• 500g/1lb 2oz free-range boneless chicken breasts
• 4 courgettes, sliced very thinly lengthways
• 6–8 skewers or sticks of fresh rosemary, lower leaves removed, tips kept on

for the marinade
• 1 handful of fresh coriander
• 1 handful of fresh mint
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 spring onions
• 1 red chilli
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil

Cut the chicken into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes and place in a bowl. Blanch the courgette strips in salted boiling water for 30 seconds then drain and allow to cool. Blitz all the marinade ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor, then loosen to a paste with a little olive oil. Add the marinade to the chicken pieces and mix well. Allow to sit for up to an hour. Then weave the courgette strips in between the chicken pieces on the rosemary sticks or skewers. Grill for around 5 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked. Feel free to cut a piece open to check if they’re done.

easy chicken stock
Serves 2
Stock is usually one of those things that even chefs don’t have time for at home, but here is a really easy recipe for a good chicken stock. I find that I tend to make this after we’ve had our Sunday roast ? I just throw the carcass in a pan with any root veg and herbs I happen to have. However, you’ll probably get a cleaner-tasting stock if you use raw carcasses.

Place the chicken carcasses, garlic, vegetables, herbs and peppercorns in a large, deep-bottomed pan. Add the cold water and bring to the boil, skim, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Continue to simmer gently for 3-4 hours, skimming as necessary, then pass the stock through a fine sieve. Allow to cool for about half an hour, then refrigerate. Once the stock is cold it should look clear and slightly amber in colour. I usually divide it into small plastic containers at this point and freeze it. It will keep in the fridge for about 4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Try this: If you still think you can’t be bothered to make stock, then use some good chicken bouillon, or simply buy it premade.

Ingredients
• 1 x 1.5k/ 3½lb organic chicken
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 115g/4oz or ½ a pack of butter
• olive oil
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 good handful of fresh sage, leaves picked
• zest of 2 lemons
• 10 cloves of garlic, skin left on
• 565ml/1 pint milk

chicken in milk
Serves 4
A slightly odd, but really fantastic combination that must be tried.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5, and find a snug-fitting pot for the chicken. Season it generously all over, and fry it in the butter and a little olive oil, turning the chicken to get an even colour all over, until golden. Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and throw away the oil and butter left in the pot. This will leave you with tasty sticky goodness at the bottom of the pan which will give you a lovely caramelly flavour later on.

Put your chicken back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Baste with the cooking juice when you remember. The lemon zest will sort of split the milk, making a sauce which is absolutely fantastic.

To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide it on to your plates. Spoon over plenty of juice and the little curds. Serve with wilted spinach or greens and some mashed potato.