What to cook with chicken: 10 recipes

How to choose and store chicken

Fresh chicken is pale pink, springy and almost odourless; skip packs with grey patches, sticky surfaces or a sour smell. For quick dinners buy breast fillet; for roasting and soup, pieces on the bone (thighs, drumsticks) are cheaper and far more forgiving.

Keep raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the fridge, in its pack or a closed container, and cook it within a day or two of buying, or freeze it. Thaw frozen chicken slowly in the fridge, never on the counter. Wash hands, knives and boards after handling it; rinsing the meat itself only spreads splashes around the sink.

A whole chicken is often the most economical choice: joint it into legs and breasts for different dishes and use the back and wings for soup.

Tips for juicy chicken every time

• Even out breast fillet by slicing or flattening the thick end, so it cooks evenly and doesn't dry out.
• Pat dry before frying for a golden crust in the creamy sauce dish and the stir-fry.
• Bones mean flavour. Chicken noodle soup and roast chicken with potatoes use pieces on the bone for a reason.
• Check doneness at the thickest point: juices run clear, or about 75 °C on a thermometer.

A chicken week: what to cook

• Sunday: roast chicken and potatoes, one tray for the whole family.
• Monday: chicken noodle soup, gentle and good for three days.
• Wednesday: chicken and vegetable stir-fry in 30 minutes.
• Friday: chicken Caesar salad for a lighter evening.

Leftovers, batch cooking, kids and budget

Leftover roast chicken shreds straight into a Caesar salad or a lavash wrap. Cook two breasts instead of one and slice the second for lunches. Cooked chicken keeps for about three days in the fridge; the soup freezes well if the noodles are cooked separately.

Children usually love chicken in creamy garlic sauce with pasta or rice. On a budget, buy whole legs or thighs on the bone: they cost less than fillet, stay juicier and make a better soup.