Roasted chicken drumsticks with balsamic vinegar, thyme and maple syrup

Serves 6

Ingredients

12 chicken drumsticks

600-800g potatoes, peeled or scrubbed, 2cm dice

3 carrots, cut into quarters

2-3 red onions, cut into quarters

1 tbsp fresh turmeric, finely chopped- if you don't have fresh you can use about 1-2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ginger finely chopped

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

1-2 tbsp maple syrup

1 x 10g pack of fresh thyme

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and white pepper to season with

2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets

Method

Preheat the oven to 200c or 180c fan forced

In a large oven proof dish or 2 small ones put everything except your broccoli in, and using your hands toss so the chicken is coated, don’t forget to season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, and then give your chicken a quick toss and then add your broccoli and bake another 30 minutes (1 hour altogether). You can bake the broccoli in a separate dish if you don’t have room, or just steam it on the stove nearer to when you serve up. You can serve with more steamed vegetable if you like!

Chicken with lemon and thyme

To serve 4-6 depending on how hungus you are :)

Ingredients

6 big chicken thighs

1 red onion, rough chop

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

A few sprigs of thyme or lemon thyme

5 fresh bay leaves, you can this is the herb section from the supermarket or you can use dried

Zest of one lemon

1/4 cup of verjuice

300ml chicken broth

Method

In a large pan heat some butter and olive oil. Cook your chicken until brown on each side. Put in your garlic and onion and cook another minute. Season really well with salt and pepper.

In an ovenproof dish put in your browned chicken, onion and garlic, put in your bay leaves, lemon zest, verjuice, thyme and broth. Cover and slow cook at 160c for 60-75 minutes. Or you can do it faster at 200 c for about 30-35 minutes. Or you can chuck it all in the slow cooker for the day.

When the chicken is cooked take out the chicken and put on a plate. Put all the liquid put into a pot, no need to strain yet.  Put the chicken back into your empty ovenproof dish, cover and keep warm in the oven. Turn the oven down to 100c.

Let the liquid in your pot reduce down until it is thick like gravy. This should take about 10 minutes. Then you can strain it before you serve over your chicken and veg.

I served with grilled zucchini, steamed broccoli and carrots.

Bon appetite!

Chicken, Vegetable & Saffron Pilaf

The smell from this cooking was so good! Even the smell can start your digestion, your mouth may water and begin the process!
What I like about cooking in the oven as opposed to on the stove, is that while its cooking you can go and do whatever you want to do and you don't risk burning it! You only need to stir once (if you remember!) This is a pretty cheap, easy and also very tasty dish!

This can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using 1 x 400g can chickpeas.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

350g chicken thighs, 1.5cm dice

1 cup of white basmati rice

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

500ml chicken broth or other broth to suit

2 carrots, small dice, about 1cm

2-3 stalks of celery, sliced small

½ small cauliflower, chopped small

2 tsp dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 big pinch saffron threads

2 tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika

Method

In a large pan or pot put a knob of butter/olive oil and fry off your onion, garlic, carrot, cauli, celery and chicken, until the chicken is just browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add your spices and toss through. Then add your broth and rice, season with salt and pepper, heat your broth in the pan/pot and then transfer it all to an oven proof baking dish. Cover tightly with foil or a lid (I use another tray). Bake at 200c for 35-40 minutes, check it half way and stir. The rice should be tender. I like to serve this by putting a handful of baby spinach on each plate, the heat from the pilaf will wilt it. I also served with sour cream and chopped parsley.

Orange and ginger slow cooked chicken

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

12 chicken drumsticks

Blend up the following to make a paste; or you can finely chop the aromatics and add to the slow cooker.

Zest and juice of 2 blood oranges, or normal oranges- I have put the used oranges in a jug and topped up with 2 litres of water, you can use soda water too. Waste nothing! I use a microplane to zest (in pic below) you can find these at most supermarkets, big w, target etc

1 tbsp turmeric

2 tbsp ginger

3-4 cloves of garlic

¼ cup tamari or coconut aminos

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp chinese 5 spice

Method

Put it all in your slow cooker, I put this on for 4 hours on high or 7-8 on low.

When it’s done take out your drumsticks and put the liquid in a pot. Put your drumsticks back in the slow cooker to keep warm. Simmer the liquid for about 10 minutes or until it is nice and thick. This can be done while you are cooking the vegetables and rice

The veges I have stir-fried. I used carrot, celery, capsicum and green beans, stir-fried with plenty of fat, I have used brellow which is the fat than forms on your bone broth once it has cooled overnight in the fridge. The yellow colour is from the turmeric I used in the broth.

Buttered rice-

I have cooked 3 cups of rice, I have used some of this for a rice pudding and also saved some to make a fried rice for another night.

3 cups of basmati rice

5 cups of water

Simmer for about 10 minutes with the lid on. Make sure the rice is well cooked. When cooked add 50g cubed butter and stir through. I took out 1 ½ cups of the rice and set aside for rice pudding. Then you can season the rice with plenty of salt.

Divide the rice that is left in half, set aside ½ for fried rice.

Slow cooked honey mustard chicken

1.2 kg chicken lovely legs,

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 ½ cups pure cream

4 carrots in big chunks

Salt

Chuck it all in the slow cooker on low. This took my slow cooker 6 hours. I then took the chicken and

carrot out put in an ovenproof dish and kept in the oven at 100c to keep warm. Into the slow cooker went 1 ½ cups rice and an extra 200ml water. Put on high for an hour. To make this quicker just pour your liquid (you need about 3 cups of liquid) and rice in a pot with some salt and simmer for 10 minutes or until your rice is cooked.

Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka- done in the slow cooker, full of indian spice, if you have tried my butter chicken recipe you will like this too!

You can use as a marinade for your chicken and bbq or roast or use as I have done as a curry. Why not make your taste buds dance
Thank you, come again!

I served this with millet. Millet is gluten free and is technically a seed. Millet is a good source of the minerals copper, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium. Millet is thought to have originated in North Africa, specifically in Ethiopia, where it has been consumed since prehistoric times. There is even mention of millet in the Bible as an ingredient for unleavened bread. Millet is still an extremely important food staple in many Africa countries.




Tikka masala paste

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic

Thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons garam masala

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons tomato purée

Small bunch of fresh coriander

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons ground almonds

Optional 1-2 red chillies

Spices for toasting: These are dry fried in a small pan for about a minute until fragrant

1 teaspoon cumin seeds / 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Method

Blitz up until a smooth paste forms.


This can be used as a marinade enough for about 1 kg of meat such as chicken. I have used this as a curry and added 600g chicken thigh, 1 diced onion, 700ml of tomato passata and added a chunky dice of 1 large eggplant and 2 parsnips. You can use any veg you want such as sweet potato, zucchini, capsicum etc…put in your slow cooker for the day. I did have cream to use so I added that too, but you dont have to!

Slow cooked aromatic chicken

Doing your dinner this way you get your broth made at the same time  :)

1 whole chicken, I like to take the skin off and fry later until crisp as soggy chicken skin is not cool!Carrot, lemon, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, star anise- the amounts you see here. Keep it chunky so you can pull them out.

Put all your aromatics in your slow cooker and then put your chicken on top. Fill to the top with water. I like to add some tamari and a few drops of sesame oil. Cook on low for the day. Drain you can keep the onion and carrots to eat. The aromats you can freeze them and use next time you make broth so you don't have to chuck them. The broth left you can freeze or use that week for soups, casseroles, cooking some rice etc...serve the chicken with some extra veg and some buttered rice and your crispy chicken skin

Lots of beautiful broth!

Keep and freeze for your next broth

One pan chicken and ratatouille with quinoa

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

400g chicken thighs, chucky dice

1 red and 1 green capsicum, diced

2 large fingers eggplant or a small eggplant (about 250g), diced

2 zucchinis, diced

1 brown or red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup of tomato passata

1 cup of chicken broth

Handful of fresh herbs, I have used rosemary, thyme and tarragon

½ cup of quinoa

Method

In a large pan or wok fry off your chicken, vegetables, in some butter for about 5 minutes until nice and brown. Then add your broth, passata, herbs and quinoa, simmer with a lid on for 10-15 minutes until the quinoa in tender. I have served this with sautéed kale and asparagus also

Homemade chicken nuggets with basil and lemon mayonnaise

Ingredients

Serves 4

500g boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and each cut into 4

¼ of a cup of shredded coconut

¼ of a cup of raw almonds

½ cup of sesame seeds

1 clove of peeled garlic

Whizz these up together in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs

For the dipping sauce this is just ¼ of a cup of thick mayonnaise a few basil leaves chopped up and 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

On a plate put ¼ cup flour, I used tapioca flour, season with a little salt

In a bowl beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp of water, season with a little salt

Put your chicken in the flour, shake off then put in egg, shake off then put your crumb mix in a bag and throw your chicken in and toss to coat.

In a large pan heat 2-3 tbsp coconut oil and cook on medium for 5 or so minutes a side. Check and make sure they are cooked in the middle, they should not be pink. I served this with a big colourful salad and some mashed potato, and the mayonnaise