The Home of Guy

20 best chicken recipes

From Britain to the Middle East and Vietnam, great dishes from top chefs chosen by Observer Food Monthly

Roast Chicken Simon Hopkinson & Lindsey Bareham

Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham's roast chicken

Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham's roast chicken. Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Preheat the oven to 230C/gas mark 8. Smear the butter with your hands all over the bird. Put the chicken in a roasting tin that will accommodate it with room to spare. Season liberally with salt and pepper and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Put the herbs and garlic inside the cavity, together with the squeezed out lemon halves – this will add a fragrant lemony flavour to the finished dish.

Roast the chicken in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Baste, then turn the oven temperature down to 190C/gas mark 5 and roast for a further 30–45 minutes with further occasional basting. The bird should be golden brown all over with a crisp skin and have buttery, lemony juices of a nut-brown colour in the bottom of the tin.

Turn off the oven, leaving the door ajar, and leave the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This enables the flesh to relax gently, retaining the juices in the meat and ensuring easy, trouble-free carving and a moist bird.

Carve the bird to suit yourself; I like to do it in the roasting tin. I see no point in making a gravy in that old-fashioned English way with the roasting fat, flour and vegetable cooking water. With this roasting method, what you end up with in the tin is an amalgamation of butter, lemon juice and chicken juices. That's all. lt is a perfect homogenisation of fats and liquids. All it needs is a light whisk or a stir, and you have the most wonderful 'gravy' imaginable. If you wish to add extra flavour, you can scoop the garlic and herbs out of the chicken cavity, stir them into the gravy and heat through; strain before serving.

Another idea, popular with the Italians, is sometimes known as "wet-roasting". Pour some white wine or a little chicken stock, or both, or even just water around the bottom of the tin at the beginning of cooking. This will produce more of a sauce and can be enriched further to produce altogether different results. For example, you can add chopped tomatoes, diced bacon, cream, endless different herbs, mushrooms, spring vegetables, spices – particularly saffron and ginger – or anything else that you fancy. For me, the simple roast bird is the best, but it is useful to know how much further you can go when roasting a chicken.

From Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham (Ebury Press, RRP £14.99). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £11.99

Sabrina Ghayour's chicken bastilla

Sabrina Ghayour's chicken bastilla.

Sabrina Ghayour's chicken bastilla. Photograph: Romas Foord/Romas Foord for Observer Food Monthly

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick baking paper.

Fry the onions in a generous amount of olive oil in a large frying pan set over a medium heat, stirring regularly to encourage them to caramelise and prevent burning. Once they are brown (not burnt!) and sticky, add the ginger, dry spices, caster sugar, and dates and stir the mixture well. Cook until any liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the shredded chicken into a large bowl with the pine nuts, chopped egg, parsley and coriander and mix together. Add the fried onion mixture and honey and give everything another good mix. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Cut each filo pastry sheet in half to make 2 squares. Take 2 squares and overlap them to create a star shape. Divide the mixture into 6 portions, then pile 1 portion into the centre of the pastry star. Pat it down to form a flat round disc (not too wide, so that you can still seal the pastry edges around the stuffing), then brush the exposed edges of pastry with the beaten egg white. Bring the points of the pastry in towards the centre one by one and brush each overlap of pastry with a little beaten egg white as you go to secure, until the final flap closes the pastry parcel.

Brush with a little more egg white to seal the parcel. Turn the bastilla over and place it onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares and stuffing to create 6 bastilla. Brush the tops and sides of the pastry with egg yolk, then bake for 20–22 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove the bastilla from the oven and, while still hot, dust each with icing sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

From Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour (Mitchell Beazley, RRP £25.00). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £18.99

Helen Willinsky's authentic Jamaican jerk chicken

Helen Willinsky's authentic Jamaican jerk chicken.

Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

This marinade is thicker than most. The flavour may strike you as a bit harsh when you make it, but I assure you, the flavours will blend and mellow as the meat cooks.

For the marinade, in a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth. Store any leftover marinade in the fridge in a tightly closed jar for about 1 month.

Put the chicken in a large dish and pour over about 500ml of the marinade. Turn the chicken pieces over to coat them completely, cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

For authentic flavour, build a low fire in a charcoal grill with a combination of charcoal and pimento wood and hold the temperature around 110C. If you don't have pimento , substitute apple wood or hickory, or use all charcoal.

If using a gas grill, preheat to 110 to 120C. Place the chicken pieces on the grill, skin side down. This will grease the grill and prevent the chicken from sticking. Cover the grill and cook the chicken, basting frequently with the remaining 200ml marinade and turning every 10 minutes or so, for 1½ to 2 hours. The chicken is done when the flesh feels firm and the juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a fork, and the internal temperature is 70C.

From Jerk from Jamaica by Helen Willinsky (Ten Speed Press)

Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer's gundi

GundiItamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer

Photograph: Patricia Niven

Place all the soup ingredients in a very large saucepan and bring to the boil. Skim and reduce the heat to a constant simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for an hour, then turn off the heat and leave for another hour to allow all the flavours to come together. Strain the soup – retain the liquid, discard the vegetables, and the wings can go to a cat you like. Return the liquid to a large pan.

Mix the dumpling ingredients together to form a very soft, wet and squidgy dough. Use wet hands to divide it and form into rough ball shapes of 60g each. Chill for at least an hour in the fridge.

Bring the broth back to the boil, then with damp hands re-form the dumplings into balls and carefully drop them in, making sure they are fully submerged. Return to the boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot and let it simmer for about 50 minutes, during which time the balls will expand and go really fluffy.

We serve three per person with some of the soup and lots of picked soft herbs; dill, chervil, celery leaves, coriander, mint and edible flowers; you can use any or all, and finely sliced radishes for authentic freshness and crunch.

From Honey & Co: Food From the Middle East by Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer (Saltyard Books, RRP £25). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £18.99

Charles Phan's pho ga: chicken noodle soup

Pho Ga Chicken Noodle Soup Photograph: Eric Wolfinger

For the crispy fried shallots, in a small pan, heat the oil over a medium high heat until it registers 135Con a thermometer. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until light golden brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain.

Increase the heat to high and place a fine mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl. When the oil registers 180C/gas mark 4 on the thermometer, add the once-fried shallots and cook until crispy and well-browned, just 1–2 seconds; don't let them burn.

Immediately pour the oil and shallots through the sieve to stop the cooking, then transfer the shallots to a plate lined with kitchen towel. Reserve the oil for another use. The shallots will keep, stored in an airtight container, for a day, but they're best eaten the day they are made.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil over a high heat. Add the chicken, spring onions, ginger and salt and boil for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

If your chicken is larger than required, let it stand 10 minutes longer.

Just before the chicken is ready, prepare a large ice-water bath. When the chicken is done, remove it from the pan (discarding the cooking liquid) and immediately submerge it in the ice-water bath, which will stop the cooking and give the meat a firmer texture. Keep it there for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cool enough to handle easily, remove from the water, and pat dry. Pull the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the bones and skin. Shred the meat with your fingers; you should have about 900g. (This step can be done a day ahead.)

In a large saucepan, bring the stock to the boil over a high heat. Taste for seasoning and add fish sauce, if needed.

Arrange the basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges and chillies on a platter and place on the table.

Divide the rice noodles evenly among warmed soup bowls. Top each serving with about 150g of the shredded chicken, then divide the spring onions and coriander evenly among the bowls. Ladle the hot stock over the top, dividing it evenly, and sprinkle with the fried shallots. Serve immediately, accompanied with the garnishes.

From Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan (Jacqui Small, RRP £30). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £24

Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts

Fuchsia Dunlop's gong bao chicken with peanuts

Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into 1.5cm strips, then cut these into small cubes. Place in a small bowl. Add the marinade ingredients together with 1 tbsp water, mix well and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel and thinly slice the garlic and ginger and chop the spring onions into chunks as long as their diameter (to match the chicken cubes). Snip the chillies in half or into sections. Discard their seeds as far as possible. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add the oil with the chillies and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until the chillies are darkening but not burnt (remove the wok from the heat if necessary to prevent overheating).

Quickly add the chicken and stir-fry over a high flame, stirring constantly. As soon as the chicken cubes have separated, add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and continue to stir-fry until they are fragrant and the meat just cooked through (test one of the larger pieces to make sure).

Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, continuing to stir and toss. As soon as the sauce has become thick and shiny, stir in the peanuts and serve.

From Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop (Bloomsbury, RRP £25). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £20

Bruno Loubet's smooth chicken liver pâté

Smooth chicken Liver Pate

Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

Place all the flavouring ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer and simmer until the shallots are completely soft. You might need to add a bit of water but you should be left with about 2 tablespoons of liquid.

Melt the butter slowly over a gentle heat so that it does not rise in temperature too much. Place the flavouring in a blender with a third of the butter and blitz until puréed and smooth. Then add the chicken livers, eggs, salt, pepper and allspice. Blitz again, then pour in the remaining butter and blitz until the mixture becomes liquid, smooth and pinkish in colour. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 6 hours to set.

Preheat the oven to 120C/gas mark ½. Line a 1.1 litre terrine mould (about 28cm x 11cm x 7.5cm) with foil, leaving at least a 10cm overhang of foil. Line with the prosciutto slices so that they overlap to cover the base and sides and leave an overhang. Spoon the liver mixture inside, then fold the prosciutto over to encase the mixture. Fold over the foil then cover with the lid.

Place the terrine in a roasting tin and pour in enough hot water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the mould. Bake in the oven for 1¼ hours or until a probe inserted into the centre of the pâté reaches 70C or insert a metal skewer and hold it there for 5 seconds; it should feel piping hot. Once it has reached 70C, cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Ideally you should leave it for at least 24 hours before serving to improve the flavour.

To turn the terrine out of its mould, briefly dip in hot water, shake to loosen then turn out on to a serving plate.

From Mange Tout: Bistro Cooking with a Modern Twist by Bruno Loubet (Ebury, RRP £25). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £20

Nigella Lawson's poached chicken with lardons and lentils

Poached chicken with lardons and lentils

Fry the lardons, carrot, leek, parsley, mint and lemon zest in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, in a smallish, heavy-based pan (big enough to lay 1 chicken breast in) that has a lid. Stir in the lentils and cook for another minute, before adding the yellow gloop of mustard and stir that in, too.

Sit the chicken on top of everything in the pan, and add the water. Bring to the boil, put on a lid and simmer very, very gently for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

You can eat now, but everything is at its most tender best made in advance and reheated. I let it cool in the pan with the lid off, but for no longer than 1 hour, then put the lid back on and stash the pan in the fridge. Later, I warm it in the pan with the lid on, until everything's piping hot again. Why add to the washing up?

From Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home by Nigella Lawson (Chatto & Windus, RRP £20). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £16

Elizabeth David's coq au vin de Bourgogne

Coq au Vin de Bourgogne

Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Have the chicken cut into 4 pieces.

Make a little stock from the giblets of the bird, with an onion, carrot, bouquet of herbs and very little salt.

Put the red wine into a large wide pan with a couple of bay leaves, a sprig of thyme and a crushed clove of garlic. Add ¼ pint of the chicken stock. Simmer steadily for about 20 minutes until reduced to about half of its original volume. During the last 5 minutes put in the mushrooms, washed and dried. Strain the wine, discard the herbs and garlic and keep the mushrooms aside. The seemingly large amount of wine is necessary to the dish on account of the reducing process, which in turn gives the sauce its characteristic flavour. Indeed, most recipes specify a whole bottle, but it is possible to manage with a little less.

Cut the salt pork or bacon into little cubes. Put it in the rinsed-out pan with a good lump of butter and a few drops of oil. When the fat from the pork starts to run, put in the little onions and, as soon as they have taken colour, add the pieces of chicken, well seasoned with salt and pepper, and let them fry skin side downwards. When the skin has turned a nice golden colour, turn the pieces over, and cook another minute. Turn them again. Heat the brandy in a little saucepan or soup ladle. Set light to it and pour it flaming over the chicken. Shake the pan and rotate it until the flames die down. Pour in the wine. Put a fresh bouquet of herbs and garlic in the centre. Cover the pan. Simmer gently for 40 minutes. Put in the mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes.

Transfer the chicken, mushrooms, onions and pork or bacon cubes to a hot dish and keep warm in the oven.

Have ready a number of triangles of bread, say 3 for each person, fried in butter, oil of beef dripping, and keep these also warm in the oven.

Have ready a tablespoon of butter worked with a level dessertspoon of flour and divided into little pieces the size of a hazelnut. Add these to the sauce in the pan. Stir over a gentle flame until the flour and butter have melted into the sauce. In less than a minute it will be thickened. Just let it come to the boil (it is a fallacy that you must not let a sauce thickened in this manner come to the boil, but it must only just do so) and it will take on a shiny, glazed appearance. Pour it over and round the chicken, arrange the fried bread round the edge of the dish and serve quickly. Unorthodox though it may be, this method produces an excellent coq au vin.

From French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David (Penguin, RRP £12.99). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £9.99

Dino Joannides's grilled spatchcocked chicken

Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with Green Sauce

Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

The key to a successful sauce is to use a sharp knife rather than a food processor. A mezzaluna is the perfect implement.

To spatchcock a chicken, place it on a board breast side down, with the legs towards you. Using poultry shears or a strong pair of scissors, cut right along the backbone and through the ribs on either side of the parson's nose. Lift out the backbone, open out the chicken and turn it over. Now press down with the heel of your hand so that the meat is all one thickness. Insert two skewers diagonally through the breast and thigh meat to secure the legs and keep the bird flat.

Coat the chicken with the olive oil, sprinkle with the sea salt, then allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

The meat can be cooked on a barbecue, under a grill or in a griddle pan, so preheat as necessary. Cook the chicken, skin-side down first, for 15-20 minutes, depending on its size, then repeat on the other side. When it is ready, you should be able to easily pull it apart with your hands into 4–6 pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, make the salsa verde. Cut off and discard three-quarters of the parsley stalks. Place the remaining parsley on a wooden board and chop it using a mezzaluna. The texture is up to you, depending how you like your salsa verde. I opt for a rough chop if it's going to accompany roast or grilled chicken, but I prefer an almost paste-like version for serving with bollito misto. Add the anchovy fillets, garlic and salt to the parsley and continue chopping until they are combined.

For a loose, rough-textured salsa, put the chopped ingredients into a large bowl, add some pepper and pour in the oil slowly whilst stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The finished salsa should look like very wet chopped parsley with specks of anchovy and garlic still being visible. For a paste-like consistency, put the parsley mixture into a marble mortar, add the chopped capers and vinegar, and pound together, using a light circular movement of the pestle against the sides. When the parsley drips bright green liquid, add the pepper and a thin layer of olive oil, and mix very lightly. Keep drizzling in the oil and pounding until you have used all the oil and achieved a paste-like consistency.

Both versions are best prepared just before you plan to eat. I do not recommend keeping it in the fridge. Instead, make as much as you need and eat it all. Place the chicken pieces in a serving dish and dress with the salsa.

From Semplice by Dino Joannides (Preface Publishing, RRP £25). Click here to buy it from the Guardian Bookshop for £20

Madhur Jaffrey and Zahda Saeed's chicken biryani

Chicken Biryani
Chicken Biryani Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer
If you cannot get the egg yellow food colouring, use any other yellow colouring to get a strong saffron colour. The amount you need will vary. If you use liquid yellow food colouring, ½ teaspoon will do. Biryanis are traditionally served with a yogurt raita and a simple salad.

Place all the marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over the chicken pieces in a non-reactive bowl, turn to coat, cover and marinate overnight, or for at least three hours, in the fridge.

The next day, melt the butter in a large karhai or wok and fry the onions for five minutes. Add the halved chillies and continue to stir and fry for five more minutes, until the onions are brown. Set aside.

Bring 2.75 litres (5 pints) of water to a boil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan about 20 centimetres (10 inches) in diameter and 15 centimetres (6 inches) deep (it must have a tight-fitting lid). Drop in the cassia bark, both types of cardamom, the cumin seeds and peppercorns and boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes to infuse. Add the rice. Once it has returned to a boil, boil for about 1½ minutes, drain, and set aside with the whole spices. The grains of rice should still be brittle and not soft.

Clean and dry the pan and place the marinated chicken at the bottom. Spoon half the rice over the chicken pieces until they are just covered. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then layer in half the onions and some of the butter in which they were fried. Now arrange half the aloo Bukharas or cranberries over the top, and add some more of the butter. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt again, then cover with the remaining rice, then the remaining onions and prunes. Pour the saffron and water, food colouring and milk, and lemon juice over the top, distributing it evenly. Drape a clean, damp tea towel over the inside of the lid of the pan. Cover the pan with your tea towel-clad lid, pulling the ends of the towel out the way of the flame and over the lid.

Set the pan over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low for a further 10 minutes, then finally reduce the heat once more to very low for the last 20 minutes.

Mix the biryani very gently with a slotted spoon, and serve.

From Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation by Madhur Jaffrey (Ebury Press, RRP £20). Click here to buy it for £16 from Guardian Bookshop

Tom Kerridge's sticky drumsticks

Sticky Drumsticks
Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

To make the marinade, pour the honey into a small stainless steel saucepan (it helps if the pan has a light interior rather than a dark one, as it's easier to judge the colour of the honey as it caramelises) and warm on a medium-high heat. Cook the honey until it starts to turn a deep, rich shade of amber, then pour in the soy sauce and chicken stock to stop it cooking further. Bring to the boil and whisk in the malt extract. Remove from the heat and cool.

Place the drumsticks in a bowl and pour over the marinade. Mix in the garlic and ginger, cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours; overnight is even better.

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3. Put the drumsticks in a roasting tin with their marinade. Cook for 45-50 minutes, basting 3-4 times during the cooking, until the chicken is cooked through and the meat comes away from the bone easily. The drumsticks should be glossy and sticky.

Remove the tray from the oven and immediately drizzle with the sesame oil and toss in the sesame seeds. Throw in the spring onions and the chilli. Roll the drumsticks around, making sure they are all evenly coated. Serve hot or cold.

From Tom Kerridge's Best Ever Dishes (Bloomsbury, RRP £25). Click here to buy it for £20 from Guardian Bookshop.

Fischer's chicken schnitzel

Chicken Schnitzel
Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

For the Parisienne jus, add the butter to a pan and cook until golden brown (it should have a nutty smell).

Warm the stock in another pan, then pour the melted butter though a fine sieve and whisk into the stock. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Place in a food blender and mix for 30 seconds to emulsify the ingredients.

Butterfly the chicken breast and bash with a mallet until thin.

Mix the plain flour, potato flour and table salt together in a bowl and place mixture on a tray/plate. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and place the mixture on a second tray/plate. Place the breadcrumbs on a third tray/plate.

Take each chicken breast in turn and dip both sides in the flour mix, then dip both sides in the egg mix, shaking off any excess. Then place in the breadcrumbs and ensure the entire piece of meat is well covered with the crumbs. Follow this procedure for each chicken breast.

Heat a frying pan first, then add enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil starts to smoke slightly, add the schnitzels. Fry the schnitzels for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown (ensure there is no pink meat.)

If you are using a deep fat fryer, the schnitzels will take 3 to 4 minutes in total (again ensure there is no pink meat.)

Garnish the schnitzel with sea salt and place the Parisienne jus either on the plate or on the side.

Fischer's is a classic Viennese cafe in London W1

Nigel Slater's hearty pie of chicken and leeks

A hearty pie of chicken and leeks
Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

Put the chicken pieces into a large saucepan, together with the half onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and enough milk just to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, then, just when it starts to bubble, lower the heat and leave to simmer, partially covered by a lid, for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, reserving the milk, and pull the meat from the bones. Cut it into small, plump pieces.

Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the bacon, cut into small pieces and let it soften without colouring over a moderate to low heat. Slice the leeks into pieces roughly 1cm thick. Wash them very thoroughly, then add them to the bacon and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, till they are totally soft.

Stir the flour into the leek and bacon, continue cooking for a couple of minutes, then strain in enough of the warm milk to make a thick sauce. Fold in the chicken and check the seasoning, adding the mustard and a generous grinding of salt and pepper.

Roll one half of the pastry out into a rectangle 27cm x 37cm and transfer it to a baking sheet. Spoon the filling on to the pastry, leaving a wide rim round the edge. Brush the rim with beaten egg and milk. Roll out the second piece of pastry to the same size as the base and lower it over the filling. Press and crimp the edges together firmly to seal them. It is worth making certain the edges are tightly sealed, or the filling may leak.

Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg wash and scatter a handful of grated Parmesan over the surface. Bake for 25 minutes or till golden.

Vivek Singh's Old-Delhi style butter chicken

Old Delhi-style butter chicken
Photograph: Lara Holmes

First, prepare the chicken. Make small cuts all over the chicken pieces with a sharp knife to help the marinade penetrate. To prepare the marinade, mix all the ingredients together in a deep ovenproof dish.

For the ginger and garlic paste, chop up the ginger and garlic. Blend it to a fine, thick paste with 175ml water. (This will make about 8 tbsp which will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week).

Smear the cut chicken with the marinade, cover and set aside in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Cook the chicken in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. You may need to turn the pieces after 8-10 minutes to ensure they colour evenly on both sides. The chicken does not need to be completely cooked at this point as it will continue to cook in the sauce. Cut the chicken halves into smaller pieces.

Strain off the juices through a fine sieve and set aside.

For the sauce, place the tomatoes in a pan with 125ml water, the crushed ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf and simmer for about 10 minutes over a medium heat until the tomatoes have completely disintegrated. Pick out the larger spices, then blend the tomato broth with a hand-held blender and pass it through a sieve to obtain a smooth purée. Return the purée to a clean pan, add the chilli powder and simmer for 12-15 minutes. It should slowly begin to thicken.

When the sauce turns glossy, add the chicken and the reserved roasting juices. Then add 200-250ml water and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce turns glossy again and the water is absorbed (for a thicker sauce, add slightly less water or simmer for a little longer).

Slowly whisk in the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is beginning to acquire a glaze. Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and cream and simmer for a minute or two longer, taking care that the sauce does not split. Stir in the salt, crushed fenugreek leaves and garam masala, then check the seasoning and add the sugar. Serve with naan bread or pilau rice.

Eat what you can, then store any leftover chicken and sauce in the fridge. Leftovers make a great filling for ravioli.

From Spice at Home by Vivek Singh, (Bloomsbury, RRP £25). Click here to buy it for £20 from Guardian Bookshop oden and other top chefs chosen by Observer Food Monthly

Brad McDonald's southern fried chicken

Southern Fried Chicken
Southern Fried Chicken Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Make a brine from the salt and water and chill. Place the chicken inside the brine for 24 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine and place into a new container. Cover completely with the buttermilk for another 24-48 hours.

Heat the oil to 165C. Mix the dry ingredients together. Dredge the buttermilk chicken in the dry mix (note: we use a method called "shake and bake" whereby we literally shake the chicken in a bag with the dredge. This increases surface area through a rippling effect, giving us a more desirable outer crumb).

Gently lift into the fryer. Fry until golden brown with an internal temperature of 75C.

Brad McDonald is head chef at The Lockhart, London W1.

Paula Wolfert's chicken stuffed with rice, almonds and raisins

Chicken Stuffed With Rice, Almonds And Raisins.
Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

For the saffron water, do as many Moroccan cooks do, and prepare a small jar. Dry ½ teaspoon crumbled strands in a warm (not hot) pan. Crush again, then soak in 240ml hot water and store in a small jar in the refrigerator. This will keep for up to a week.

About 3 ½ hours before serving, bring the chicken to room temperature.

Rinse the giblets and neck, wrap in a muslin bag with the cinnamon stick and set aside.

Cook the rice in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain in a sieve, cool down under cold running water and drain again. Transfer to a bowl and add 30g of the butter, the ras el hanout, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to mix.

Toast the almonds in a dry pan, then crush them in a mortar or a food processor until crumbly. Add the almonds and sultanas to the rice.

Melt 30g of the butter in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed flameproof casserole. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, half the saffron water and 1 teaspoon salt, cover the casserole and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onion turns soft and golden.

Meanwhile, rinse the chicken well under running water. Rub the chicken with coarse sea salt, then remove and discard as much fat as possible.

Try not to tear the skin. Rinse off the salt and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Place the rice mixture in the cavity of the bird and close the opening at neck and rump, sewing securely using a poultry needle and heavy thread. Tuck the wings under the chicken and tie the legs together. Rub the chicken with 30g of the butter and the remaining saffron water.

Place the chicken breast side up over the onion in the casserole and add about 480ml water to half cover the chicken. Tuck in the muslin bag of giblets, neck and cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 2 hours, basting the chicken every 30 minutes, or until it is very tender and the flesh is almost falling off the bone.

Carefully remove the chicken to a lightly buttered ovenproof serving dish, placing the chicken so it sits attractively in the dish. Cover and keep warm. Discard the muslin bag.

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

Quickly boil down the cooking liquid to about 240ml. Add the honey and the remaining 30g butter and boil down to a thick sauce.

Carefully cut away the string on the chicken and discard. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and place in the oven to brown for about 10 minutes. Serve.

From The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert (Bloomsbury, RRP £35). Click here to order it for £28 from the Guardian Bookshop

Claudia Roden's chicken with chick peas

Chicken With Chickpeas
Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Heat the oil in a saucepan or deep flameproof casserole (large enough to hold the chicken). Fry the chopped onion in the oil until soft and golden. Sprinkle with turmeric and mix well. Add the chicken and sauté gently, turning it until it is a dark yellow colour all over.

Add 600 ml (1 pint) of water, the soaked and drained chick peas, lemon juice and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and simmer gently, covered, for 1 hour or longer, until the chicken is very tender, the chick peas soft, yellow and lemony, and the liquid very much reduced.

Adjust seasoning and serve, cut up into joints.

From A New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden (Penguin, RRP £25). Click here to order it for £20 from the Guardian Bookshop

Marcella Hazan's chicken fricassee

Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Wash the chicken pieces in cold water and thoroughly pat dry with a tea towel or kitchen paper.

Choose a sauté pan that can contain all the chicken pieces without overcrowding them. Put in the oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, turn the chicken in the flour, coat the pieces on all sides, shake off excess flour and slip them into the pan skin-side down. Brown that side well, then turn and brown the other side. Transfer to a warm plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

With the heat still on medium-high, put in the sliced onion and cook until it becomes coloured a deep gold, then add the wine. Let it simmer briskly for about 30 seconds while using a wooden spoon to scrape loose the browning residues on the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, except for the breasts, which cook faster and will go in later.

Add the red or yellow pepper, carrot, celery, garlic and the chopped tomatoes with their juice. Adjust the heat to cook at a slow simmer and cover tightly.

After 30 minutes add the breast and continue cooking until the chicken thighs feel very tender when prodded with a fork and the meat comes easily off the bone. Turn and baste the chicken pieces from time to time while they are cooking.

When the chicken is done transfer it to a warm serving platter using a slotted spoon or spatula. If the contents of the pan are on the thin, watery side, turn the heat up to high under the uncovered pan and reduce them to an appealing density.

Pour the contents of the pan over the chicken and serve at once.

From The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Boxtree, RRP £30). Click here to order it for £24 from the Guardian Bookshop

Sam and Sam Clark's piri piri chicken

Piri Piri Chicken
Photograph: Romas Foord for the Observer

Place a saucepan over a high heat and add the wine, vinegar, dried chillies, coriander and bay leaves. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half. Turn off the heat and let the flavours infuse.

Next blister the peppers and fresh chillies under a hot grill or over a barbecue or gas flame until the skin is black.

When cool enough, peel off the skin and deseed. Combine with the wine reduction and all the remaining ingredients except for the chicken and chicken stock. Blitz in a food processor or liquidiser or with a hand-held blender until smooth. Season.

Trim and score (or prick) the drumsticks or wings, on each side, to help the marinade penetrate beneath the skin. Coat the chicken with 8 tablespoons of the piri piri sauce. Marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to eat, turn on the grill to a low to medium heat or, preferably, use a barbecue. Grill the chicken on all sides until light brown and slightly crisp. If the meat seems cooked through before it is crisp, turn up the grill a little.

You can either serve the chicken with extra piri piri on the side or add it to the reduced chicken stock, if using, and spoon over this spicy gravy.

From Morito by Sam & Sam Clark (Ebury Press, RRP £26). Click here to order it for £20.80 from the Guardian Bookshop


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