Three Delicious Chicken Meals For Your family

WORDS: CHYKA KEEBAUGH

IMAGES: LISA ATKINSON + PINTEREST

Let’s take the hassle out of dinner with a few simple recipes, shall we? Chicken is as easy to cook as it is versatile, it can be roasted, poached, fried and steamed, is readily available and is the perfect protein in so many dishes. These three chicken-based recipes are a few of my favourites - definitely recipes I have cooked and will continue to cook for my family, all pretty simple to make and all delicious to eat.

BBQ CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of BBQ sauce

• 1 stick of butter (don't be scared, good food is made this way)

• 2 packets of Italian seasoning

• Dash of basil

• 14 chicken drumsticks

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F (you will use the grill a little later).

2. In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.

3. Whisk in Italian seasoning, basil and bottle of BBQ sauce. Bring to boil.

4. Dip drumsticks into the sauce mixture (there should be a good amount leftover for later) and place in a 9x13 pan.

5. Bake in the oven for 30min and preheat grill on medium/low halfway through the baking process.

6. Remove drumsticks from the oven (your house will now smell amazing) and give them one last dunk in the BBQ sauce and place them in the heated grill.

7. Grill for an additional 15-20min. I like them just slightly charred.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE & LEMON

Ingredients

• 450g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, cut into six lengthways (1.5 cm-thick wedges) 

• 45ml lemon juice 

• 8 chicken thighs, on the bone with skin on, or a medium whole chicken, divided into four 

• 12 shallots, peeled, halved lengthways 

• 12 large garlic cloves, sliced 

• 1 medium lemon, cut in half lengthways and then into very thin slices 

• 1tsp saffron threads 

• 50ml olive oil 

• 150ml cold water 

• 1tbsp pink peppercorns, slightly crushed 

• 10 fresh thyme leaves 

• 40 tarragon leaves, chopped

• 2tsp salt - to taste

• 1½ black pepper - to taste

 

Method

Marinating Time 2 hours or overnight

1. Put the Jerusalem artichokes in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of water and add half the lemon juice. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10–20 minutes, until tender but not soft. Drain and leave to cool.

2. Place the Jerusalem artichokes and all the remaining ingredients, excluding the remaining lemon juice and half of the tarragon, in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together well. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 240°C.

4. Arrange the chicken pieces, skin-side up, in the centre of a roasting tin and spread the remaining ingredients around the chicken. Roast for 30 minutes. Cover the tin with foil and cook for a further 15 minutes. At this point, the chicken should be completely cooked.

5. Remove from the oven and add the reserved tarragon and lemon juice. Stir well, taste and add more salt if needed. Serve at once.

HEARTY CHICKEN PIE

Ingredients

• 2tbs Olive Oil

• x6 (about 600g) Chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces

• 100g Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced

• 1 Leek, pale section only, thickly sliced

• 1 Garlic clove, crushed

• 2tbs Plain flour

• 1tbs Wholegrain mustard

• 1 cup (250ml) Chicken stock

• 1/4 (60g) Sour cream

• 2tbs Drained green peppercorns

• 2tbs Lemon Juice

• 2tbs Coarsely chopped tarragon

• 2 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

• 2 sheets ready – rolled puff pastry

• 1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

1. Preheat Oven to 200C.

2. Heat oil in large non-stick fry pan and once sizzling add the chicken, turning occasionally until brown. Transfer to plate.

3. In the frying pan add the mushroom, leek and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until leek softens.

4. Add the chicken and flour to pan and stir to combine.

5. Add the mustard, stock and sour cream. Reduce heat to medium and stir until sauce thickens.

6. Stir in peppercorns, lemon juice and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

7. Line four 1 1/2 cup (375ml) capacity pie dishes with shortcrust pastry. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.

8. Place the pie dishes on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove paper and baking beans.

9. Spoon chicken mixture evenly amongst pastry cases. Lightly brush edges with a little egg.

10. Use a 12cm round pastry cutter (or top of a glass!) to cut four discs from puff pastry, place discs over chicken mixture to enclose. Lightly brush with egg mixture.

11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden and filling is nice and hot.

12. Serve immediately.