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Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken
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⏱ 1 hr 30 min
👤 4-6
🧺 Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 1.8-2kg (4-4.5 lbs), patted completely dry
- 2 lemons, 1 zested and halved, 1 sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, 4 minced and 2 whole
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 250ml (1 cup) chicken broth
👨🍳 Instructions
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 45 minutes before roasting to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, parsley, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Mash together into a smooth compound butter.
- Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. Carefully slide your fingers under the skin of the breast to create a pocket. Push compound butter under the skin of both breasts, spreading it out evenly with your fingers.
- Rub olive oil all over the outside of the chicken. Season generously with remaining salt and pepper inside and out.
- Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, whole garlic cloves, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs.
- Scatter onion and carrots in the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour in chicken broth. Place chicken breast-side up on top of the vegetables.
- Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes to get the skin crisping, then reduce to 190°C (375°F). Continue roasting for 60-75 minutes (about 20 min per 500g). Baste with pan juices every 20 minutes.
- The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F), and the juices run clear when pierced. Rest uncovered for 15 minutes before carving — this is essential for juicy meat.
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Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
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⏱ 50 min + 2 hr marinating
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 700g (1.5 lbs) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces
- Marinade: 180g (¾ cup) full-fat yogurt
- Marinade: 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Marinade: 2 tsp garam masala
- Marinade: 1 tsp turmeric
- Marinade: 2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder
- Marinade: 1 tsp fine salt
- Sauce: 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil
- Sauce: 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- Sauce: 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Sauce: 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- Sauce: 2 cans (800g) crushed tomatoes
- Sauce: 200ml (¾ cup) heavy cream
- Sauce: 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander
- Sauce: 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro and naan to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients and coat the chicken pieces thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- To cook chicken: heat a large skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Cook in a single layer (work in batches) for 4-5 minutes per side until charred in spots and cooked through. Set aside.
- For the sauce: melt butter with oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden brown.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes. Add garam masala, cumin, and coriander. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce completely smooth (or transfer to a blender in batches, being careful with hot liquid).
- Return sauce to pot. Add cooked chicken pieces and stir to coat. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 more minutes — do not boil after adding cream. Taste and adjust salt, spice, and sugar. Serve with warm naan and steamed basmati rice, garnished with fresh cilantro.
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Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
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⏱ 40 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- For honey garlic sauce:
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp butter
- Fresh thyme sprigs and parsley to garnish
👨🍳 Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this is critical for crispy skin. Season all over with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side DOWN in the cold pan, then turn on the heat — starting cold helps render fat and crisp the skin. Cook without moving for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan.
- Flip the chicken. Cook flesh-side down for 5 more minutes.
- Transfer skillet to a 200°C (400°F) oven and roast for 15-18 minutes until a thermometer reads 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part. Remove chicken and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Place the same skillet over medium heat. Add butter and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden — watch carefully, don't let it burn.
- Add honey, soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes.
- Add cornstarch slurry and stir vigorously for 1 minute until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Return chicken to the pan. Toss in sauce or spoon it over each piece. Garnish with thyme sprigs and parsley. Serve with steamed rice or roasted vegetables.
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Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
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⏱ 25 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 600g total)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 80g (1 cup) shaved Parmesan
- 150g (2 cups) homemade or good store-bought croutons
- Caesar dressing: 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- Caesar dressing: 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Caesar dressing: 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Caesar dressing: 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Caesar dressing: 2 garlic cloves, grated
- Caesar dressing: 30g Parmesan, finely grated
- Caesar dressing: Salt and black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- Make Caesar dressing: whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Dijon, grated garlic, and Parmesan. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste — it should be tangy, creamy, and punchy. Thin with 1-2 tbsp water if too thick. Refrigerate.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts: cut horizontally through the thickest part, opening like a book, to create even thickness. Cover with plastic wrap and pound gently to ¾ inch thickness.
- Season chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat. When smoking hot, add chicken. Grill without moving for 5-6 minutes until distinct grill marks form and the chicken releases easily. Flip and grill 4-5 more minutes until cooked through (internal temp 74°C/165°F).
- Rest chicken for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain on a diagonal.
- In a large bowl, add the chopped romaine. Drizzle about ¾ of the dressing over the lettuce and toss well — every leaf should be coated.
- Add most of the Parmesan and toss again.
- Divide among plates. Top with sliced chicken and croutons. Drizzle remaining dressing over chicken. Finish with extra shaved Parmesan and cracked black pepper.
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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⏱ 55 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) chicken wings, split into drums and flats
- 2 tbsp baking powder (NOT baking soda — this is the secret to crispy wings)
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Buffalo sauce: 120ml (½ cup) Frank's RedHot or similar
- Buffalo sauce: 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Buffalo sauce: 1 tbsp honey
- Buffalo sauce: 1 tsp garlic powder
- Blue cheese dressing and celery sticks for serving
👨🍳 Instructions
- Pat wings completely dry with paper towels — every bit of moisture removed means crispier wings. Don't skip this.
- In a large bowl, combine baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Add wings and toss until every piece is evenly coated. The baking powder raises the skin's pH and helps it crisp up dramatically.
- Place wings on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. Space them 1 inch apart — they must not touch or they'll steam instead of crisping. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or up to overnight — this dries the surface further.
- Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Bake wings for 20 minutes.
- Flip every wing carefully with tongs. Bake for another 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and the skin is crackling and crisp.
- While wings bake, make buffalo sauce: combine hot sauce, butter, honey, and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, whisking until butter melts and sauce is smooth.
- Remove wings from oven. Toss in buffalo sauce until every piece is coated.
- Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
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Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
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⏱ 25 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 600g (1.3 lbs) chicken breast, sliced thin against the grain
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp soy sauce (for chicken marinade)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 300g (3 cups) broccoli florets
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 100g (1 cup) snap peas
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- Stir fry sauce: 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- Stir fry sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Stir fry sauce: 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Stir fry sauce: 1 tsp sugar
- Stir fry sauce: 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Steamed jasmine rice and sesame seeds to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Toss sliced chicken with cornstarch and soy sauce. Mix well and let sit 10 minutes — the cornstarch creates a protective coating called 'velveting' that keeps chicken tender.
- Whisk together all stir fry sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat wok or large skillet over highest heat. Add 2 tbsp oil and swirl to coat. When oil is shimmering and starting to smoke, add chicken in a single layer. Do NOT stir for 90 seconds — let it sear. Stir and cook 2-3 more minutes until cooked through and slightly golden. Remove to a plate.
- Return wok to high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes, tossing constantly.
- Add bell pepper and snap peas. Continue stir-frying for 2 minutes — vegetables should be bright and tender-crisp.
- Push everything to the sides. Add garlic and ginger to the center. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then toss with vegetables.
- Return chicken to wok. Pour sauce over everything. Toss constantly for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats every piece.
- Transfer to plates over steamed rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
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Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
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⏱ 1 hr 15 min
👤 6
🧺 Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (1.5kg / 3.3 lbs) or 4 bone-in, skin-on thighs
- 5 medium carrots, peeled — 2 halved, 3 sliced into rounds
- 5 celery stalks — 2 halved, 3 sliced
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, 4 whole, 2 minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 liters (8 cups) cold water
- 200g (7 oz) egg noodles or pasta
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- Place chicken in a large pot with the halved carrots, halved celery, quartered onion, whole garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface with a spoon — this takes 5-10 minutes and makes for a cleaner, clearer broth.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer (just a few bubbles breaking the surface). Cook uncovered for 45 minutes for chicken pieces, 1 hour for a whole chicken.
- Carefully remove the chicken and let cool for 10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the cooked vegetables and aromatics.
- Return broth to the pot. You should have about 1.5 liters. If less, add water. Season generously with salt.
- Bring broth back to a boil. Add sliced carrots and sliced celery. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and noodles. Cook according to noodle package directions, usually 6-8 minutes, until noodles are tender.
- While noodles cook, shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones. Add to the pot. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper generously — good soup needs proper seasoning. Stir in fresh parsley and serve hot.
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Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce
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⏱ 40 min + 2 hr marinating
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 800g (1.75 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Marinade: 3 tbsp olive oil
- Marinade: 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Marinade: 2 tsp cumin
- Marinade: 2 tsp smoked paprika
- Marinade: 1 tsp turmeric
- Marinade: 1 tsp allspice
- Marinade: ½ tsp cinnamon
- Marinade: ½ tsp cayenne, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp salt
- Garlic sauce: 4 garlic cloves, minced to paste
- Garlic sauce: 120g (½ cup) mayonnaise, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 large pita breads
- Toppings: sliced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley
👨🍳 Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken thighs. Massage well so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Make garlic sauce: combine garlic paste, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt. Refrigerate until needed.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until smoking.
- Cook chicken in a single layer, pressing down with a spatula. Cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until deeply charred and caramelized. Flip and cook 5 more minutes until cooked through.
- Rest chicken for 5 minutes. Slice thinly on a diagonal.
- Warm pita breads directly over a gas flame for 30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred.
- Spread a generous layer of garlic sauce on each warm pita.
- Add sliced shawarma chicken down the center, top with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and fresh parsley. Roll up tightly and serve immediately.
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Chicken Piccata
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⏱ 30 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 700g total)
- 60g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 120ml (½ cup) dry white wine
- 120ml (½ cup) chicken broth
- 60ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 3 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Spaghetti or mashed potatoes to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Butterfly each chicken breast: cut horizontally through the middle to create two thin cutlets. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to ¼ inch thickness — this ensures even, quick cooking.
- Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each cutlet in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess — you want a very light coating.
- Heat 2 tbsp butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add chicken in a single layer (work in two batches). Cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook 2-3 more minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic to the same pan and cook 30 seconds.
- Add white wine and stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom — this is where the flavor lives. Simmer until wine reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp cold butter and swirl vigorously — this emulsifies the sauce and makes it silky and glossy. Add capers.
- Return chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over each piece. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately over pasta or mashed potatoes.
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Chicken Marsala
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⏱ 35 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ½ inch
- 60g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
- 300g (10 oz) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 180ml (¾ cup) dry Marsala wine
- 120ml (½ cup) chicken broth
- 120ml (½ cup) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
👨🍳 Instructions
- Season flour generously with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in seasoned flour, pressing to adhere on all sides. Shake off excess.
- Heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate — it doesn't need to be fully cooked yet.
- Add mushrooms to the same pan in a single layer over high heat. Do not stir for 2 minutes — let them brown. Then stir and cook 3 more minutes. Season with salt and thyme.
- Add garlic to mushrooms and cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in Marsala wine and stir vigorously, scraping up all browned bits. Let it bubble for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth. Simmer for 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Return chicken to pan, nestling it into the sauce. Cover partially and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through (74°C/165°F).
- Remove chicken. Stir heavy cream into the sauce and simmer 2 minutes. Swirl in remaining butter. Taste and adjust seasoning. Return chicken, coat with sauce, and serve garnished with parsley.