14 Excellent Chicken Recipes You Should Know About – Part 1

Chicken, it turns out, can be amazing.

Flat roast chicken (with bonus potatoes on the bottom)

A lot of chicken comes through my kitchen. Not literally, of course.  As fun as it would be to have a small poultry highway stretching across my home, there are no chickens marching into my household.  But there are dead chickens! Dead chickens from supermarkets that are turned into tasty meals!

I’ve made countless chicken dishes over the years… which is funny to declare because haven’t we all made countless chicken dishes over the years too? (Vegetarians and vegans excluded, natch.)  Sometimes the defining feature of chicken seems to be the countless-ness of it all. Here it is again: CHICKEN. We’ve all gone through the same trials and tribulations:  the overcooked breast, the undercooked thigh, the deeply bland [fill in the chicken part].  Given how common this bird is and how easy it is to full-on mess up, it’s amazing that we go back so often for it.

Maybe that’s because for all the disappointments, there are those occasional recipes which deliver a chicken moment so wonderful that it can stop us in our tracks. I love unexpected excellence.  It’s like when an overlooked TV actress suddenly becomes an Academy Award nominee (that’s my way of willing Sela Ward to win an Oscar).

Sela Ward: future Oscar winner and current roast chicken metaphor

The point is: despite all the drama and hand washing and garbage stench that go into even the most basic dishes, we keep coming back because chicken, when done right, can be deeply rewarding. Dare I say, unforgettable?  Here are some of my all-time favorite go-to recipes — ones that trend towards ecstasy, not sadness.

But first, of course, a few notes.

• I have no fried chicken on this list.  I am an aspiring fried chicken maven, but if we’re being honest, I’m just not there yet.  I don’t have the instinct, and I’m afraid of large batches of bubbling oil.  We’ll turn the corner someday, but not before I write this list.

• I also don’t have much experience air-frying chicken.  I did throw some wings in my Cosori once, and they turned out great.  But they weren’t special enough to get on the list.

• One could make the argument that chicken stock or soup should be included on this list, and that’s a great argument… but I’m rejecting it. This is not a soup moment.

• Let’s be honest, as soon as I press publish, I’ll think of five more recipes I’ve accidentally omitted.  Chances are there will be many follow ups and updates to this list. Also, I broke up this newsletter into two parts because it would just be too long otherwise. TL;DR — in some ways this is a journey, and it will continue beyond this entry.

• Ina Garten’s famous roast chicken is NOT on this list.  I have made it, it is lovely, and I would happily make it again.  However, I have three other whole-roasted chicken recipes that are even better; so buckle up!

Here is the first batch of seven chickens, in no particular order.

Flat Roast Chicken by Lucinda Scala Quinn, The Martha Stewart Show

Link:  https://www.marthastewart.com/318836/flat-roast-chicken

At this point, most people have heard about spatchcock chicken — you know, where you cut out a chicken’s backbone, press the carcass flat, and throw it onto a heat source?  Sounds sadistic, but also… tasty!  Well, my first time encountering the process was from Lucinda Scala Quinn, who cooked such a chicken on the gone-but-not-forgotten The Martha Stewart Show.  I cannot say with authority if there are better spatchcock chicken recipes out there because I’ve never felt the need to veer from this method.  This recipe is basic, but it yields big flavors in a surprisingly short window of time, especially if you whip up the accompanying lemon garlic sauce.  I remember making this back in 2011 for the first time and being truly shocked that chicken could taste so good.  (I even blogged about it, if you’re super interested in a throwback).  A few things to keep in mind with this recipe:  do try to stick to about a 4 lb chicken, which should take 40-45 minutes in the oven.  A 5-6 lb bird will add 15 min of oven time (at least) and does run the risk of cooking less evenly. Also, feel free to brown the chicken for more than 3 minutes (I like to go 4-5 minutes).  And most importantly, do not be afraid to throw a lot of salt on the chicken. It can take it!

Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken by Samin Nosrat, Salt Fat Acid Heat

Link:  https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018731-buttermilk-brined-roast-chicken

Chicken bondage!

You’ve probably read or heard about Samin Nosrat’s famous recipe, and for good reason:  it’s excellent. Hailing from her landmark book, Salt Fat Acid Heat, this whole roasted chicken requires some advanced planning – think a full 24 hours of marinating — but the results far outweigh the effort.  As much as I love my queen goddess Ina Garten, her perfect roast chicken just doesn’t compare (but is still very wonderful in its own right).

Pastrami Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Onions & Dill by Molly Baz, Cook This Book

Link:  https://freshprincesscooks.com/2021/04/26/pastrami-roast-chicken/

This dish is a keeper

Sometimes I don’t have 24 hours of foresight to make the Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken.  That’s where this recipe from Molly Baz comes in.  Heck, even if I did have the 24 hours of foresight, I still might make this chicken instead because it is astounding.  Full disclosure: I’ve only made it once, but I instantly knew it would be a staple for years to come.  Sweet and savory pastrami seasoning (read: brown sugar, paprika, etc) makes for tasty chicken, but when it co-mingles with schmaltz and dill and caramelized onions, the whole thing becomes rudely divine. Molly’s salting recommendations (1 Tbs kosher salt/lb) are dead-on accurate — don’t be scared.  And like the flat roast chicken mentioned above, I had excellent results with a 4 lb bird.  Go any larger, and I fear you’ll enter the Land of Uneven Cooking.

Vinegar Chicken with Crushed Olive Dressing by Alison Roman, The New York Times

Link:  https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020486-vinegar-chicken-with-crushed-olive-dressing

Moving away from whole birds and now to parts, we have this showstopper recipe.  It is my current go-to for last minute dinner parties, thanks to its easy method and beautiful presentation. And of course, let’s not overlook the chicken’s briny, comforting flavors. Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs get tossed with vinegar, turmeric, salt, and oil before going into the oven for 35-40 minutes.  Once done, we remove the chicken from the pan and dump a mixture of olives, parsley, and garlic in the accumulated chicken fat.  The recipe calls for Castelvetrano olives, but Kalamata are a fine substitute.  Swirl everything around for a few minutes, pour it over the cooked thighs, and bask in the beauty of this boldly flavored, visually appealing chicken. This will feed a large number of people; so, good job!  But it’s also great just for a Wednesday night at home alone. If any chicken dish represents NBD Fancy, it’s this one.

Sheet-Pan Coriander Chicken with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts by Melissa Clark, Dinner: Changing the Game

Link:  https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018590-sheet-pan-coriander-chicken-with-caramelized-brussels-sprouts

Another entry in the sheet-pan chicken genre (a great genre, I should add) is this workhorse of a dish by Melissa Clark.  Here, schmaltz once again works its magic, this time with unsuspecting brussels sprouts which become simultaneously crispy and tender, occasionally prone to bursting with juice when bitten into.  And like the vinegar chicken with crushed olives, this is a great recipe that works as well for company as it does a regular weeknight meal.

Chicken Musakhan by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, Falastin

Link:  https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/chicken-musakhan/

Not sure you can easily tell what’s going on in this photo, but it was the best one I had for chicken musakhan on my iPhone.

Chicken Musakhan is the national dish of Palestine and for good reason: its intoxicating blend of allspice, cinnamon, sumac, and cumin will leave your kitchen smelling unworldly and bring deep levels of joy to your soul.  But wait, there’s more! The chicken arrives atop layers of onions, broiled taboon bread (I use pita), and dabs of yogurt, and unbelievably, the whole thing takes an hour or less from start to finish.  An all-in-one dish that will wow your guests with its vibrant colors and rich flavors.

Sticky Chili Chicken with Hot & Sour Pineapple by Alison Roman, Nothing Fancy

Link:  https://food52.com/recipes/82027-chile-chicken-with-pineapple-recipe

I sort of did this amazing chicken a disservice with this photo. Sorry, chicken.

This list of chicken dishes is not an official ranking, but if it were, then congratulations: we’ve arrived at #1!  My boyfriend Dominique — a chicken gourmand if there ever was one — declared this his #1 chicken ever.  And honestly, I think he may be right.  Alison Roman blends sambal oelek, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, pineapple and other exciting things to make an Asian-inspired sheet-pan chicken that will have you moaning with every bite.  This is not hyperbole.  This is the real deal, people. You may just cry.

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Next week I’ll offer up seven more chicken dishes that should be in your quiver. Also, use the comment section to let me know of any recipes that deserve a place on future lists. WE NEED CHICKEN.