds, trim and halve the fennel, then add to a large roasting tray with the whole,
unpeeled onions and garlic bulb. Place on the shelf underneath the birds. Turn the oven
temperature down to 180C/350F/gas 4 and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the chicken is
tender and the juices run clear when pierced.
Pick the leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs into the pestle and mortar (theres no need to wash it
first), then bash and bruise with a good splash of oil.
Season the pigeons, partridges and quails all over with salt and pepper and drizzle with the
rosemary oil.
Gently untwist the links between the sausages and push the meat along to make one long
sausage. Start by curling one end in, then twirl the sausage round itself in a spiral until you have
one big circle of sausage.

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Place a few bay leaves in between the spirals. Sharpen the ends of the rosemary sprigs, then
use them to skewer and secure the sausages in place. Drizzle with oil.
Once cooked, remove the chicken to a plate, cover with tin foil and a clean tea towel, then leave
to rest.
Place the small birds directly on the oven shelf next to the duck.
Place the sausage wheel on top of the roasting vegetables, then cook along with the birds for 30
minutes, or until the birds are tender and cooked through.
To make the gremolata, pick and finely chop the parsley leaves, peel and finely chop the garlic,
then place into a bowl with the reserved fennel fronds. Finely grate over the lemon zest and add
a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well.
Once cooked, remove the birds from the oven and leave to rest. Move the roasting tray to the
top of the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes.
To make the polenta, bring 1.1 litres of water to the boil in a large pan. Once boiling, gradually
add the polenta, whisking continuously until combined. Continue to stir over the heat for 15 to
20 minutes, or until oozy, thickened and smooth.
Place the cooked veggies on a plate, then skim away and discard the fat from the tray. Pop the
tray on a medium heat on the hob, stir in the flour for 1 minute, then pour in the chianti. Scrape
up all that lovely goodness from the bottom of the tray, then add the plum tomatoes, any resting
juices from the chicken and the stock.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened and reduced to a
lovely gravy.
Stir the butter into the polenta and finely grate in the Parmesan, adding a little water to loosen, if
needed. Season to taste.
Carve up the birds and slice the sausage, squeeze the onions and garlic out of their skins, then
serve it all up on a board with the polenta. Scatter the gremolata on top and serve the gravy and
some steamed greens on the side.

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13.Chicken and Bacon Roll-Ups

Ingredients
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 (2.8-ounce) whole wheat flatbreads (such as Flatout)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato (about 2 medium)
4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
Preparation
Combine reduced-fat mayonnaise, minced tarragon, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl.
Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture over each flatbread. Top each with 1/2 cup
shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1 bacon slice, crumbled, and 1/2 cup
chicken. Roll up.

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14.Vanilla Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 (2-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
16 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Orange rind strips (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into
broth mixture, reserving the bean for another use. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until
reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

28

Arrange chicken in a single layer in the bottom of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray.
Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bake at 450 for 10
minutes.
Brush half of broth mixture over chicken; bake 5 minutes. Brush remaining broth mixture over
chicken; bake 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180. Garnish with orange rind, if
desired.

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15. Quick Barbecue Chicken

Ingredients
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
Preparation
1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Loosen skin from chicken by inserting
fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat; rub spice mixture evenly under skin over meat.
Lightly coat skin with cooking spray. Place chicken, breast-side down, on a grill rack coated with
cooking spray; grill 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165,
turning twice. Let chicken stand 10 minutes. Remove skin; discard.

30

16. Oven "Fried" Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
SAUCE:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
CHICKEN:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 16 pieces)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preparation
To prepare sauce, combine honey and mustard in a small bowl; cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 400.

31

To prepare chicken, combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish; cover and chill 15
minutes. Drain chicken, discarding liquid.
Combine cornflakes and next 5 ingredients (cornflakes through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic
bag; add 4 chicken pieces to bag. Seal and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining
chicken. Spread oil evenly in a jelly-roll pan, and arrange chicken in a single layer in pan. Bake
at 400 for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with sauce.

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17. Chicken Kiev

4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

olive oil
4 x 150 g skinless chicken breasts , (I got
mine from the butcher with the bone in, but
either way is fine)
3 tablespoons plain flour
2 large free-range eggs
150 g fresh breadcrumbs
sunflower oil
2 large handfuls of baby spinach , or rocket
2 lemons
For the butter:
4 cloves of garlic
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (15g)
4 knobs of unsalted butter , (at room
temperature)
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
For the broccoli mash:
800 g Maris Piper potatoes
1 head of broccoli
1 knob of unsalted butter

33

Method
Making a really great expression of a chicken Kiev will put smiles on peoples faces. Goodquality chicken stuffed with gorgeous garlicky butter and crispy crumbled bacon, then coated
with golden breadcrumbs you know its going to be good. This is pure indulgent pleasure, so
simply make sure you balance up your meals in the days that follow.

Fry the bacon in a pan on a medium heat with a tiny drizzle of olive oil, until golden and crisp,
then remove. For the butter, peel the garlic, then finely chop with the parsley leaves and mix into
the softened butter with the cayenne. Firm up in the fridge.

Working one-by-one on a board, stuff the chicken breasts. To do this, start by pulling back the
loose fillet on the back of the breast put your knife in the opposite direction and slice to create
a long pocket (watch how-to video below). Open the pocket up with your fingers, cut the chilled
butter into four and push one piece into the pocket, then crumble in a rasher of crispy bacon.
Fold and seal back the chicken, completely covering the butter and giving you a nice neat
parcel. Repeat with the 3 remaining breasts.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Place the flour in one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs in
another, and put the breadcrumbs and a pinch of seasoning into a third. Evenly coat each
34

chicken breast in flour, then beaten egg, letting any excess drip off, and finally, turn them in the
breadcrumbs, patting them on until evenly coated. Shallow-fry in 2cm of sunflower oil on a
medium to high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, or until lightly golden, then transfer to
a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. You can bake them
completely in the oven and skip the frying altogether, you just need to drizzle them with olive oil
and bake for about 20 minutes they wont be as golden, but theyll be just as delicious.

Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes and cook in a large pan of boiling salted water
for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Chop up the broccoli and add it to the potatoes for the last
8 minutes. Drain and leave to steam dry, then return to the pan and mash with a knob of butter
and a pinch of salt and pepper. Divide the mash between your plates and place a Kiev on top of
each portion. Lightly dress the spinach leaves or rocket in a little oil and lemon juice, then
sprinkle over the top as a salady garnish. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

35

18. Pukka yellow curry

36

Ingredients

2 onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
2 yellow peppers
1 cube chicken stock
1-2 fresh red chillies
a bunch of fresh coriander
1 teaspoon runny honey
1 level teaspoon ground tumeric
2 teaspoons curry powder
8 higher-welfare chicken drumsticks
olive oil
1 x 400 g tin of chickpeas
1 teaspoon tomato puree
320 g basmati rice
1 lemon

Preparation

Pukka is an Indian word for the real deal or authenticity, hence the name of this dish. Its
not because Im a cocky Essex boy, nor, as some not-so-nice journalists once said,
because of my annoying estuary accent (whatever that means). Anyway, this curry is
delicious the meat falls off the bone, its great value and it looks phenomenal.
Peel the onions, garlic and ginger and deseed the peppers. Put 1 onion, 1 pepper, the garlic
and ginger into a food processor. Crumble in the stock cube and add the chilli (deseed it first, if
you prefer a milder curry), the coriander stalks, honey and spices, then blitz to a paste.
Place a large casserole pan on a medium-high heat and fry the chicken drumsticks (pull the skin
off first, if you prefer) with a splash of oil for 10 minutes, or until golden, turning occasionally with
tongs. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the pan on the heat. Roughly chop the remaining
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onion and pepper and add to the pan to cook for a few minutes, then tip in the paste and let it
cook down for around 5 minutes. Pour in 500ml of boiling water. Drain the chickpeas and add
along with the tomato puree and a pinch of salt and pepper, then stir well. Return the chicken to
the pan, pop the lid on, reduce the heat and simmer gently for around 45 minutes, or until the
sauce darkens and thickens.
With 15 minutes to go, put 1 mug (320g) of rice and 2 mugs of boiling water into a pan with a
pinch of salt and simmer with the lid on for 12 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Serve the curry in the middle of the table with a few dollops of yoghurt (if using) and a scattering
of coriander leaves, with lemon wedges for squeezing over and the fluffy rice on the side.

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19. Spanish roast chicken

Ingredients

1.6 kg potatoes , peeled and cut into 2.5cm dice

4 lemons
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 kg higher-welfare chicken
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
300 g iberico chorizo sausage
olive oil
2 cloves garlic , peeled and finely chopped

Preparation
First preheat your oven to 220C/425F/gas 7, then place your potatoes with 2 of your lemons
into a small pan of water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, and then prick the lemons all over with a
knife. (The reason for doing this is that you are going to put them inside the chicken and their
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wonderful juices will be released while cooking. They will burst with flavour and fragrance, and
the heat from the lemons will help the chicken to cook quicker from the inside as well as making
it taste and smell amazing.) Remove the parsley leaves from the stalks and put to one side.
Stuff the chicken with your hot lemons and the parsley stalks. Then season the chicken and the
potatoes with a tiny pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and slice your chorizo at an
angle, 0.5cm/ inch thick.
Get yourself an appropriately sized baking tray. Take a piece of greaseproof paper and wet it
under a tap so it becomes flexible, then shake it out and lay it into the baking tray. Place the
potatoes into the centre of the greaseproof paper, then place the chicken on top and sprinkle
with the chorizo and a little of your chopped parsley. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook in the
preheated oven for around 1 hour 20 minutes.
While the chicken and potatoes are cooking you can make what the Italians call gremolata, by
finely chopping the zest of your 2 remaining lemons and mixing it with the chopped parsley and
garlic. Season with a little pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss together to
create a really fragrant seasoning-type garnish. Remove the tray from the oven, take the
chicken out and put to one side to rest. Give the potatoes a shake about and put them back in
the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.
Carve the chicken and divide between 8 plates, with the potatoes. The potatoes will have taken
on the smoky paprika flavour from the chorizo, so if there is any juice left over in the tray, pour
every last drop over the plates. When you sprinkle over the gremolata it will hit the hot juice and
smell fantastic. You're going to love this one! A rocket salad goes really well with it.

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20. Special Chicken stew

41

Ingredients

salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 higher-welfare spring chickens or poussins
1 small handful fresh parsley , leaves picked, stalks kept
1 bunch fresh tarragon , leaves picked, stalks kept
4 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
2 heaped tablespoons plain white flour
extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion , peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , peeled and finely sliced
heart celery , trimmed back and finely sliced
2 good knobs butter
2 wineglasses crisp white wine
565 ml organic stock
3 gem lettuces , quartered
1 small bunch seedless grapes , washed and halved

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Season your baby chickens inside and out and stuff
each of them with the parsley and tarragon stalks. Using your forefinger, carefully part the skin
from the breast meat and smear a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard into each bird. Rub the flour
all over the chickens so they are covered in a thin layer. Keep any flour that falls off.
In a snug-fitting casserole-type pan, fry your chickens in 3 good lugs of olive oil on all sides for
10 minutes until golden. Remove them to a plate and then fry off the onion, garlic and celery in
the pan. Add the butter and spare flour and continue to fry for about 4 minutes, scraping off any
goodness that is on the bottom of the pan. Add your 2 glasses of white wine and allow the liquid
to reduce by half, then put the chickens back into the pan. Now pour in your stock it should
come to about half-way up the chickens. Make yourself a cartouche. Wet it so it's flexible then
tuck this in and around the pan.

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Place in the oven and cook for around 50 minutes to an hour until the chickens have crisp skin
and the thigh meat falls off the bone. Remove the chicken to some nice serving bowls ones
that can hold a bit of sauce and place your pan back on the hob. Add the lettuces, grapes,
parsley leaves and tarragon leaves and simmer for a couple more minutes. Correct the
seasoning carefully and spoon this sauce next to the chicken.

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21. Jerk poussins

Ingredients

4 higher-welfare poussins

1 sticks cinnamon

2 teaspoons allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 handful fresh thyme , leaves picked

4 limes , zest and juice of

olive oil

10 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt

1 handful fresh mint , finely chopped, baby leaves reserved

1 red chilli , deseeded and finely sliced

Preperation
For this recipe Ive used poussins, which are a real joy. Theyre really good fun to eat, as each person gets
one bird a ready-made portion! The meat is also lovely and sweet.

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First of all you need to spatchcock the poussins. Its best to ask your butcher to do this, but you can do it
yourself if you need to.
Basically youre removing a bit of carcass and flattening out the birds, almost like open books, so that
they all touch the barbecue at the same time and cook evenly and more quickly.
Take your largest chopping knife and position it right inside each bird next to its backbone the blade
should be over the middle of the parsons nose - I tend to use a rolling pin to then thump the back of the
knife until it cuts all the way through the bird. Open out the bird on to a board, then press down on the
breasts until you hear the breastbone crack.
With a sharp knife, slash the meat all over the thighs and legs to help them cook quicker and take on
more flavour.
In a pestle and mortar, bash up your cinnamon sticks then add your spices, thyme leaves and the zest
and the juice of 3 of your limes. Add a small lug of olive oil to get the flavour going and add 1 pinch of
sea salt for each bird. Mix well. Rub this marinade onto your poussins. Pop them in sandwich bags and
put them in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour. You can leave them in there overnight if you want
to.
Remove your birds from the fridge 1 hour before cooking, but keep them out of the sun. When ready to
cook, drop the poussins onto the hottest part of your barbie. Give them a couple of minutes on each
side and make sure you move them any time that flames come up - you want them to be golden, not
black! Once youve got a nice colour, move them to the cooler part of your barbie to finish cooking
theyll need about 20 minutes. You can tell theyre cooked through when you can easily pull the thigh
meat away from the bone.
Stir the juice and zest of your remaining lime and the finely chopped mint through the yoghurt. Serve
the poussins with a good dollop of minty yoghurt, sprinkled with the chilli and baby mint leaves.
Delicious.

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22. Crunchy garlic chicken

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1 lemon
6 saltine crackers
2 tablespoons butter
4 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large free-range egg
2 skinless higher-welfare chicken breast fillets
olive oil

Preperation
To prepare your chicken:
Peel the garlic and zest the lemon Put your crackers into a food processor with the butter,
garlic, parsley sprigs, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper Whiz until the mixture is very
fine, then pour these crumbs on to a plate Sprinkle the flour on to a second plate Crack the
egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork Lightly score the underside of the chicken breasts
Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until
the breasts flatten out a bit Dip the chicken into the flour until both sides are completely
coated, then dip into the egg and finally into the flavored crumbs Push the crumbs on to the
chicken breasts so they stick you want the meat to be totally coated
To cook your chicken:
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You can either bake or fry the chicken If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature
(240C/475F/gas 9), place your chicken on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes If frying, put
a frying pan on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts for
4 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden and crisp
To serve your chicken:
Either serve the chicken breasts whole, or cut them into strips and pile them on a plate
Beautiful and simple served with a lemon wedge for squeezing over, and a tiny sprinkling of salt
Great with a lovely fresh salad or simply dressed veggies.

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23. Chicken, sausage & prawn jambalaya

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Ingredients

4 higher-welfare chicken thighs

4 higher-welfare chicken drumsticks
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper
olive oil
300 g quality smoked sausage, such as andouille or fresh iberico chorizo , skin removed, cut
into 1cm thick slices
1 large onion , peeled and roughly chopped
1 green pepper , deseeded and roughly chopped
1 red pepper , deseeded and roughly chopped
4 sticks celery , trimmed and roughly chopped
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic , peeled and sliced
1-2 fresh red chillies , deseeded and finely chopped
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
1.5 litres organic chicken stock
700 g long-grain rice
16-20 raw king prawns , from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, peeled and deveined
1 handful fresh curly parsley

Jambalaya
Method is a French word that means jumbled or mixed up, and I have no doubt that the
philosophy and heart of this recipe come from a similar place to paella, kedgeree and risotto.
Originally, any Louisiana critter unlucky enough to get caught would have gone into this: rabbit,
duck, squirrel, frog, alligator. . . you name it! And similarly, you can adapt it to whatever your local
butcher or fishmonger happens to have. Go cheaper by using things like frozen prawns and
chicken livers, or more expensive by including lobster or crab. I used an incredible local smoked
sausage called andouille, but fresh chorizo or any other smoked sausage would work just as well.
This dish makes me happy every time I eat it. And if more people than expected turn up for dinner
just add a bit of extra rice.

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Season the chicken with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Pour a couple of lugs of oil into a
large casserole type pan and brown the chicken pieces and sliced sausage over a medium
heat. After 5 minutes, once nicely browned on all sides, add your onion, peppers and celery as
well as your bay, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir, then fry on a medium heat for 10 to
12 minutes stirring every now and again. Its important to control the heat of the pan: you dont
want it to be so slow nothings happening, or so fast that things are catching and burning. You
want a steady, solid heat.
Once the veg have softened, add your garlic and chillies, stir around for a minute, then stir in the
tinned tomatoes and chicken stock.
Bring everything to the boil, then turn the heat down, pop the lid on the pan and simmer for 25 to
30 minutes. When you can pull the meat off the bone and shred it easily the chickens ready.
Feel free to remove the chicken bones at this point if you like, then add your rice. Give it all a
good stir, then put the lid on. Give it a stir every few minutes, scraping the goodness off the
bottom of the pan as you go. Let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is perfectly
cooked. Stir in the prawns and if it needs it, add enough water to make it a kind of porridgey
consistency (look at the picture). Pop the lid back on and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes while
you chop your parsley. Stir the parsley through and serve on a lovely big platter. I absolutely
love this with a lemony green salad.

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24. Tandoori Chicken

8 large Chicken pieces with skin (2 pieces breast, 2 pieces of thighs, a couple of wings)
Oil, to baste
For the marinade:
4 tsp red chilli paste
3 Tbsp ginger and garlic paste
2 tsp chaat masala
1 1/2 tsp of the masala
1 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp curd
Salt, to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

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For the tandoori masala:

2 sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
5 green cardamom
3 brown cardamom
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
3/4 tsp turmeric

Preperation
Make small gashes in the chicken pieces for the marinade to coat it nicely.
For the marinade:
In a bowl add ginger and garlic paste, red chilli paste,chaat masala, tandoori masala, oil, curd,
salt and lemon juice. Mix it well.
Rub the marinade on the chicken pieces, over the skin and underneath it. Marinate the chicken
pieces for 30 minutes.
Char grill the chicken pieces on a griller or tandoor. Baste with oil at regular intervals.
Serve with lemon wedges and onion rings,
For the tandoori masala:
In a pan dry roast cinnamon, peppercorns, green cardamom, brown cardamom, coriander
seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf and turmeric powder.
In a mortar and pestle grind the dry roasted spices into a fine powder.

Masala is ready.
Tip: To make sure the chicken does not stick to the grill, glaze the grill with some oil.
If you are making it in an oven, the temperature needs to be around 250-300 degrees C.
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25. Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
30 gms ghee
1 Onion (Pyaj), chopped
2 clove(laung)s garlic (lasan), crushed
3 to 4 fresh green or red chilies, cut lengthways into thin strips and seeds removed
1 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
1 tblsp ground coriander
1 1/2 kg chicken pieces
2 1/2 cups (625ml) coconut (narial) milk
2 tblsp coconut (narial) cream (malai)
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice

Preperation

Melt ghee in a frying pan, add onion, garlic, chillies, turmeric and coriander. Saute for
2 minutes.
Add chicken pieces and coconut milk. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, simmer
for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Add coconut cream and lemon juice, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

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