PLAIN CHICKEN RECIPES EASY RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the yeast and caster sugar in a bowl with 290ml warm (not hot) water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until it begins to foam.

  Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt, making sure it is evenly distributed. Create a well and then gently pour in the liquid. Bring together to form a dough. If the dough is a little dry at this point, add a little more water and make sure it is fully combined. Dust the work surface with a little flour and knead the dough for 15-20 minutes until smooth and stretchy.

  Shape the dough into a round or oval then place on a baking tray dusted with a little flour. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 230°C, fan 210°C, gas 8.

  Remove the cling film, dust the top of the loaf with a little flour. Turn the oven down to 200°C/180​°C fan/gas 6 and bake for 20 minutes. Then check every 1-2 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and tap the base of the bread to check it is cooked – it should sound hollow. The loaf is best enjoyed warm from the oven.

   

  Cook’s tip: plain flour requires more kneading than strong bread flour in order to form the gluten that gives the dough its elasticity – so don’t give up!

Steps:

• 1. To make your gravy When you come to make your gravy, your chicken will be covered and resting and you’ll have your tray of chicken juices and vegetable trivet in front of you. Using a spoon, carefully remove 90 per cent of the hot fat from the tray by angling it away from yourself and scooping off the fatty layer that settles on top.
  2. Put the tray back on the hob over a high heat. Add the flour, stir it around and, holding the tray steady with a tea towel in one hand, use a potato masher to mash all the veg to a pulp – don’t worry if it’s lumpy. You can rip the wings off the chicken and break them up into the tray to add more flavour at this point.
  3. When everything is mixed and mashed up, add the alcohol to give a little fragrance before you add your stock (the alcohol will cook away). Keep it over the heat and let it boil for a few minutes. Pour the stock into the tray, or add 1 litre of hot water. Bring everything in the pan to the boil, scraping all the goodness from the bottom of the pan as you go. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until you’ve achieved the gravy consistency you’re looking for.
  4. To serve your gravy Get yourself a large jug, bowl or pan and put a coarse sieve over it. Pour your gravy through the sieve, using a ladle to really push all the goodness through. Discard any veg or meat left behind. At this point you’ve got a really cracking gravy, and you can either serve it straight away or put it back on the heat to simmer and thicken up.