• Pre-heat the cooker, as this will reduce the cooking time.
• Season the chicken well before placing it in the cooker.
• Always brown chicken pieces before adding them to the slow cooker. This adds colour and flavour to the chicken.
• Place any root veggies (e.g. potato, sweet potato, carrots) at the bottom of the cooker, as they take longest to cook. Use celery, herbs and onion to add flavour.
• Add your sauce early in the cooking process, as this will add moisture, prevent the chicken from sticking to the cooker, and add even more delicious flavour to the dish.
• Remember that chicken dishes cook faster than, for example, lamb dishes. Keep an eye on the recipe – and the clock.
• Make sure your chicken is cooked through before serving. The juices should run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with a knife.

• Lay the skins of large chicken thighs skin-side down on a lined baking tray and scrape off any excess meat with a small, sharp knife.
• Sprinkle with good-quality flaky sea salt freshly ground pepper.
• Place another baking sheet and tray over the chicken skins to weigh them down.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes at 180°C.
• Sprinkle over salad and tuck in!

• Start by using kitchen twine – plain, unbleached cotton string that won’t melt or burn. You’ll need at least 0,9m of twine for an average-sized chicken.
• Put the chicken, breast side up, on a chopping board. With the legs facing towards you, position the centre of the twine underneath the tailbone.
• Next, secure the legs by lifting the twine and wrapping each end around the bottom of the legs. Cross the two pieces in the middle.
• Now, holding both ends of the twine, pull tightly until the legs come together. Pulling the ends away from you, wrap the twine over the wings and around the front of the chicken.
• Turn the bird over so the neck is facing you and tie a knot beneath the neckbone.
• Trim the ends of the twine using a knife – it’s easier to clean than a pair of scissors.
• Turn the chicken onto its back again and pop it into the oven to roast.

Garlic and lemon mayo

• Stir 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and the zest and juice of ½ lemon into 1 cup (250ml) mayonnaise.

Tomato relish

• Finely chop 3 small gherkins and 3 pickled onions and stir into ¾ cup (180ml) tomato sauce.

Sweet and sour

• Stir together ¾ cup (180ml) pineapple juice, ¼ (60ml) cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup (60ml) brown sugar, 2 tbsp (30ml) tomato sauce and 1 tbsp (15ml) cornflour. Thicken over a low heat and allow to cool.

• Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board.
•  Pull the leg and thigh away from the body and use your fingers to find the hip joint in the fold.
• Stick the tip of a large knife into the joint to separate the thigh and leg from the body. Repeat on the other side.
•  Use the same method to separate the leg from the thigh and to cut the wings from the body.
•  To remove the chicken breast, cut through the breast bone to divide the carcass into two.
•  Cut away all bone and gristle from the breasts. You will now have two of each – thighs, drumsticks, wings, and breasts.
•  Add the carcass to soups, stews or casseroles to flavour them and remove the bones just before dishing up.

• Heat some oil in a pan. Wait until the oil is hot – between 170°C and 180°C is best – before you add the chicken.
• Fry the chicken until the crumbs are golden brown. It should take about 8 to 10 minutes to cook both sides. Make sure you cook the chicken for long enough – if you don’t, the crumbs will be soggy and the meat undercooked. If the crumbs brown too quickly, reduce the heat.
• Pop the cooked chicken onto some kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.

• First, check that the chicken’s skin is completely dry. Use a paper towel to remove any moisture.
• Next, generously rub the chicken with oil and season well. Put the chicken into a preheated oven to cook.
• Uncover the chicken 20 to 30 minutes before the end of your cooking time. Put it onto a shallow baking tray to allow the dry heat to come into contact with as much skin as possible. You can also put the chicken onto an oven rack over a tray.

Pop the chicken back into the oven and roast until the skin is golden and crisp.

• It’s best to thaw a frozen chicken overnight in the fridge.
• Put the chicken in a large bowl or on a plate to prevent the juices from dripping in the fridge.
• A good rule of thumb to follow: 500g of chicken takes about five hours to thaw.
• Always thaw chicken completely before cooking. Check inside the cavity to make sure there is no more ice. Also check that the giblets have been removed.

Never refreeze defrosted chicken.