Chicken Taco Pasta Bake

• 2 chicken breasts (or 1 packet of turkey, beef or pork mince)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine or pressed
• 1 packet Taco mix (36g)
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 large can sweetcorn
• 2 large or 3 small red or green peppers
• 1 jar tomato sauce or 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 50g grated cheddar cheese
• 500g pasta
• 1/2 packet cheap tortilla chips, smashed into small pieces
• 1 ball mozzarella cheese

Makes 8 servings

You'll need a large pan for the sauce (enough to hold the sauce and pasta) a large pan to cook the pasta and to preheat the oven at 180 degrees.

If using chicken, either chop very small or put in a food processor and blend until almost mince like.

Put a tablespoon of oil in a pan on a medium heat and add the onions.  Saute for 5 minutes until soft.  Add the garlic and then the chicken.  

Once all cooked add the Taco seasoning (use half a packet if you don't want it too spicy) and stir in well, leave to cook for a couple of minutes and then add the hot water.  Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.  I usually put the pasta on to cook at this point.

Add the sweetcorn and peppers, mix in well and then add the tomato sauce with the cheese.  Mix until all well combined and lower the heat to allow to simmer.

Once the pasta is cooked, strain and mix it together with the sauce.

Put the pasta mixture into an ovenproof dish, cover the top evenly with mozzarella cheese and the smashed tortilla chips.

Bake in the oven for 30 mins until the top is golden.

Lemon pepper crusted chicken breasts

• 4 chicken breasts with fillets removed
• 1 tub light philadelphia any flavour you like
• 1 tub natural breadcrumbs (ASDA do a really nice own brand one, or panko crumbs are good)
• 3 lemons (just the zest needed)
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preheat oven at 200 degrees.

Put chicken breasts between 2 pieces of clingfilm and bash them with a rolling pin to flatten them a little (don't beat them to a pulp, but bash until the thickest part is no more than 1.5cm)

Using a piece of kitchen towel pat dry the top of each breast.  Spread Philadelphia across the top of each chicken breast so as much of the breast is coated as can be (you don't need this to be too thick, split the tub in 4).

In a bowl pour half the tub of breadcrumbs,  add the lemon zest and the pepper and mix well.

Take a chicken breast and gently place it Philadelphia side down into the breadcrumbs and push down to cost the whole top.  Place on a baking tray.

Do the same with the other 3 breasts.

Cook in oven for 30 minutes and serve with a salad or wedges and veg as above :)

Brie stuffed chicken breasts with a mushroom cream sauce and colcannon crushed new potatoes

To make this look extra posh, get cooking rings for the potatoes and have 4.  They sell them really cheaply at The Range (can also be called crumpet rings and they are hollow)

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 180g brie
• 1 packet proscuitto crudo (need 1 piece per chicken)
• 1 jar pesto
• 1 small leek, chopped
• 100g mushrooms chopped
• 250ml white wine
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp english mustard
• 200ml double cream
• 50ml dry or sweet sherry
• 1kg pack baby new potatoes
• 6 rashers pancetta
• 8-10 leaves kale or cabbage chopped finely
• small knob butter

Put the new potatoes on to boil keep an eye on them whilst carrying on with the instructions below and strain and place in a large mixing bowl once cooked through.

First you need to butterfly the chicken breasts (removing the fillets) and pound them until they are thinned out.

Then open the butterflied chicken up and spread a thin layer of pesto across.  Then on one of the sides place a piece of proscuitto crudo and fold so that it does not touch or go over any of the edges of the chicken.  place a few slices of brie on top of this.  Then fold the butterflied breast in half.  Take a piece of clingfilm and wrap the chicken breast tightly in the film so that the chicken surrounds the stuffing.  Seal both ends of the clingfilm so the chicken is very tightly sealed in a nice parcel usually about 5in by 3in.  

Next put the chicken stock and white wine in a large pan and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and add all 4 chicken breasts in their clingfilm.  The chicken should be poached for around 10-15mins just to ensure as much as possible the chicken closes around the stuffing inside to keep as much brie inside.

Remove the chicken parcels from the pan but do not throw away the stock and wine, this will be used for the sauce later.  Carefully unwrap the parcels and then put a little oil in a frying pan on the hob and gently pan fry the chicken parcels so they are brown on each side, then set aside on a plate until later.

In the frying pan add the knob of butter and allow to melt on a high-ish heat, chop the pancetta up into small pieces and add to the pan and fry until crisp then turn down to medium, then add half the chopped leeks and saute until soft, finally adding the kale or cabbage and quickly cooking until wilted.

Drain the new potatoes and lightly crush them with a potato masher, the idea is to try and keep them in large chunks rather than mash them.  Add the pancetta, leeks and kale and mix with a knife to combine all the ingredients.  Grease the inside of the four cooking rings and place them on a baking sheet.  Spoon the potato mix into the 4 rings so each one is completely full.  Cover with clingfilm and leave to one side until later.

Using the pan the pancetta was cooked in, add a little oil and saute the remaining leeks and the mushrooms until soft.  Add the sherry and allow to boil.  Then slowly add the chicken stock and wine from the chicken poaching earlier.  Stir in the spoonful of mustard and allow the sauce to boil.  Turn heat down and add the double cream and then simmer until the sauce thickens. 

Find an ovenproof dish with a lid, or use tinfoil.  The dish needs to be big enough that the chicken parcels can all be lay next to one another rather than on top of one another.  Put the chicken into the dish and cover with the sauce, put the lid on or tinfoil across and leave until 1hr prior to serving.

Prior to serving preheat oven to 180 degrees, put the chicken into the oven on a middle shelf and the potatoes on the top shelf (remove the clingfilm!).  Cook for an hour and then serve with green vegetables such as green breans or runner beans.

Chicken and vegetable Dopiaza

Decided to add serving suggestions, cos I tend to make very big portions, so this feeds 6 large portions or 8 smaller portions :)

• 2 large onions chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 4 peppers (some red, some other colours) chopped
• 1/2 butternut squash (cubed)
• 2 sweet potatoes (cubed)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or just use 1 tbsp ginger and garlic)
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp cardamon (out of the pods)
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 green chillies (chopped and deseeded)
• celery salt to taste
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• bunch of coriander leaves

Cook onions and leeks with the green chillies and the ginger-garlic paste until softened (about 4-5 minutes).  Add the peppers, squash and sweet potato.  Cook for another 5 minutes.

In a separate dry frying pan, slowly roast the coriander seeds, cumin, cloves and cardamon.  Roast until you can see the spices changing colour and can smell them.  Add the roasted spices to a pestle and mortar with the chilli flakes and grind them down into a powder.

Add the tumeric, garam masala, cinnamon to the vegetables and mix well to coat.  Then add the ground roasted spices and cook again until you can smell the spices.  Add the chopped chicken breasts and cook for 5 mins whilst stirring constantly.  Add the 2 tins of tomato and fill the tins with water and add 2 tins of water as well.  Mix well and cook for 30mins to 1hr.  Season using celery salt and pepper.  Just before serving chop the coriander leaves and mix through.

Serve with brown rice and poppadums

Spicy chicken and chorizo pasta sauce

• 3 chicken breast fillets chopped
• 225g whole chorizo (remove paper skin, cut in half and chop into chunks)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 peppers (any colour you happen to have in, cut into chunks)
• small pinch chilli flakes or powder (to taste)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 jar dolmio or other pasta sauce
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 200ml red wine
• handful chopped basil

Use a large flatbottomed pan for this one, a big frying pan or a chefs pan is good.

Heat the olive oil on a medium heat and add the onions and garlic and saute slowly until soft and golden brown.

Put in the chicken and cook until all white.  Add the chorizo and fry until it starts to lose a little liquid.  Add the peppers and continue to saute.

Next sprinkle in the paprika and chilli, then add the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and red wine.  Simmer for an hour, then just prior to serving add in the chopped basil.

Chicken in a mushroom and tarragon cream sauce

Very nice recipe for a dinner party, easy to do and keep an eye on :)  Can remove all the mushroom parts if wanted and just do tarragon cream sauce.

• 6 large chicken breasts
• 500ml good white wine
• 500ml good chicken stock (Knorr gel stock or fresh stock if possible)
• 2 tblsp fresh tarragon (or dried if no fresh)
• 500ml double cream
• 4 baby leeks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 250g mushrooms chopped
• 1 tin Campbells condensed mushroom soup
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• salt and pepper

Place the raw chicken breasts in a large saute pan (I bought my brilliant one from a Indian cash and carry near my house) or casserole dish which can go on the hob.  Pour over the chicken the stock and the wine and add the tarragon.  Bring the liquid to the boil, then simmer and cook the chicken for 30-40 mins until well poached.  Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Add the double cream to the stock and wine and leave on quite a high simmer to begin to reduce.

In the mean time saute the leeks and mushrooms with the garlic in a frying pan, just to cook them lightly and them add them to the cream sauce.  Mix in the tin of condensed soup and the mustard powder and simmer for 15-20 mins until the sauce is reduced by at least a third.

Add the chicken breasts back into the sauce and gently simmer for 15-20 mins to warm through before serving.  I serve with green veg and duchess potatoes.

Red Thai Chicken Curry

Adapted from a Ken Hom recipe

Serves 6

• 4 large chicken breasts chopped
• 2 tablespoons chinese stir fry oil, seasame oil or peanut oil
• 4 banana shallots finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste (Tesco's have a great one in the herb and spice aisle, or make own using 4 medium red chillies split in half and deseeded, 4 level teaspoons coriander seeds, 2 level teaspoons cumin seeds and dry roast in a frying pan until you can smell them then crush in pestle and mortar to powder, then put in food processor with 4 stems of lemo grass, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 4 shallots, 6 cloves garlic, grated zest and juice 2 limes, 2 level dessertspoons hot paprika and blitz until coarse paste, freeze in 2 tablespoon portions)
• 1 tin light coconut milk
• 450ml chicken stock
• 100g fresh or tinned bamboo shoots
• selection of asparagus tips, green beans, baby sweetcorn
• 4 fresh red chillies, seeded, cut in half and sliced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce or light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 fresh kaffir leaves or 2 tablespoons lime zest
• handful fresh basil leaves

Heat wok or large frying pan over a high heat, add the oil and then once hot fry off the shallots until soft, then add the curry paste and mix in for 30 seconds.

Add the coconut milk and give it a good stir, then add the stock.

Add all the vegetables including the bamboo shoots, chillies, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves. Finally add the chopped chicken.

Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir to mix well and finish with the chopped basil leaves.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• 4 chicken breasts
• 8 pieces parma ham or proscuttio
• knob of butter
• clove of garlic
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 250g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1tbsp thyme, finely chopped
• splash of white wine
• white wine
• stilton/boursin cheese if wanted

Melt the butter in a frying pan over a moderate heat, add the shallots and allow to sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, adding a splash of wine.

Next job is to butterfly the chicken breasts. First rinse the breasts and pat dry with a paper towel to remove any slippery coating. Take a sharp knife and carefully cut horizontally through the breast but not all the way through, leave the end piece attached so you can open out into one large chicken breast.

Place the breast opened out in a tough plastic or ziplock bag. Bash gently with a rolling pin to thin the breast more and make it larger.

Cover the kitchen surface with a sqaure of clingfilm bigger than the chicken breast and lay it on it spread out. spread the mushroom out across the middle of the chicken breast from one edge to the other forming a stripe across the middle around 1.5 inches thick (don't spread the mushroom too thick, you need to roll). If you want cheese with it, put boursin or slices of stilton across the top of the mushroom (again not too thick as you need to roll). Then starting at the bottom edge roll the chicken breast up as tightly as possible into a sausage shape and wrap very tightly in cling film.

Repeat with all chicken breasts. Then put a pan of boiling water on the hob and bring to a rolling simmer and place all the chicken breasts in the pan and poach for 30 mins. Remove from pan and leave to cool.

Once cooled, get the pieces of parma ham and lay 2 pieces longways, side by side so you get a piece of ham wide enough to wrap round the chicken. Remove the chicken from the clingfilm. The poaching and tight wrapping should have sealed it together in a sausage shape. Wrap the chicken tightly with the parma ham and place in a roasting dish. Repeat for all other chicken breasts.

You can do all these steps way in advance and just leave the chicken like this ready for dinner. Put the chicken in the oven at 180 degrees 20 minutes before serving to crisp off the ham.

Serve with potatoes and vegetables and a white wine sauce if required.

Coq au Vin

This is a combination of many recipes off the internet, kudos goes to Nigel Slater, Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver for some of the best ideas.

• 1 whole chicken, ask your butcher to cut this into 4 joints for you
• 2 ribs celery, chopped coarsely
• 500g baby onions (soak in water to peel easier) cut in half
• 500g chantaney carrots, unpeeled, topped and tailed and cut in two
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2/3 bottle rich red wine (Cote du Rhone etc)
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 180g bacon lardons or thick bacon chopped into cubes
• 300g button mushrooms
• butter
• fresh thyme
• salt and pepper

Put chicken, carrots, celery and onions in bowl and add the wine. Mix until all covered, cover with lid and leave somewhere cool overnight to soak up.

Next day, put a good sized knob of butter in a large pan, once melted, cook the bacon lardons in the pan until lightly browned. Put to one side.

Next cook off the button mushrooms in the butter and bacon juices. After 4-5 mins of cooking remove frompan and set aside with bacon.

Take the onions soaked in wine out of the bowl and cook them off next until soft, then repeat for the carrots and the celery (these could be done together). Keep the wine, you're going to need it soon!

Finally in all the remaining pan juices, fry off the chicken pieces until browned on each side.

Once chicken is brown, add the onions, carryots and celery back in. Cook them off for 2-3 mins adding the garlic and the thyme.

Then pour in the wine, chicken stock, add salt and pepper and boil. Turn onto a low heat and simmer.

After 1-2hrs of cooking, add the bacon and mushrooms. Taste for seasoning and if needed add a little cornflour mixed with water to thicken the sauce.

Serve with buttery mashed potatoes.

Chicken Croquettes and Mushroom Croquettes (La Tasca)

• 1 packet of Smash or instant mash potato, made up
• 1 breast and leg of cooked chicken chopped finely
• 9 closed cup mushrooms chopped finely
• 1 white onion chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• salt and pepper
• 1 tub breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs beaten
• garlic mayonnaise

Fry the onion and garlic in a pan together on a low heat, in a little olive oil, until soft. Empty the cooked onions and garlic into a bowl with the mashed potato and mix until combined. Split this mixture into two bowls.

Next cook the mushrooms in a pan with some oil again until soft and cooked. Put these into one of the bowls and combine.

Put the cooked chicken into the other bowl and combine together.

If potato is still a little hot, place both bowls in the fridge to chill, the croquettes are much easier to mould when cold.

Once chilled, get bowls out and scoop a spoon of mixture into floured hands (this is going to be messy), roll into small barrel shapes and use all mix. Place barrels onto a plate and again put back in the fridge to chill.

Switch on deep fat fryer to heat up on the highest setting.

Beat eggs and put into a flat bowl and empty breadcrumbs into another flat bowl or onto a plate. Roll each barrel shape into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs to cover.

Once fat is hot enough put a few of the croquettes in the basket and cook for around 3-4 mins until golden brown. Repeat for all.

Serve with garlic mayonnaise.

Wagamama's Ginger Chicken Udon

All credit to NZgirl for finding out the recipe but just had to post it here!

• 220g (7oz) udon noodles (2 x packets at the supermarket, Chi Yip in Chadderton do these)
• Handful of mange tout, finely sliced
• 1/2 red onion, peeled and thickly sliced
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) lengths
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 tblsp fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 tblsp vegetable oil
• 330g (10.5 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, cut into strips (I have done it with breasts too)
• 2 teaspoons pickled ginger
• 6 sprigs coriander

Cook noodles ina large pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water.

Put all ingredients except the oil, chicken, pickled ginger and coriander sprigs in a large bowl, adding the noodles last, and mix to combine.

Head a wok over a medium heat for 1-2 mins or until completely hot and almost smoking and add the vegetable oil. Add the chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until cooked.

Add everything from the bowl and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Check the seasoning, then divide between two plates and scatter over the pickled ginger and coriander sprigs.