Photo: TheCulinaryGeek / Flickr

‘A roast chicken dinner is one of life’s great treats, and it’s something my family and I enjoy every single week, summer or winter. Chicken is one of our most versatile meats, its uses stretching from salads to stir-fries and curries to casseroles. It’s also a fantastic vehicle for carrying flavours,’ says Nick Nairn in his book Nick Nairn Cook School. If you’re keen on chicken, it’s often difficult to beat succulent chicken dishes like roast chicken and roast potatoes.

Buying chicken

Top quality chicken is readily available in many supermarkets, which makes it easy to whip up a simple chicken lunch or dinner. Buy organic chicken if possible, as the flesh will be free of added hormones and chemicals. Organic chickens have also led a better life than non-organic chickens, having been able to roam freely outside, as opposed to being caged in for the duration of their lives.

The same goes for ‘free range’ chickens which would have been able to roam freely. Both organic and free-range chickens have 81 days more time to mature which means there is more flavour in their meat. Cheaper chickens which have been bred quickly and in cramped spaces don’t impart the same flavour. If you’re concerned about the cost, consider buying a whole chicken as you can use the leftovers for a meal the following day and the carcass will make a good, wholesome soup.

Frozen chicken should be defrosted well before you cook it. Don’t re-freeze it unless you have cooked it. Also, always wash your hands before and after handling meat ‑ make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before eating it.

Buying duck

There is a notable difference in taste between cultivated duck and wild duck, although cultivated duck is very good.

Once again, look out for organic meat as the ducks would have had access to the outdoors, including a stream or a lake to paddle in with natural food to nibble on.

Tags: cooking, Organic food