JUBILEE CHICKEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Tear the chicken into bite-sized pieces (at this point you can wrap the chicken in a foil parcel and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days). Stone the cherries. Do this by cutting the cherries in half, using the tip of a small sharp knife and easing out the stones (or use a cherry stoner if you have one).
• Heat the curry paste in a small pan, for 1 minute or until the aromas begin to release. Allow to cool, then tip the curry paste, honey, lemon juice and fromage frais into a food processor or blender, along with a good shake of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Strip the mint leaves from their stalks and add them to the blender. Blend until the dressing is fairly smooth, but with flecks of mint, rather than a purée. Store the dressing in the fridge in a jug or bowl, covered with cling film or a lid. You can keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
• Spread the salad leaves or watercress over a platter, scatter over the chicken pieces, followed by the cherries. Trim off the roots and about 3cm from the tops of the spring onions, then cut them into long diagonal slices and scatter them over the chicken. Cover the platter with cling film and chill for up to 2 hours.
• Just before serving, drizzle the dressing back and forth in thin lines over the chicken, cherries and leaves. Serve with new potatoes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Sit the chicken in a large roasting tin. Mix together the turmeric, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon and oil, then brush all over the chicken, making sure all of the spiced oil is used. Season well. Pour 250ml water into the bottom of the tin, cover with foil and seal around the edges. Put in the oven and cook for 2 hrs.
• Remove the foil and increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook for a further 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle. Strip the chicken meat from the carcass in chunky pieces and set aside.
• To make the salad, mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, remaining 1 tsp each of ginger, cumin and cinnamon, cayenne pepper and pomegranate molasses or balsamic glaze. Add the chicken pieces, apples, all but a handful of the walnuts and parsley, and season.
• Spoon the salad onto a large plate. To serve, drizzle with a little pomegranate molasses or balsamic glaze and scatter over the pomegranate seeds, remaining walnuts and chopped parsley.