Winner-winner chicken dinner, 3 easy, lazy and delicious meals
My local farm shop does amazing rotisserie chicken at the weekends – you have to be quick if you want one, though. They are brilliant for weekend lunches, with salad or in a warm baguette with some mayonnaise.
Here are 3 ideas for how to make it go further, using one of my favourite things; home made chicken stock.
#1 Chicken Stock
I’m a bit obsessed with making stock, there’s usually a pot bubbling away at least once a week and I have a whole drawer in my freezer full of bottles of stock!
As well as using it in the above recipes I also like to drink a cup for breakfast (which some people might find quite strange) or as a hot drink before school pick up. It’s so good for you.
A proper stock recipe calls for more ingredients but this is my speedy version. I always have the ingredients in the fridge. It doesn’t matter if the veg is past its best – chuck them in! You can also use lamb and beef bones instead of chicken. Make friends with your butcher as they are more than happy to give you lamb and beef bones – my butcher knows me quite well now!
Ingredients:
- 1 cooked or uncooked chicken carcass (or uncooked lamb shoulder/leg or a couple of beef ribs)
- 2 carrots
- 3 sticks of celery
- 1 leek
- 1 large onion, skin on
Method:
- Roughly chop the vegetables and cut the onion in quarters.
- Put the veg and the chicken carcass into a large high sided pot and cover with water.
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Strain into a jug and transfer to containers. I use Symprove Probiotic bottles which are 500ml, very handy. Just be careful not to defrost in the microwave due to the plastic. I get mine out in the morning or put them in a jug of boiling water.
#2 Chicken Rice
This is so delicious and simple and loved by children. The spices are very mild. It’s adapted form the brilliant book Kitchenella by Rose Prince.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 2 tablespoons of pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped (or sliced for less fussy children)
- 1 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
- 4 boneless chicken thighs in bite size pieces or the equivalent of cooked rotisserie or left over roast chicken (also works with left over roast lamb)
- 200g basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve under cold water
- 1.2 litres/2 pints of chicken stock
Method:
- Dry toast the pine nuts in a high-sided frying pan for 3 minutes, or until they are golden. Set to one side.
- Cut a piece of baking paper just larger than the diameter of the frying pan.
- Cook the onion in the olive oil over a low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the spices and the meat and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir for 1 minute then add most of the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer and put the baking paper circle on top, pressing down on to the surface of the rice.
- Leave to cook for about 12 minutes. If the rice isn’t tender leave for another few minutes, adding some more stock if its dried out.
- Season with salt and pepper and out on the table for people to help themselves.
- Put the yoghurt, chilli and coriander leaves in little bowls to add if desired.
#3 A Simple Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
For the Spice mix:
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon cayenne powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- a handful of cherry tomatoes
- left over roast or rotisserie chicken (or left over roast lamb)
- 200 ml chicken stock
- 1 tin of coconut milk
- Fresh coriander, chopped
Method:
- Make the spice mix by mixing all the spices together. It is easy to double the recipe as it will keep in a jam jar for a couple of weeks.
- Fry the onion in some mild olive or coconut oil over a low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of spice mix and the crushed garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock and allow it to reduce for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
- Add the coconut milk and the cherry tomatoes and cook on a medium hear for 10 minutes.
- At this stage you could chill in the fridge or freeze the sauce.
- When ready to eat, put the sauce in a pan (or defrost if frozen) add the cooked chicken and warm through. Season to taste adding some chilli flakes if you like it a hot.
- Scatter with the chopped fresh coriander and serve with basmati rice and some poppadums.
More recipes:
