Cooking chicken gherkins in the oven. What are the characteristics of Cornish chickens
The family of Yulia Andreyanova is preparing to celebrate Catholic Christmas. This time there will be no turkey on the holiday table, but gherkin chickens.
In our family of hedonistic gourmets, there are many reasons for a festive dinner. Carnival in Rio, Lantern Festival in Thailand, Equinox Day, Full Moon Night and even Oktoberfest. And this is not counting the Russian holidays with Olivier and jellied meat. So we organize a Catholic Christmas dinner, although not a ceremonial one, but strictly an annual one.
On the 20th of December, you get around to decorating the Christmas tree and hanging the lights, so that a festive mood reigns in the house and faith in miracles glimmers.
We bake wishes in cookies, the children make pomanders from oranges and cloves, and mom invites her family of French friends to visit, for whom this day is very special.
This year we will have not just one big turkey, but a scattering of miniature birds - a farmer we know gave us a bouquet of gherkin chickens. Gherkins are chickens weighing less than 1 kg. Our birds weigh 400 g each. Keep in mind that there is so little meat in a gherkin that an adult man can easily eat about three. Especially one as well-fed as Santa Claus.
Christmas Gherkin Chickens "Treat for Santa"
What do you need:
- Gherkin chickens ( 2-3 pieces per person)
- ground black pepper
- ground coriander
For the marinade:
- soy sauce (2 parts)
- honey (1 part)
What to do:
Prepare the marinade by mixing soy sauce and honey.
Lightly beat the chickens. Rub with salt, pepper, coriander and add marinade.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the chickens. Bake for 11 minutes on one side and another 11 minutes on the other. We take it out and serve " Treat for Santa».
YULIA ANDREYANOVA:
“I was born on June 21, the longest day of the year, on the same day as Prince William. I have two honors diplomas. I speak five languages - Russian, English, Italian, French and Ukrainian, like my grandmother. I managed to work in various companies, and as a result I chose what I get great pleasure from: throwing words, catching them and putting them into sentences. I'm lucky and have great intuition. I can cook, embroider, drive a car. More than anything in the world I love Chekhov's stories, being lazy and eating delicious food. I almost always manage to combine these three pleasures.”
Recipes by Yulia Andreyanova:
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As one of the simple plots, I offer you fried pies “Little Red Riding Hood's Love”. This is the most traditional grandmother's recipe.
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When they tell you once again that gherkin chickens are named so by analogy with small cucumbers, don’t believe it: in fact, this name is a tracing from the English Cornish hen, that is, Cornish chicken. However, this linguistic incident does not at all negate the fact that the gherkin chicken is small in stature and also very tasty and, when baked in the oven, will give a hundred points ahead to an ordinary broiler both in taste and in the elegance of presentation. In this recipe, we marry the delicate flavors of chicken with the powerful flavors of garlic and rosemary to achieve a combination of juicy meat and golden brown crust. In the absence of gherkins, you can cook regular chicken in a similar way - of course, with all the adjustments for its size.
Chicken gherkin in the oven
The first thing we will do with the chickens is to prepare it by mixing water, salt and sugar until the latter dissolve, and place our gherkins in it for half an hour so that the chickens are completely under water. This simple trick will make their meat more juicy, including the breast, which is usually the first to dry out. After removing the chickens from the brine, rinse them under running water and pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and black pepper, inside and out. Do not overdo it with salt - the chickens will come out of the brine already quite salty.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add two crushed cloves of garlic and two sprigs of rosemary and fry until dark. Strain the oil and brush the surface of the chickens with it, and place the remaining garlic inside. Place the chickens in a baking dish and cook in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for about 30 minutes, periodically basting with the released juices. The chickens are done when the temperature at the meatiest part reaches 74 degrees (if you don't have a meat thermometer, check for clear juices). If by this moment the skin of the chickens has not yet become golden and crispy, turn on the fan grill to maximum, and do not leave the oven - an extra minute, and the delicious gherkin will turn into coal. Leave the chickens in a warm place for 5 minutes and then serve, one per serving.
Gherkin chickens are named this way not because they are small in size. In fact, the name comes from the English Cornish hen, which means Cornish chicken. Poultry meat of this breed has an excellent taste, as do dishes prepared according to the recipes given below.
How to cook delicious gherkin chickens?
If you have young broiler carcasses weighing from 400 to 600 g in your hands, it’s time to learn how to cook them properly. A proven recipe and correct recommendations will help you get an ideal delicacy in all respects and fully enjoy its excellent taste.
- Pre-soaking the carcasses for 30 minutes in a brine of 1.5 liters of water, 3 tbsp. will help preserve the juiciness of the meat. spoons of salt and 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar.
- After soaking, the carcasses need to be rinsed, dried and marinated, choosing the appropriate recipe.
- Gherkin chicken dishes can be prepared in a frying pan, in the oven, on the grill, in an air fryer or using a slow cooker.
Chicken gherkins - recipe in the oven
Even a laconic gherkin in the oven is many times tastier, juicier and softer than ordinary broiler chicken, and if you supplement the carcass with an exquisite marinade or original accompaniment, the delight from eating such a delicacy will know no bounds. A little garlic and rosemary will make the bird taste inimitable.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- garlic – 5-6 cloves;
- rosemary sprigs – 5-6 pcs.;
- butter – 50 g;
- salt pepper.
Preparation
- Rub chicken carcasses with salt and pepper.
- Fry a couple of cloves of garlic and two sprigs of rosemary in oil.
- Lubricate the chickens with aromatic oil, and put the remaining garlic and rosemary inside.
- Place the baking sheet with the carcasses into an oven preheated to 200 degrees, and pour the juices over the bird from time to time.
- In 30-40 minutes, the chicken and gherkins will be ready.
Chicken gherkins stuffed in the oven
Chicken gherkin stuffed with filling will be even more tender and juicy. In fact, you can use any mix of ingredients as filling: fried mushrooms with onions and vegetables, steamed raisins with prunes, or other ingredients. The following is a recipe for poultry with rice, pumpkin, herbs and spices.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- sweet pumpkin – 150 g;
- rice – 150 g;
- soy sauce – 4 tbsp. spoons;
- grain mustard and honey - 2 teaspoons each;
- tangerine – 1 pc.;
- curry, paprika, pepper, dill - to taste;
- oil – 20 ml.
Preparation
- Mix mustard, honey, tangerine juice, oil, seasonings and 2 tbsp. spoons of soy sauce.
- Rub the marinade over the chickens and leave for an hour.
- Boiled rice is mixed with chopped pumpkin, soy sauce, seasonings and herbs, and filled with poultry carcass.
- Cooking the gherkin chickens is completed in an oven preheated to 170 degrees, placing them in the device for 40 minutes.
Chicken gherkin in the sleeve
Chicken gherkins, the recipe for which will be described below, are cooked in a sleeve, thereby keeping the oven and baking sheet clean. Another undeniable advantage of this method of oven heat treatment is the magnificent tender and juicy taste of the resulting meat. Even larger than average specimens will turn out tasty and soft.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- spices for poultry, oil and lemon juice - 1 teaspoon each;
- garlic – 4 cloves;
- soy sauce – 30 ml;
- salt pepper.
Preparation
- Rub the chickens with a mixture of soy sauce, garlic and spices and leave for 30-60 minutes.
- Place the carcasses in a sleeve on a baking sheet and place them in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.
- Baked chicken gherkins will be ready in 30 minutes.
Chicken gherkins - recipe in a frying pan
Chicken gherkins fried in a frying pan are essentially nothing more than... The delicacy is prepared simply and quickly, and its taste outshines all other options for preparing poultry. Delicate in taste, surprisingly piquant and appetizingly ruddy, the meat is worthy of serving at any table, even a festive one.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- spices - to taste;
- garlic – 4-6 cloves;
- oil – 50 ml;
- salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation
- The bird is cut along the belly, unfolded and beaten.
- The carcasses are rubbed with a mixture of salt, pepper, spices, squeezed garlic, and left for 30 minutes.
- Next, the chicken gherkins are fried in hot oil in a frying pan under pressure, browning on both sides.
Chicken gherkin in the air fryer
An air fryer is perfect for cooking poultry. And if you are the happy owner of such a device, it’s time to cook delicious and rosy chicken gherkins in it. You can use your favorite spicy set as a marinade or use the mix suggested in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- mayonnaise – 100 g;
- lemon – 0.5-1 pcs.;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- curry and paprika - 1 teaspoon each;
- sugar - a pinch;
- salt, pepper, herbs.
Preparation
- Mix mayonnaise with garlic, spices, sugar, salt and pepper, rub the mixture on the bird, and leave for an hour.
- Lubricate the carcasses with lemon juice, put lemon slices and sprigs of herbs into the belly.
- Place each gherkin chicken on the grill, on the middle grill, pour a little water on the bottom of the device and cook the delicacy for 30 minutes at 250 degrees.
Gherkin chickens on the grill
The following recipe will help you prepare a delicacy over the coals on the grill. In this case, gherkins are prepared using sunflower or olive oil with the addition of black pepper, paprika, thyme and garlic pressed through a press. Optionally, you can add chili powder.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 3 pcs.;
- oil – 100 ml;
- paprika, pepper and thyme - 0.5 teaspoon each;
- salt.
Preparation
- Chicken carcasses are cut lengthwise along the belly, unfolded and beaten a little.
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade and rub the mixture on the bird.
- After 30 minutes, you can start frying the bird over the coals, placing it on the grill.
- In half an hour, a delicious snack with a smoky aroma will be ready.
Chicken gherkin soup
Chicken gherkin is the most dietary and suitable for use as a base even for children's first courses. However, hot food can be cooked using more sophisticated technologies, and thereby provide your lunch meal with an unusual, original dish.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkin – 1 pc.;
- smoked sausage and brisket – 150 g each;
- oil – 40 ml;
- beans – 200 g;
- water – 3 l;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- paprika, pepper and salt - to taste;
- greenery.
Preparation
- Soak the beans and leave for 12 hours.
- Rub the chicken with salt and pepper and brown in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Together with the beans and smoked meats, the bird is placed in a pan of water.
- They also add fried onions and garlic, cook hot with barely noticeable simmering until the beans are soft.
- Salt the soup, season it, heat it for a couple of minutes.
Chicken gherkins - recipe in a slow cooker
Frying chicken gherkins in a slow cooker is especially easy. As a marinade, you can use the proposed mix of spices and herbs or take a set of ingredients that best suits individual preferences. Half an hour is enough for the meat to be saturated with aromas and acquire piquancy.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 3 pcs.;
- soy sauce – 50 ml;
- oil – 50 ml;
- lemon – 0.5 pcs.;
- garlic – 2-3 cloves;
- salt pepper.
Preparation
- The carcasses are rubbed with a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic.
- Mix the oil with lemon juice and soy sauce, pour the mixture over the chicken and leave for 30 minutes.
- Place the chicken in a bowl, pour in the remaining marinade and cook on the “Baking” for 40 minutes.
Chicken gherkin boiled and smoked
The following recipe is for smoked meat lovers. By implementing it, you can make an amazing snack with a smoky flavor with your own hands. In this case, it is important to determine how long to cook the gherkin chicken before smoking in order to achieve the right balance between the required degree of readiness of the flesh and its elasticity.
08.05.2018
Chicken gherkins are a new culinary concept, born just a few years ago. It comes from the English word “Cornish hen” or “Cornish chicken”. It denotes small broiler carcasses, whose weight starts from 350 g, since they are slaughtered very early. This results in a product characterized by tender and juicy meat.
Experts say that you can work with this type of bird in the same way as with regular chicken: fry, steam, bake, stew. Soups with chicken gherkins are rarely prepared, since this does not reveal the individuality of the product in any way - most recipes aimed at them involve baking, especially the whole chicken. And in order for the meat to show its best sides, it is important to be able to prepare a marinade for chicken gherkins in the oven, which is the focus of this recipe.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 2 pcs.;
- garlic cloves – 3 pcs.;
- rosemary sprigs – 4 pcs.;
- butter – 40 g;
- water – 1.5 l;
- granulated sugar - 2 tables. spoons;
- salt - 2 table. spoons;
- ground allspice - to taste;
- purple bulb.
Cooking method:
Despite the fact that such a bird reveals itself most effectively when baked or fried whole, you can cook chickens in parts. For example, by stewing them in ceramic pots. Choose the filling according to your taste: from a standard tandem of potatoes and carrots to vegetable stew. The advantage of this dish is that there is no need to make a marinade or add fat to the poultry - it will remain juicy due to the selected dishes.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 3 pcs.;
- a bunch of parsley;
- a bunch of dill;
- bell pepper;
- tomatoes – 2 pcs.;
- zucchini – 250 g;
- onion;
- lemon – 1/2 pcs.;
- sour cream 10% - 2 tablespoons. spoons;
- coarse sea salt - 1 table. spoon.
Cooking method:
Hearty chicken gherkins in the oven with potatoes
When working with such poultry, it is important to process it correctly so that the meat does not come out dry after baking. Basically, experts advise using butter, which is combined with spices. In this recipe, Provençal herbs are added: they add an incredible aroma to the finished dish. The amount of potatoes can be increased, but then some of it will be placed next to the chickens.
Ingredients:
- chicken gherkins – 3 pcs.;
- butter – 50 g;
- ground Provencal herbs – 1 teaspoon. spoon;
- head of garlic;
- potatoes – 5 pcs.;
- lemon;
- salt - to taste.
Cooking method:
Gherkins are small chickens whose weight starts at 350 grams. Their meat is very tender and juicy. They are great for frying and stewing. They turn out especially tasty. We invite you to familiarize yourself with several ways to prepare this product.
Recipe for chicken gherkins with dates and nuts
For this recipe you will need:
- several (4-5) gutted chickens weighing 400 grams each;
- dried soft dates in the amount of 200 grams;
- peeled almonds in the amount of 100 grams;
- butter - a piece of 50 grams;
- small lemon (juice);
- liquid honey - 1 tablespoon (tablespoon);
- olive oil in the amount of 1 tablespoon (table);
- ground cinnamon, pepper, salt.
Step-by-step preparation of chicken gherkins
1st step
To prepare the filling, remove the seeds from the dates: lightly cut each fruit with a knife. Combine almonds, dates and butter. Grind the ingredients into a viscous paste using a blender.
2nd step
The recipe for gherkin chickens requires meat preparation: the carcasses need to be washed and dried. Only after this they are stuffed with minced meat. The lower holes should be sewn up with thread. Rub the outside of the chicken with a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, pepper and salt. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Place the chickens on it, breast side up. The oven should be heated to 170 degrees and a baking sheet should be placed in it. Baking time is approximately an hour.
3rd step
After the specified time, you need to check the readiness of the meat. To do this, pierce the chicken leg with a knife or toothpick at the thickest point. The released juice should be clear in the finished product.
4th step
Prepare a mixture of honey and cinnamon. Baste the chickens and place in the oven for another 5 minutes.
This chicken gherkin recipe calls for uncandied dates. Pay attention to this when choosing a product, otherwise you risk getting not a second course, but a sweet dessert. Serve the meat hot. A vegetable side dish or salad goes well with chicken.
Chicken gherkins in the oven: a recipe for French cuisine
This cooking method is popular in France. For it you will need:
- two small chickens;
- about a dozen small potato roots for garnish;
- a pack (about 200 grams) of butter;
- head of garlic;
- fresh lemon;
- greens (or dried herbs);
- salt and ground pepper.
Technology
This chicken gherkin recipe is not too complicated and quite quick to prepare. First, mix the softened butter with chopped herbs (or dry herbs). Wash the chickens. Place a mixture of greens through the neck (pushing the skin away with your finger). Distribute it over the entire surface. Stuff the carcasses with sliced lemon and garlic cloves. Place the prepared meat on a baking sheet (grease it in advance with oil). Place peeled potatoes around the chickens. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes. Turn the potatoes often and baste them with the juices released from the chicken. Serve the dish hot. Chickens prepared according to the described recipes will be an excellent treat for any table. They can be served on their own or with a side dish. Bon appetit!
