Inspired by a dish we always get at Monk’s in Cape Town. 

Crispy ginger chicken

Serves 4 

Ingredients  

For the chicken

700g chicken breast fillets
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 egg white, lightly whisked
1 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
⅓ cup corn flour
2 Tbsp cake flour

For the sauce

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, grated
½ tsp chilli flakes
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp hoisin or oyster sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 cups canola oil, for shallow-frying + extra for stir-frying
5 carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked
Handful coriander, for serving

Method

1. Butterfly chicken open, to half its thickness. Cut into strips, about 1cmx5cm. 
2. Toss chicken strips with ginger, soy sauce, egg white and seasoning. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes. 
3. For the sauce, heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Fry ginger and garlic for a minute, then add remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-8 minutes or until thickened. Set aside.
   
4. Heat oil in a medium pot or deep pan for shallow-frying. 
5. Uncover chicken, add cornflour and flour and toss to coat. 
6. Shallow-fry chicken in 2-3 batches, cooking for 3-5 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
7. In a large pan or wok, heat a glug of oil over high heat. Stir-fry carrots and garlic for about 1-2 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add chicken and sauce and toss well, cooking to heat through. 
8. Dish stir-fry onto rice and sprinkle with coriander. Serve immediately to retain crispy texture. 

Total recipe cost*: R143 

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Caramelised chicken curry

The post Crispy ginger chicken appeared first on MyKitchen.

Basting the bird in butter gives you the juiciest, most tender roast chicken. Herbs such as sage, fennel and dill also work in herb butters.

Spicy herb roast chicken 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the herb butter 

½ block (250g) butter, softened 

¼ cup chopped parsley 

3 Tbsp chopped mint leaves 

3 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

Salt and milled pepper 

1 (about 1.3kg) whole chicken, giblets removed 

Wilted greens (baby spinach, green beans and mangetout) and lime wedges, for serving 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Combine herb butter ingredients well and divide into 4 portions. 
3. Season chicken, then use your fingers to loosen the skin slightly from the flesh but keep the skin intact. 
4. Rub 1 portion of herb butter under the skin, evenly coating the chicken. 
5. Rub another portion of herb butter over the skin to cover the entire chicken.
6. Place in a lined deep baking dish and roast for 40-50 minutes or until cooked all the way through. 

7. Melt remaining butter in a pan and use it to baste chicken every 10 minutes while it is roasting. 
8. Toss wilted greens with any leftover melted herb butter.
9. Serve chicken on a bed of greens with lime wedges.

Compiled by: Lichelle May 

Photography: Fresh Living magazine 

Also read: Spring chicken dishes for delicious dinners

The post Spicy herb roast chicken  appeared first on MyKitchen.