Whole Chicken, Now What?
Chicken is a universal dish, you have a universe worth of ways to make it.
Chicken is so great. It just is. I have such an appreciation for poultry. Turkey gets way too much hate, duck is easily one of the most underappreciated proteins in general, and chicken is ol’ reliable. What I love most about it is that you can do nothing to it or you can do a million things to it and it is still delicious.
The point of the topic at hand, Chameleon Cuisine, is to showcase ways to take a single product and use it in many different ways.
The added benefit of chicken is its versatility in cooking as well. You can grill it, bake it, braise it, sear it, fry it, the list just goes on.
An important thing to note is that I understand having the chicken is the easy part, having the rest of the ingredients to make something special is where things can get difficult. What I hope to accomplish by giving you so many options, is that you can try new things! See what you enjoy, and keep that on deck for the next dish. A lot of foods can be replaced easily. If you buy everything that you need for a chicken stirfry, you can swap it out with beef or pork and now you still have a great dish. I love a classic pork taco, but if I don’t have pork I can use chicken, I can use beef or even fish.
This is not the 1400s, we have access to nearly everything from nearly any part of the world.
TRY NEW FOODS!
I have compiled a list of some of my favorite ways to make chicken, in any capacity, here:
Americas
United States: Southern Fried Chicken - Deep-fried after being marinated in buttermilk and coated in seasoned flour.
Mexico: Pollo Asado - Marinated with citrus and achiote then grilled.
Brazil: Frango no churrasco - Grilled after being marinated in lime, garlic, and cachaça.
Canada: Maple Glazed Roasted Chicken - Oven-roasted with a sweet maple syrup glaze.
Argentina: Pollo a la Brasa - Marinated in chimichurri and grilled or roasted.
Europe
France: Coq au Vin - Braised with wine, mushrooms, onions, and lardons.
Italy: Pollo alla Cacciatora - Slow-cooked with tomatoes, wine, olives, and capers.
Spain: Pollo al Ajillo - Chicken fried with garlic and brandy.
United Kingdom: Sunday Roast Chicken - Roasted with herbs and served with gravy and Yorkshire pudding.
Greece: Lemon and Oregano Roast Chicken - Marinated with lemon, oregano, and garlic, then roasted.
Asia
China: Beggar's Chicken - Stuffed and baked in clay, traditionally with a lotus leaf.
India: Tandoori Chicken - Marinated in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a tandoor oven.
Japan: Yakitori - Skewered and grilled chicken pieces seasoned with tare sauce.
Thailand: Gai Yang - Marinated with lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce, then grilled.
Korea: Samgyetang - Ginseng chicken soup, with the whole chicken stuffed with rice.
Africa
Morocco: Djaj Mqualli - Chicken tagine with lemon and olives.
South Africa: Peri-Peri Chicken - Spicy marinated chicken grilled over open flames.
Ethiopia: Doro Wat - Spicy chicken stew with hard-boiled eggs.
Nigeria: Chicken Suya - Skewered and grilled chicken coated with peanut spice mix.
Egypt: Molokhia - Chicken cooked with jute leaves, served as a stew.
Middle East
Turkey: Tavuk Şiş - Marinated chicken skewers grilled over charcoal.
Israel: Pomegranate Roasted Chicken - Roasted with a pomegranate and honey glaze.
Lebanon: Chicken Shawarma - Marinated and slow-roasted, usually served in pita bread.
Saudi Arabia: Al-Kabsa - Traditional chicken cooked with rice, raisins, almonds, and spices.
Iran: Fesenjan - Chicken cooked in a pomegranate-walnut sauce.
Oceania
Australia: Beer Can Chicken - Grilled over a can of beer for moisture and flavor.
New Zealand: Hangi-style Chicken - Traditionally cooked in a pit oven with hot stones.
