There is hardly anything more versatile than chicken. Serve it as the star of the dish, use it to complete the most scrumptious pasta recipe or prepare an ethnic inspired curry dinner… one thing is for certain, with this ingredient the possibilities are endless. In this article, we’re bringing you three of our very favourite, fail-proof chicken recipes.

Whether prepping for a quiet evening at home or inviting guests over, each of these three chicken recipes could become your secret weapon to a memorable evening. Keep scrolling for the full recipes, complete with a list of ingredients and easy-to-follow cooking instructions.

Extra Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 450g boneless, skinless chicken breast or pre-chopped chicken cubes
• 400g penne rigate
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 oz. cream cheese (cut into chunks)
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Start by chopping the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes. However, you may skip this step if you’ve purchased our pre-chopped chicken cubes. 
• In a deep skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken and proceed to cook it over medium heat until it is slightly browned. 
• In the meantime, mince the garlic cloves and sauté it in the same skillet as the chicken for around one minute. 
• In the same skillet as the chicken and garlic, add the dried pasta and chicken broth. Stir until any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet have dissolved.
• Cover the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
• Stir the pasta occasionally to prevent it from sticking, but keep the skillet lidded and the pasta simmering over medium-low heat for around 7 minutes, or most of the broth has absorbed into the pasta.
• Add the pesto, milk and cream cheese, and stir until you achieve the desired sauce-like texture. Then, add grated Parmesan cheese and stir to thoroughly combine the mixture. 
• Top the pasta with fresh pepper and serve whilst it’s still warm.

Baked Chicken Parmesan 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, halved
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt & pepper
• medium egg
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220°C.
• Grease a sheet pan with olive oil and set aside.
• Slice the chicken breasts in halves to create 4 fillets in total. If desired, pound them to even the thickness.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg and proceed to dip each chicken fillet into the egg mixture and then coat with a bread crumb mixture.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on each side.
• Top each chicken with 3 to 4 tbsp of marinara sauce and a handful of mozzarella cheese.
• Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Chicken Curry 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast, halved
• 3 tbsp salt
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 tbsp each of curry powder, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground coriander and cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh, minced garlic
• 1.5 tsp minced fresh ginger root
• A can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Rice or naan bread (optional)

Method

• Start by heating the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and cook the chicken breasts in the hot oil until completely browned on each side. Transfer the browned chicken breasts onto a plate and set aside.
• Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger over medium heat in the remaining oil in the skillet.
• Stir in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, and 1 tbsp of water.
• Add the tomatoes, yoghurt, chopped cilantro, and 1 teaspoon salt to this mixture and stir until combined.
• Place the chicken breast back in the skillet along with half a cup of water and bring to a boil. Make sure to turn the chicken so that it is fully coated and then sprinkle the chicken with garam masala and 1 tbsp of fresh cilantro.
• Place a lid on the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are fully cooked.
• Serve with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and enjoy on its own, on a bed of rice ir with a side of naan bread.

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