Mark Moriarty’s flavour tricks for turning chicken into something special

Chicken is the most consumed meat in Ireland, Mark Moriarty writes, but breasts and thighs do not have to end up in the same familiar dishes every week. He recommends spending a little more on a higher-welfare bird, which should have deeper-coloured meat, thick skin, a clean smell and firm legs.

For the weekend, Moriarty flattens and breads chicken breasts before frying them in a shallow pan. He serves them in soft brioche buns with a crisp, zesty slaw and a sauce made from mayonnaise, sesame, vinegar and gochujang, the Korean fermented red pepper paste.

His second recipe uses chicken thighs for satay skewers. A blender quickly combines the ingredients for a peanut butter-based sauce, which forms the base of the flavour. The chicken can be marinated, cooked in less than 10 minutes and finished with chilli, spring onion and coriander.

Moriarty says the satay chicken can also become a boxed lunch, sandwich or a baguette filling that combines Vietnamese banh mi with satay. He advises buying a whole chicken and breaking it down at home, saying this saves money, provides more meat and leaves a carcass for stock.