The only eight chicken recipes you will ever need

Whether it’s a Sunday lunch classic, or a relaxed dinner with friends, we have all your meal needs covered. And that includes a very delicious barbeque recipe should the sun ever decide to put its hat on. Whatever the weather, there is something for everyone – so kick back and tuck into these handpicked recipes from some of our favourite chefs.

Harissa-roasted poussins with cauliflower, olives and crispy breadcrumbs

Chef Bill Granger uses green harissa in this one-baking-dish wonder as it tastes fresher and is more aromatic than traditional red harissa. He uses it as a marinade, a rub and simply as a relish. Its flavour matures with time, so make it at least 1 hour before you use it, to give the ingredients a chance to mingle.

Serves 4  

4 poussins

8 whole unpeeled garlic cloves

1 small cauliflower cut into florets

1 tsp cumin seeds

60g pitted green olives

1 red chilli, sliced

For the harissa

1 green chilli, finely chopped

Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Handful coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

Pinch caster sugar

100ml olive oil

For the breadcrumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

100g fresh white breadcrumbs

Grated zest 1 lemon

½ tsp chilli flakes

Combine all the ingredients for the harissa. Season with salt and set aside. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7. Stuff the poussins with the garlic and tie the legs together. Place in a large oven tray. Rub each bird with a little harissa. Roast for 15 minutes.

Surround the poussins with the cauliflower. Season with salt, drizzle with oil and roast for 20 minutes until the cauliflower begins to char. Toss the cumin, olives and chilli through the cauliflower. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes, till the birds are cooked.

For the breadcrumbs, heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat. Tip in the garlic and sizzle until golden. Remove from the pan. Add a little more oil, throw in the breadcrumbs, zest and chilli, cook till golden. Remove from the heat, stir in the garlic and season. Serve with the poussins, cauliflower and any leftover harissa on the side.

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Butter chicken is often considered to be one of those dishes that takes ages to prepare and to cook, but this version will give you flavourful results in almost half the time with half the effort, says Sanjay Aggarwal, author of Spice Kitchen.

“Just allow your chicken to marinate overnight so that the meat is more succulent and the flavours can develop.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

500g boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

2 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil

2 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp Tarka (see below)

1 onion, sliced

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste (see below)

1 tbsp garam masala (see below)

400g can plum tomatoes

½ tsp harissa (see below)

1 tsp salt

50ml double cream

1 tsp sugar

For the marinade:

100g Greek-style yoghurt

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp harissa

1 tsp salt

To serve:

Naan

300g rice

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, optional

For the tarka:

50g black mustard seeds

50g cumin seeds

For the garam masala:

35g cumin

28g coriander

11g black peppercorns

6g ginger powder

3g cloves

8g cinnamon

4g star anise

2g nutmeg, grated

2g cardamom

For the harissa:

21g paprika

3g coriander

3g caraway

3g cumin

27g chilli powder

27g chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)

5g garlic granules

10g salt

For the time-saving ginger-garlic paste:

125g fresh ginger

125g garlic cloves

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil

Method:

1. For the tarka: This blend uses whole spices; simply mix the seeds together and store in a jar for when you need them.

2. For the garam masala: Put any whole spices into a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind. Then add in any powdered ingredients and mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

3. For the harissa: Put any whole spices into your coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind to your desired consistency. Then add in any powdered ingredients and your chilli flakes, garlic granules and salt. Mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

4. For the time-saving ginger-garlic: Peel and roughly chop your ginger and garlic and add to your blender with the salt and oil. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Either scoop into a clean jar or bottle and store in the fridge or freeze in ice-cube trays and pop out a cube when you need to cook.

5. For the butter chicken: First make the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a large, non-metallic bowl. Add the chicken and give everything a good stir to combine. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight if you can, or for at least two hours to permeate the meat.

6. When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken pieces with the marinade, and fry until browned, turning just once and resisting the urge to move them around the pan. They will need about three minutes on each side (you will finish cooking the chicken later in the sauce). Set aside.

7. Give the pan a quick wipe and put it back over the heat. Add the ghee and, when hot, add the tarka and allow the seeds to sizzle and pop for around 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Next, add in your onion slices and stir to coat them in the spice-infused ghee. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Once the onions have started to sweat and become translucent, add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for about a minute. When the raw smell has disappeared, add in the garam masala. Cook for a further 10 seconds, stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns.

8. Next, add the tomatoes, harissa and salt. Cook over a low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool a little, then, using a stick blender directly into the pan, carefully blend your sauce until it is completely smooth. If you’re finding the sauce is splattering around too much, transfer it into a deeper pan for this step. You can also stir in a little water if the mixture is too thick.

9. Add the cream, sugar and chicken to the pan and give everything a good stir. Simmer for a further 10 minutes to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with fresh naan bread, rice and chopped coriander scattered over the top.

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Chef James Martin calls this crispy buttermilk chicken “one of our most popular restaurant dishes, for both kids and adults alike”.

He says: “The key is to use chicken thighs for the best taste, but soak them in buttermilk for at least 24 hours, as this flavours and tenderises the meat. The selection of spices is up to you, but this is our favourite combination.

“Simply mix with flour, coat the chicken and deep fry; if the chicken pieces start to colour too quickly, remove from the fryer and finish cooking in the oven, as you want the fryer at a temperature where it cooks the chicken through but browns the crumb at the same time. I love this with a chipotle dressing, tons of chilli and mint, and fresh lime.”

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

12 chicken thighs, skinned and boneless

500ml buttermilk

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Fine sea salt

For the seasoned flour:

300g self-raising flour

2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp ground nutmeg

3 tsp garlic salt

3 tsp onion salt

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the chipotle dressing:

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 egg yolks

200ml vegetable oil

1 tbsp chipotle chilli paste

To serve:

A few sprigs of coriander and mint, chopped

1 red and 1 green chilli, sliced

2 limes, cut into wedges

Method:

1. Place the chicken in a large bowl or container and coat in the buttermilk. Cover and pop in the fridge overnight.

2. The next day, heat a pan of vegetable oil or a deep-fat fryer to 170C (338F).

3. Mix the flour together with all the spices in a shallow bowl. Drain the chicken from the buttermilk and dredge it through the seasoned flour, coating each piece well.

4. Fry the chicken in batches for six to eight minutes until golden and crispy, then drain on kitchen paper.

5. To make the chipotle dressing, whisk together the mustard and egg yolks. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking continuously until you have a thick dressing, then whisk in the chipotle paste.

6. To serve, pile the chicken onto a platter, drizzle over the chipotle dressing and sprinkle the herbs and chillies over the top. Dot with lime wedges for squeezing.

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Recipe by: Amy Poon, founder of Poon’s London

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1.6kg whole free-range, organic chicken

2 onions, cut into chunks

2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 celery sticks cut into chunks

5 cloves garlic, unpeeled

6 sprigs of thyme

3 tbsp Poon’s soy sauce

30g butter

Salsa verde

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

½ thumb ginger, peeled and finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely chopped

A pinch of dried chili flakes

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 small bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks roughly chopped

1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp Poon’s soy sauce

Rice, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/425 F/gas 7. Use kitchen scissors to remove the back bone of the chicken and use your palm to flatten it out.

2. Scatter the vegetables, garlic and thyme in an even layer in a large casserole dish or baking tray and place the chicken on top, skin side up. Rub the soy all over the chicken, making sure you cover every bit. Dot the butter over the skin, season with pepper and place in the oven for 35-45 minutes, basting the chicken once or twice with the soy juices.

3. Meanwhile, to make the salsa verde, very finely chop the garlic, ginger and spring onions together and scoop into a bowl with the chilli. Heat up the sesame and sunflower oil over a medium heat until hot but not quite smoking, then pour over the garlic mix so it sizzles. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and taste to check you’re happy with the balance. Adjust if needed.

4. Check that the chicken is cooked by piercing the thigh - the juices should run clear - and baste it again with the sauce before leaving it to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Cut into pieces, spoon over the delicious buttery soy sauce and eat with the salsa verde and some rice.

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Serves: 4

Cost: £1.75 per head

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, skin on

For the BBQ sauce:

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp wine vinegar

6 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

75ml apple juice

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Crushed peppercorn and sea salt

Rocket to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the BBQ to 180C/200C.

2. Season the chicken well with crushed peppercorn and sea salt and place in a roasting tray on the grill and cook for around 30-40 minutes.

3. Combine the sauce ingredients in a frying pan and simmer on the grill or side burner. Continue cooking until it begins to thicken and looks glazy. Keep half sauce for coating and half for serving.

4. Once the chicken has cooked through cover with the sauce and place on medium heat grill bars, that have been well-oiled. Turn-over after five mins and coat with more sauce, repeat after a further five mins.

5. Remove chicken from grill and slop over remaining sauce and garnish with Rocket.

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A savoury dish featuring crispy chicken legs cooked with whole garlic cloves and a creamy, lemony sauce. Finished with fresh tarragon, this meal is perfect with mashed potatoes and green beans. A 40-minute recipe that combines rich flavours with minimal effort, ideal for a hearty dinner.

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

4 chicken legs

6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp plain flour

500ml chicken stock

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

½ lemon, zested and juiced

200ml double cream

A good pinch of Maldon Garlic Sea Salt

Cracked black pepper

Handful of fresh tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Green beans and mashed potatoes, for serving

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, shallow cast iron pan. Add the chicken legs skin side down.

2. Cook on medium heat until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Turn the legs and cook until browned.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the garlic cloves and cook until soft and caramelized. Remove and set aside.

4. Add the butter and melt gently. When foaming, add the flour and cook until golden and biscuity.

5. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, a ladleful at a time, allowing the sauce to thicken between additions.

6. Add the mustard, lemon juice and zest, and double cream. Season with Maldon Garlic Sea Salt and black pepper.

7. Return the chicken and garlic to the pan. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

8. Sprinkle with tarragon and serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.

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Serves: 2

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

2 tbsp harissa paste

2 tbsp olive oil

1 250g ciabattas

15g fresh parsley

400g cherry tomatoes

75g creamy blue cheese

½ lemon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Pop 4 chicken thighs into a deep roasting tin. Carefully pull the chicken skin to release it from the meat slightly with your fingers, then divide 1 tbsp of harissa evenly under the skin of each thigh. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil, then rub to coat the chicken well. Wash your hands after handling raw meat.

3. Get the chicken into the oven for its first cook and roast for 15 -18 minutes until coloured. It won’t be fully cooked at this stage, but don’t worry, we’ll be finishing it later on. Meanwhile, get on with the rest of the dish and do any washing up.

4. Cut 1 large ciabatta into bite-size chunks. Finely chop 15g of parsley.

5. Once the chicken’s first cook is complete, add 400g cherry tomatoes, the ciabatta, 1 tbsp harissa, and 1 tbsp olive oil to the roasting tin around the chicken. Give it a nice mix to coat in the olive oil and juices from the chicken.

6. Pop it back into the oven for another 15-18 minutes until the chicken skin is golden and crisp, and when pierced, the juices run clear.

7. Crumble 75g of creamy blue cheese over the chicken, then zest in half a lemon and squeeze in its juice.

8. Garnish with the parsley and tuck in!

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Korean-style chicken

Total time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

2 x 350g packs essential Waitrose chicken mini breast fillets

30g fresh root ginger, finely grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp light brown soft sugar

1 small ripe pear, coarsely grated 

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp hot chilli powder

1. Place the chicken in a single layer between sheets of cling film. Gently bash with a rolling pin until under 1cm thick. Season and mix with the remaining ingredients. Set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Heat a heavy, non-stick frying pan until smoking hot. Add the chicken, wiping off the excess marinade, and cook in batches, turning for 4-5 minutes, until charred, piping hot and the chicken is cooked through with no pink meat. Remove from the heat. Add the marinade to the pan with 50ml water, bubble until thickened and pour over the chicken. Delicious served with rice and steamed greens.