Herby Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the first 5 ingredients; sprinkle over chicken. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken in batches; return all to skillet. Add onion, apricot and dates; cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in stock and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until a thermometer reads 170°, 5-7 minutes. Uncover and top with feta and green onions. If desired, serve with couscous.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard basil sprigs and stir in the chopped basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the fusilli in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, spinach, chicken, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with more chopped basil if using.

Steps:

• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry with paper towels, and pierce several times with a fork. Place chicken breasts into a large resealable plastic bag and pour in olive oil. Seal and shake bag to coat chicken with olive oil; add rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the bag, seal, and shake again to coat chicken with herbs.
• Grill chicken breasts on the preheated grill until the juices run clear and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C, about 10 minutes per side.

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breast in half lengthways, then cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin to flatten it. Brush with some oil, then cover with the garlic, oregano and some pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for a few mins each side. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt, cucumber and mint to make tzatziki.
• Cut the tops from the pittas along their longest side and stuff with the chicken, tomato, pepper and tzatziki. Poke in a few mint leaves to serve. If taking to the office for lunch, pack the tzatziki in a separate pot and add just before eating to prevent the pitta going soggy before lunchtime.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Pulse yellow onions and garlic in a food processor until very finely chopped.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chopped onion and garlic, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Wipe out food processor and add parsley and mint. Pulse until finely chopped, then transfer to bowl with onion mixture. Add chicken and remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt to bowl with onion mixture. Mix with your hands to combine, but do not overwork. Divide into 16 equal portions (about 1/3 cup per kofta). Shape into 3 1/2x2" "footballs" with tapered ends.
• Arrange patties on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, flipping halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F, about 8 minutes per side.
• Do Ahead
• Kofta can be made 3 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Roughly bash the garlic cloves and herbs (a rolling pin or meat mallet is good for this), then put in a large food bag or dish with the lemon zest, oil and chicken. Rub everything into the chicken, inside and out. Leave to marinate overnight.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 mins before you want to cook it. Put the vegetables in a large roasting tin and top with the chicken. Scatter the herbs and garlic from the marinade over, around and inside the bird. Push the 2 lemons inside the chicken too, halving to fit if necessary. Rub the butter all over the skin and season generously.
• Pour the wine into the tin with 150ml water, cover tightly with a tent of foil (so it doesn't touch the top of the bird) and cook for 2 hrs. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 1 hr more, or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 and roast for 25-30 mins more until the skin is really crisp. Lift the chicken from the tin to rest on a plate for 30 mins, covered again with the foil.
• Meanwhile, put the roasting tin on the hob and bubble to reduce the cooking juices a little. Add any juices from the rested chicken and season to taste. Serve the bird in the middle of the table to share, alongside the buttery veg.

Steps:

• If using a leftover chicken carcass, place in a large saucepan and cover with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in another large saucepan. If using chicken thighs, add these and brown on all sides, then remove and set aside.
• Add the onions to the oil and cook for 10 mins until starting to caramelise. Add the carrots, herbs, spices and flour, and stir for 1-2 mins to toast the spices. If using a chicken carcass, strain the cooking liquid into the pan with the vegetables, otherwise add the browned chicken thighs and stock. Stir well, cover and simmer for 30 mins.
• If using chicken thighs, remove them from the pan, shred the meat and discard the bones. Add the meat (or the meat from the carcass) back into the soup, along with the butter beans, season and heat through for 1-2 mins.
• Use a hand-held blender to blitz the soup until smooth, or leave it chunky. Or blend about half, so it's creamy but still has chunks of chicken, carrot and butter bean. Serve with extra pepper, and good crusty bread.