Ingredient: Chicken

We are delighted to team up with ManiLife in celebration of #BritishSandwichWeek to create these delicious satay Banh Mi’s. We use their iconic Deep Roast™ Smooth Peanut Butter to add a gorgeous creaminess to the filling.

Banh Mi is a classic Vietnamese dish comprising of a short baguette with a fusion of meats and vegetables, including pork sausage, cucumber and carrots. We fill ours with shredded chicken, coated in a delicious satay sauce with a gentle added kick of spice from the chilli flakes.

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
  2. Mix all the ingredients for the satay sauce together in a pan and then gently heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Place the chicken pieces onto a baking tray and coat with most of the satay sauce – reserve a little for drizzling over at the end. Place the baking tray into the oven and cook the chicken for 15 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred in places. When cooked remove from the oven and cool slightly before slicing into strips.
  4. To make the pickled vegetables, in a small bowl mix together the caster sugar, Maldon Salt and rice wine vinegar and mix well until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Next add the carrot, cucumber and spring onions and toss in the vinegar. Set aside to lightly pickle while you finish the sandwiches.
  5. Meanwhile place the white baguette rolls into the oven to heat through.
  6. Remove the baguettes from the oven and carefully slice open. Spoon in some of the kewpie mayonnaise and spread across. Then add some of the shredded lettuce. Next pile in the satay sliced chicken. Drizzle over a little more of the satay sauce.
  7. Finally top with the pickled veg, some sliced red chilli and the fresh herbs.
  8. Squeeze over the lime and they are ready to serve.

These hand pies are the perfect accompaniment for your celebratory picnic this year!

We fill our pies with a gorgeous coronation chicken, using a delicious combination of shredded chicken, mayonnaise, yogurt and a mix of turmeric and curry powder to give that infamous golden colour we all know and love. We sprinkle a handful of sultanas to give a gentle sweetness to the pies as you take that first bite.

Along with the pies, we also show you how to make a delectable chutney to dip your pies into. It’s made from the use of chopped mangos and pineapple; stirred together with flavourful spice of cayenne and turmeric to give a hidden warmth to the recipe.

  1. Start by making the chutney. Chop the mango and pineapple flesh into small pieces. Pour the vinegar and granulated sugar into a pan and heat until dissolved, then increase the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate pan toast the cumin and coriander seeds.
  2. Tip the toasted seeds into a pestle and mortar and gently crush but leave some whole for texture. Tip this, plus the chopped fruit and the remaining ingredients into the vinegar pan. Simmer for 1 hour until thick and syrupy – then leave to sit for 10 minutes until cooled and thickened. You can serve this with the hand pies but can store any leftover in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  3. Next start the pastry for the pies. Put the flours and butter in food processor, and then pulse a few times until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 60ml cold water and 1 beaten egg and process until it comes together. Bring together until it forms a smooth dough and then press into a flat disc shape, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling by mixing the yoghurt, mayonnaise, curry powder and turmeric to a smooth sauce. Mix in the shredded chicken, sultanas and chopped coriander and season well with Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper.
  5. Once the pastry has chilled, remove 8 pieces. Roll into discs, add the filling, enclose to a half moon shape and then crimp the edges.
  6. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
  7. Serve with the chutney.

How do you keep your pies from getting soggy?

Our best tip to avoid your pies from getting soggy bottoms is to create a barrier between the filling and the dough. You can do this by sprinkling breadcrumbs on the bottom of the crust before you fill them in and bake in the oven. As a result, this will stop the juices from the filling from seeping into the dough and turning the crust soggy.

Can you make this recipe vegan?

If you are wanting a plant-based alternative for this recipe, we recommend using chickpeas, mashed to the desired consistency to replicate the shredded chicken. For the sauce, you can swap out the dairy with a vegan mayonnaise instead, which are sold in most supermarkets.

We are delighted to announce our collaboration with the very talented Jesse Jenkins. Known to many as A.D.I.P (Another Day in Paradise), Jesse has taken over the London food scene recently with his highly creative, cinematic cooking videos.

Across the months of April and May 2023, we will be making a series of video-style recipes which surround the themes of producing midweek recipes to be enjoyed amongst family and friends. Maldon Salt is used in each and every one of these dishes to elevate even the simplest form of ingredients, where these recipes can be easily recreated in the comfort of your own home.

Starting the series off, we introduce A.D.I.P’ Dinner Party inspired recipe, which is a delicious Roast Chicken and Potatoes.

This recipe is all about seasoning…which is what Maldon certainly knows a thing or two about! You should season the chicken all over, from top to bottom – to even the inside cavity! This is because salt will change the structure of the chicken’s muscle proteins so that the juices are retained. When Maldon is added onto the chicken, juices from the inside of the meat are drawn to the surface, causing the protein to become beautifully succulent once roasted in the oven.

Method

  1. Cover the chicken in olive oil, making sure to get it everywhere. Season with a generous pinch of Maldon Salt – a little salt on the top, bottom and inside the cavity. Leave it to rest in the fridge uncovered for a minimum of two hours. You can leave it overnight.
  2. Slice the potatoes in to 2cm discs and leave to soak in cold water until your chicken is ready to roast.  Rinse and coat with a few tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of Maldon salt, some black pepper, and fresh rosemary. Place them in a sheet tray with the chicken on top / ideally on a wire rack. Add the lemon half and rosemary sprigs to the cavity of the chicken.
  3. Roast at 100c for 1hour. Turn the heat up to 250c for 30 minutes or until the chicken reaches 160c internally and is golden brown all over. Jesse removes the chicken to rest and return the potatoes to the oven for 10 more minutes or until the entire tray has good colour.
  4. For the mayonnaise – whisk the egg yolk and Dijon until combined. Continue whisking and slowly adding oil. When it starts to become thick, add a little lemon and continue adding oil. Then add the vinegar, alternating until you reach your desired consistency. There is almost no end to how much oil you can get in to a mayonnaise if you keep adding, lemon, vinegar, or water – so stop when you like the taste and texture. Add a pinch of Maldon Salt and some grated garlic.
  5. Serve with a simple salad and enjoy.

The taste of a simple roast chicken can be very neutral and bland at times. Romy Gill has elevated this classic dish with the warming spices of tandoori masala and chilli powder to give a real kick of flavour to the chicken.

To pair with the spicy chicken, Romy also serves sweet potatoes, roasted whole to give a gentle sweetness to the dish with a hearty salad to go with it. You can find the recipe for the sweet potatoes here.

  1. In bowl add tandoori masala; chilli powder, Greek yogurt, grated garlic cloves, honey, thyme stems, half the juice of a lemon, oil and Maldon Salt, whisking it together. Then apply the paste to the whole chicken evenly, leaving it in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours before roasting.
  2. After 2 hours, take the marinated chicken out and leave it to rest under room temperature whilst the oven is getting hot. Preheat the oven at 180C.
  3. Place the chicken on a baking tray and cover the chicken with a foil, making sure to seal the tray with the foil on all the sides properly.
  4. Put the chicken in the oven and cook for 1 hour, 30 minutes. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before eating.
  5. Serve with roasted sweet potatoes and a leafy salad.

Squashing the chicken with a weight while cooked on a plancha or a cast iron pan is a Georgian technique, yet basting it with lots of honeyed and spiced kefir is my Ukrainian dad’s technique. It cooks rather quickly and is so delicious. Salting the chicken a little in advance ensures tender flesh and crispy skin. Watch the flames if you are cooking it over fire, they shouldn’t be too fierce, but a bit of char is of course welcome.

  1. To spatchcock the chicken, simply cut along the backbone with some scissors or cut with a meat knife. Press on the breast to flatten it.
  2. Rub 2/3rds of Maldon Salt into the chicken’s skin, then rub in the oil and leave for 15 minutes to an hour. If your chicken was in the fridge it should come to room temp in that time.
  3. Mix the kefir with the rest of the Maldon Salt salt and paprika.
  4. Heat the fire pit or barbecue or otherwise lightly oil a large cast iron frying pan or even an oiled baking tray which you can place on the bottom shelf of a 200C preheated oven.
  5. Start cooking the chicken cut side down, for about 7 minutes, then turn the it skin-side down and place a pan and a weight on (be careful that this is all stable enough and does not collapse) and cook for about 10 minutes. Check that the skin is not becoming too black, if it is lower the flames (by pushing coals to the side if doing it over fire), and cook on cut side down under a weight for another 5 minutes. Your small chicken will likely need a further 5 under a weight and another 5 minutes when you baste the chicken with the kefir marinade.
  6. To check that the chicken is done, pull away at the leg (it should pull away from the joint easily) and pierce the thigh and breast, then pressing on it to see if the juices run clear.
  7. Serve with the green potatoes and a simple lettuce salad.

The classic Paella, a cult favourite within the Spanish cuisine. Paired with saffron flavoured rice, this dish carries an abundance of flavours, including chicken; Norwegian Lobster, squid, mussels and monkfish.

  1. For the mussels, heat two inches of water in a saucepan over a high heat. When it reaches the boil, add the mussels for a minute, remove from the heat and set aside without opening the lid. 
  2. Whilst the mussels are boiling, begin prepping the remainder of the vegetables, chopping them finely. Heat the paella pan, keeping the pan on a medium-high heat in the centre, whilst keeping the sides at a low hear.
  3. Pour 2 tbsp of oil in the centre of the paella pan. Add the head of garlic to the pan.
  4. Brown the Norwegian Lobsters and prawns for 1 minute on either side and remove them.
  5. For the sauté base, move the garlic to the side of the paella pan, add another 1 tbsp of oil and sauté the onion until it starts to turn transparent. Add the green pepper and stir the mixture as it cooks for 5 minutes at a low heat. Add the tomato and stir the mixture together. Add a pinch of sugar and Maldon Salt.
  6. Move the sauté mix to the sides of the paella pan where the heat is lower. Add another tablespoon of oil and fry the chicken for 5-10 minutes and the squid 5 for minutes more (until they are golden). Bring the sauté mix back to the centre of the paella pan, mix everything together and push it back to the sides.
  7. Sauté the green beans and peas for 2 minutes. Bring the sauté mixture back from the sides to the centre and stir everything together.
  8. Add the remaining oil and the rice, stirring with the ingredients for 2 minutes over a high heat. Spread the whole mixture evenly over the paella pan, with the garlic head in the middle.
  9. Add the fish stock. When the water boils, lower the heat to the minimum and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the diced monkfish to the rice. Open the mussels, keeping only the shell with the mussel meat. Finally, place the prawns, Norwegian Lobsters and mussels on top of the rice.
  10. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with eighths of lemon. Finish with a pinch of Maldon Salt.

This chargrilled chicken recipe which is cooked over a griddle or BBQ is packed full of flavour. The marinating process helps pack in flavour and moisture to the meat. Smoked Maldon Salt is the perfect seasoning for this delicious dish.

  1. In a bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, sumac, and lemon zest. Season well with Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper. Add the chicken legs and thighs to the bowl and mix well, massaging the marinade into the meat to ensure it is evenly coated. Leave to marinade for 2 hours or can be done ahead of this (the day before for example).
  2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the BBQ or a griddle pan. When hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes on each side – you want to achieve nice, charred caramelization to the meat. Once the meat is cooked, remove from the heat and leave covered to rest. Toss the vegetables in a little more oil and then add to the pan. The courgette only needs a couple of minutes each side, but the onions and peppers need a little more – 3 minutes each side, until soft, tender, and deliciously golden. Remove and set aside.
  3. Finally add the lemon halves to the griddle pan and allow them to char slightly on the hot pan. Garnish the chicken and vegetables with rosemary, squeeze over the warm charred lemon and season with a final pinch of Maldon Salt and some cracked black pepper. Serve alongside warm, toasted pitta bread.

The day before you want to cook, dry brine the chicken. Make a few deep slashes in the meat of each chicken leg and sprinkle the salt all over, rubbing it in well. Set on a rack hung over a tray and slide into the slide uncovered overnight.
The following day, fire up the barbecue ready for direct and indirect cooking.
Set the chicken onto the grill bars away from the fire and leave to cook indirectly, with the lid down, for a good 20 minutes, turning and rotating once or twice.
While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce by whisking together the mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, horseradish, crushed peppercorns and chilli flakes in a bowl. Season to taste with salt. Transfer half to a small serving bowl to use as a dressing for the finished dish. Take the other half to the barbecue and have a silicone pastry brush ready for basting.
Tip the bread cubes into a fireproof pan (no wooden or plastic handles) and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Use the flat of a large knife to bruise the garlic cloves and add them to the pan with the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil onto the tomato halves and season with salt and pepper.
Once the chicken has had its 20 minutes’ cooking time, begin basting with the sauce. Brush all over regularly and keep cooking and turning for a further 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. When tested with a digital probe thermometer in the thickest part of the leg, it should read 74°C.
When you start basting the chicken, set the pan of bread over the direct fire and cook until crisp and golden, tossing to cook evenly. Remove the croutons from the fire and set aside. At the same time, rest the tomato halves over the fire so they grill and soften, turning to cook both sides.
To serve, scatter the watercress onto a large platter and top with the grilled tomatoes. Add the chicken legs and sprinkle over the croutons. Drizzle with some of the reserved sauce and serve the rest alongside.

Prepare the labneh the day before. In a large bowl, mix together the yoghurt and the Maldon salt. Then line a fine sieve with muslin cloth, and pour the yoghurt in. Tie the top of the muslin around the yoghurt so it is sealed and then place the sieve over a large bowl in the fridge. Allow the yoghurt to strain and the liquid to drip into the bowl below – leave this overnight. The next day you should have a much thicker and creamier consistency. The longer you leave it the thicker it will get – a more spreadable cheese. Once you have strained the labneh stir through the chopped dill and leave in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

You can also prepare the chicken to marinade the night before, as this will ensure the best flavour and help tenderise the meat.

In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic, spices and oregano. Season the mixture well with cracked black pepper and a good pinch of Maldon salt. Add the chicken thighs and mix so they are well coated. Clingfilm the bowl and place in the fridge overnight.

The next day you are ready to prepare and cook your Shawarma. Start by making the shredded slaw by adding all the shredded vegetables in a large bowl and tossing through the Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, Maldon salt and the nigella seeds until it is all well combined.

Then prepare the skewers. Cut the chicken pieces into thick strips and thread onto the skewers – if you are using wooden skewers rather than metal, just ensure to soak them in water for 30 minutes before using (this stops the wood from burning).

Heat up the BBQ or alternatively you can use a griddle pan. Cook the chicken skewers for 4 – 5 minutes on each side until golden and charred and the chicken is cooked through. Place the flatbreads in the oven to warm up.

To serve, spread some labneh onto the warm flatbread, then top with shredded slaw, chicken shawarma and some pickled chillies. Garnish with an extra pinch of Maldon salt, some mint and parsley leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.

@chefswarehouse_chef_liamtomlin

Prepare the chicken wings: Grind the Maldon salt, star anise,

crushed coriander seeds, peppercorns and cinnamon quill in a

pestle and mortar. Transfer the ground spices to a bowl and

add the bay leaf, thyme and garlic. Rub the spice mix into the

chicken wings, cover with cling-film and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 120 °C. Wipe the salt mix from the chicken

wings, place in a heavy-based saucepan and pour the rendered

duck fat over the chicken wings. Bring to simmering point over

a low heat, cover with a lid and transfer the saucepan to the

oven. Cook for 1ó – 2 hours. The chicken wings are cooked when

the bones are easily removed. Lift the wings from the duck fat

and place on a tray. Allow them to cool sufficiently to handle

and then extract the bones and cartilage. Place on a greaseproof

paper-lined tray and cover with a second sheet of greaseproof

paper. Place a second tray on top with enough weight to press the

wings. Refrigerate until ready to use. Strain the duck fat through

a fine sieve and refrigerate in a sealed container for future use.

To make the sweet corn and basil sauce follow the same method

as for the sweet corn soup recipe, adding a little

more cream if necessary.

To serve increase the oven temperature to 180 °C. Melt a

teaspoon of duck fat in a cast-iron pan over a medium heat.

Add the chicken wings skin side down and transfer to the oven.

Cook the chicken wings for 3 – 4 minutes until the skin is crisp

and evenly coloured. Lightly season with freshly ground pepper.

Remove the wings from the pan and keep warm while preparing

the rest of the dish.

Bring 25 ml water to the boil in a saucepan, add the butter and

bring back to the boil until melted. Add the sweet corn and

courgette, reheat and lightly season with salt and freshly ground

pepper. Strain the corn and courgette and keep warm. Gently

reheat the sweet corn and basil sauce and adjust the

seasoning and cream content if necessary. Strain the sauce

through a fine sieve.

Spoon the sweet corn and courgette into the centre of a plate

and spoon over a little of the sweet corn and basil sauce. Place

the chicken wings onto the sweet corn and spoon a little more

sauce around the dish. Garnish with the deep fried shallots and

basil leaves.