Cooking with Nick & Scott: 3 things to do with a whole chicken

Dubai chefs Nick and Scott show you how to get the most out of your ingredients…

With one whole chicken, chefs Nick Alvis and Scott Price create three homestyle recipes, including chicken stock, an aromatic chicken curry with spiced rice, and poached and roasted chicken breasts with a creamy chicken veloute.

Chicken stock

• 2 chicken chicken carcasses
• 1 large onion, peeled, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, halved through the middle
• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, roughly chopped
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 black peppercorns
• Cold water

Place all ingredients in a stock pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any foam/fat/impurities that rise to the surface.

To continue making the recipes below, add the chicken legs and crown (breasts on the bone) to the stock. Simmer the crown for 15 minutes and the legs for 30 minutes. Then remove and set aside.

Strain and reserve the stock.

Coconut curry chicken with spiced basmati rice

• 400g basmati rice
• 100ml light olive oil oil, plus 50ml extra
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 7 cardamom pods
• 1.2L chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves, torn
• ½ large red onion, diced
• 1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbs garam masala
• 1 tbs ground turmeric
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 2 poached chicken legs
• Fresh coriander, mint and basil leaves

Rinse rice under running water, then soak for 15 minutes. Drain.

Heat 100ml oil in a pan, add spices and stir to coat, then add the drained rice. Add enough stock (about 800ml) to come 1cm above the rice, then add the torn bay leaves.

Cut a circle of baking paper (a cartouche) to cover the rice. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Heat extra oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, then add garam masala and turmeric and a good pinch of salt. Add garlic, ginger, chilli, then cook it out, stirring constantly. Add 2 ladles of chicken stock, then stir to deglaze the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick and syrupy. Add coconut milk, then bring to the boil.

Remove and discard chicken skin, then shred the meat. Add to curry sauce and heat through.

Thinly slice coriander, mint and basil. Divide rice among bowls, top with the curry then garnish with herbs.

Poached and roasted chicken breast with chicken veloute

• Olive oil
• 500g chicken trimmings (or use fresh chicken wings)
• ½ a head of garlic
• 2 large shallots or half an onion, thinly sliced
• 5 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• Thyme sprigs
• 100ml malt vinegar
• 500ml white chicken stock
• 500ml cream
• Salt
• Poached crown of chicken (or use 2 skin-on chicken breasts, poached)
• A knob of butter
• 2 handfuls of spinach

Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan. Add chicken trimmings, a pinch of salt and star anise. Add garlic and onion and allow to caramelise. Add bay leaf and thyme, then deglaze the pan with 1 tablespoon malt vinegar. Allow to reduce to nothing, then add stock and reduce again until reduced by half. Add cream, simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain, then taste and season if needed.

Slice the poached chicken breasts away from the bone.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Season chicken on both sides with salt. Place, skin-side down, in the pan, then place a plate on top. Once golden, turn chicken over. Transfer to oven to heat through.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add spinach, season with salt, then add butter and toss until wilted.

Place spinach in the centre of a plate. Slice chicken on an angle and place over spinach, then drizzle with the creamy chicken veloute.

Images: supplied