Main meal – Feasting Is Fun

Baked Parmesan Chicken Goujons

Welcome to a brand new year, 2024! I hope this coming year brings health, happiness and lots of fun to you all. As you may know by now, I love having fun in my kitchen coming up with delicious new recipes to share with you. And today I have a really delicious and easy to make recipe, my Baked Parmesan Chicken Goujons! Deliciously crispy and golden without the hassle, or added fat of frying. As soon as you taste these crispy baked chicken strips you will be making them regularly.

And why not? Believe me, these tasty, crispy on the outside and succulent inner chicken goujons are full of flavour and will disappear fast when you share them with friends and family. Either served as part of a main meal with sweet potato fries and salad, or as part of a buffet for a family get together, these baked chicken strips hit that fried chicken spot without any of the hot oil, frying hassle!

Take a look at how golden and crispy they are.

Recipe – Baked Parmesan Chicken Goujons makes approximately 30

650g/1.5lb Chicken Breast Fillets

1/2 tsp Salt – I use Maldon

1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

100g/4oz Plain White Flour – alternatively, for gluten free, use the same weight of gf flour or cornflour/corn starch.

2 Large Free Range Eggs

150g/5.5oz Grated Parmesan Cheese – alternatively use the same weight of grated Grana Pandano Cheese. The taste is similar and it is cheaper to buy.

Preparing The Ingredients

Before we start making the chicken goujons it’s worth reading through these tips first:

Setting up an assembly line with each ingredient will make the whole process easier, as you simply move from bowl to bowl with your chicken strips, ending with a lined baking tray. Use your fingers to coat and move the chicken through each stage, I use my left hand for dry and right hand for wet. Inevitably your hands will get sticky and messy, I see this as part of the fun! Although it’s a good idea to keep some kitchen paper near to wipe your fingers on when they become too sticky!

Also, it’s really worth grating the cheese yourself. Aim for long, thin strands of cheese, as these give the best, crispiest finish to the baked chicken.

Let’s Get Started

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, 425F, gas mark 7

Place the flour and grated Parmesan cheese into shallow bowls.
Crack both eggs into a similar bowl and whisk together with a fork until combined.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place one chicken breast at a time into a freezer bag or between baking parchment and hit with a rolling pin until it is just over 1cm, or half an inch thick across the breast.
Using a sharp knife, or poultry scissors cut the breast into 2.5cm, or 1 inch wide strips. It is important to keep the chicken strips roughly the same size as this helps with even baking.

Place all of the chicken strips into a shallow dish and season with the salt and pepper, tossing the chicken with your fingers until the seasoning is even.
Now make your assembly line, starting with the chicken strips, then the flour, followed by the eggs and then the grated Parmesan. The baking sheets should be as close as possible to the grated Parmesan dish.

Assembling The Parmesan Chicken Goujons

Take 3-4 strips of seasoned chicken and place in the flour. Use your fingers to toss the chicken until all strips are coated in flour.
Lift each strip of chicken out of the flour, giving it a little shake to remove any clumps and place into the egg. Use your other hand to turn the strips over ensuring each one is fully coated in egg.
Lift each strip from the egg mixture, allowing excess egg to drip off and drop into the grated Parmesan cheese. Use your flour hand to toss the chicken in cheese until covered.
Carefully remove the Parmesan cheese coated chicken strip and lay it on the baking tray.
Repeat the whole process in small batches until all of the chicken goujons are on the baking trays.

Baking The Chicken Goujons

Place the full baking sheets into a preheated oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until golden and completely cooked through.
To check if they are thoroughly cooked carefully cut through the thickest piece of chicken. Inside should be opaque with no sign of redness.
As soon as the chicken is baked remove the baking trays from the oven.

Serve immediately for a main meal using tongs to pick them up.
If serving hot for a buffet use tongs to place on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
For picnics or when serving cold leave the goujons to cool on the baking tray. They will still retain their crispness.

Nothing beats the flavour of their savoury, golden crunch against the juicy chicken inside!

While this recipe is simple, it does require a few stages. Although, thankfully not having to handle hot oil and fry them makes it worthwhile. For this reason I especially like to batch make these chicken goujons. It makes sense to double the ingredients, make the most of having the oven on and only have one, fun messy kitchen!

So, to make ahead and freeze I follow the recipe and leave the baked goujons to cool. Especially in hot weather I cool the chicken in the refrigerator. Then I place them in freezer bags and pop in the deep freeze where they will keep for 3 months, not that they ever last that long! I defrost the chicken overnight in the refrigerator and bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes at 200C/180C fan, 400F gas mark 6, until fully heated through. Likewise, they will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for a couple of days, reheat as given above.

If You Have Enjoyed This Recipe For Baked Parmesan Chicken Goujons You May Also Like These:

Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

Chicken Herb Burgers

Chilli Lime Chicken Kebabs

While some people think that chicken has little flavour of its own, when cooked properly, with complimentary ingredients it can really be the star of the show. The Parmesan cheese in this recipe doesn’t give the chicken a cheesy flavour, more like a slightly salty savoury hit that lifts the succulent chicken. I’m already imagining what a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika would add to this dish! So many ideas! Most importantly is the ideas that make it onto my blog are rigorously tested, ensuring you have success every time you make them.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder

Finally, Easter is only a few days away and with it come various traditions. Most importantly for me and many other Christians is attending church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, our risen Saviour. Also, for me and many others, taking part in Easter an egg hunt is part of our Easter celebration. While another Easter tradition is eating lamb for the main meal, usually as part of a Sunday roast dinner. So, my Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder, is easy to prepare and pop in the oven, while we are at church, or looking for eggs in the garden!

Roast lamb is a real favourite of mine. So, whenever delicious, British lamb is in season I try to stock up the freezer. However Graig Farm always has frozen lamb available. And so it is where I buy most of our lamb from, and I can honestly say it really is the most flavourful lamb available. Either cooked as Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb or this Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder.
Especially, upon returning from church, when the aroma of the lamb fills the whole house and has our mouths watering!

FF Roast Lamb Dinner — Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder

Cooking For A Crowd

While a whole shoulder of lamb will feed six people generously, if you are cooking for more people there’s an easy solution, simply double up! Since roasting two shoulders guarantees plenty of meat for dinner and leftovers. And, cooking two Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulders takes no more effort or energy to cook and guarantees plenty of leftovers. Especially, as an idea for another recipe began taking shape in my head!

So, whenever you are feeding a crowd, this is the perfect roast for feasting on. And after slow roasting for 5 hours, you have beautiful, melt in the mouth meat. In fact I pulled our lamb apart using two forks, much like you would for pulled pork. Since the lamb comes clean away from the bone and is so moist. Serve with golden, crunchy roast potatoes or this Leek Colcannon.

GF Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder — **Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder** so tender it can be pulled apart using forks.

Recipe: One Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder will serve 6 adults

Each shoulder of lamb weighs 2.2kg from Graig Farm
One onion, peeled and halved per shoulder.
Sprigs of rosemary.
Sea salt (I use Maldon)and freshly ground black pepper.
Optional – peeled garlic cloves.

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F

Preparing The Lamb For Roasting

First of all, place the shoulder of lamb into a roasting tin that just fits.
Using a sharp knife make slashes through the skin into the shoulder of lamb.
Push small sprigs of rosemary (and garlic, if liked) into the holes.
Sprinkle over with sea salt and pepper.
Place the onion halves under the lamb.

Finally, cover the roasting tin tightly with aluminium foil. Make a folded pleat down the length of the foil and then crimp tightly to the tin. The pleat allows you to pull the foil away from the lamb, so that they don’t touch, it also gives room for steam to circulate as the lamb is slow cooking.

Slow Roasting The Lamb Shoulder

Place the lamb into the centre of the preheated oven and cook for 5 hours.
NOTE: All ovens vary, the cooking time is a guide only,
The meat does not need to be basted. Because the natural fat and juices within the lamb baste it as it slow cooks.
After the cooking time has elapsed, remove the lamb from the oven.
Remove the foil and check the lamb is cooked by pulling at some of the meat with a fork. If it comes away easily the lamb is cooked.
If the lamb is not fork tender, cover again with foil and place back into the oven, checking half hourly until cooked.
Once cooked, if you like crispy lamb skin increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6 and place the lamb back into the oven, leaving the foil off. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until you have golden, crispy skin.

FF Roasted Lamb — Two Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulders

As soon as it is cooked remove the lamb from the oven.
Take the lamb out of the pan and place on a board, or platter, cover in foil to rest for 30-40 minutes. Enough time to finish the roast potatoes in the oven!
To serve, pull the lamb apart into chunks, using 2 forks.
Because this Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder tastes so mouth-wateringly good, you’ll be back for seconds – so maybe roasting two shoulders of lamb wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all 😉.

Whatever you do this Easter, I’d encourage you to take a moment to think about why we celebrate it – see Important Stuff.

If you have enjoyed this Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder you may also like these recipes:

Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb

Slow Roasted Cider Pork

Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

Since I find cooking a roast dinner fairly easy, I often make it when we have friends for dinner. While a few extra roast potatoes make any meal go further, it is ideal for last minute guest invites. Yet I know that some people really struggle with the timing.

Do you have a favourite roast? Or do you struggle to cook a certain roast and you’d like help with it?

Sammie xx

Graig Farm gifted me the lamb for this post. All opinions, views, recipe and content are my own.
No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb

Finally, Easter Sunday is nearly here and this year we are celebrating with a Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb Leg. A twist on the traditional dish of roast Lamb that is usually served for the big Easter Sunday roast. And what a beautiful centrepiece the glazed lamb makes for an Easter table.

Roast leg of lamb sliced with a glaze poured over, surrounded by golden roast potatoes all on a white platter. — Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb

So, to ensure a great lamb roast I always turn to my favourite Organic meat supplier Graig Farm Organics. And, to date, I have been buying meat from this Welsh organic farm for almost three years. Most importantly, the quality of the meat is consistently excellent. Because, Graig Farm is a place where animals are reared using traditional methods and looked after with care and respect.

Finally, all Graig Farm‘s meat and poultry reflect the time and care that is put into raising and caring for their livestock. Resulting in a product that it is always utterly delicious, full of flavour and cooked properly, is the best meat I have ever tasted!

Because a lovely friend had given me a jar of homemade Redcurrant Jelly I knew it would work perfectly as a glaze on this roast leg of lamb. And trust me, if you enjoy a glazed Ham at Christmas, you will love this Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb!

Since British Bakeware gifted me this Oval Roaster with lid, a recent addition to their range of British manufactured bakeware, it’s size and shape perfectly fitted the Lamb Leg, used in this recipe. And, you will see, it was the perfect size.

So we have British organic meat roasted in a British manufactured roaster!

Recipe: Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb serves 6 generously

2kg/4.5lb Leg of Lamb – trimmed and tied

1 Onion

Few Sprigs of Rosemary

3tbsp Redcurrant Jelly

Sea Salt – I use Maldon and freshly ground Black Pepper

Method: Preheat oven to 150C/130C fan, gas mark 1-2, 300F

Preparing the leg of lamb

First of all take the lamb out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
Remove all packaging and pat dry with kitchen towel
Place the lamb in in a roasting tin that is just big enough.

Make incisions through the skin of the lamb with a sharp knife.
Poke small sprigs of rosemary into these holes.
Sprinkle over sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Also, cut up one onion and place under the leg of lamb.
Either place a lid on the roasting tin, or cover with foil, ensuring the foil doesn’t touch the lamb.

Roasting the lamb

Place in a preheated oven and cook for 4 1/2 hours.

Most importantly, ensure the leg of lamb is basted a couple of times while roasting. Take the tin out of the oven and place on a sturdy, heatproof trivet. Next, carefully remove the foil or lid and use a large spoon to scoop and pour the meat juices over the joint. Finally replacing the foil or lid before placing it back into the oven.
After the cooking time has elapsed remove the roasting tin from the oven.
Increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F.

Applying the Redcurrant Jelly glaze

First of all, remove the lid or foil from the roasting pan.
Spoon the Redcurrant jelly all over the roast lamb, using the back of the spoon to spread the glaze.

Leave the lid or foil off and place the roasting tin back into the lowest part of the oven. Also, this will free up the top of the oven for crunchy roast potatoes!
Roast the lamb for a further 20-30 minutes, until the glaze has become deliciously dark and sticky.
Finally, when cooked, remove the roasting tin from the oven.

Resting and serving the lamb

Remove the Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb from the tin, set on a platter, cover in foil and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes. Doing so will leave plenty of time to finish cooking the crunchy roast potatoes and other vegetables.
Before serving remove any string.
Finally, serve the delicious lamb on a platter surrounded by delicious, golden roast potatoes, with a side dish of freshly steamed vegetables.

Personally, there is nothing that says celebration to me more than a beautiful roast, on a platter, in the centre of the table.

And also, as Christians, on Easter Sunday we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, from the dead. Because He offers new life to all who seek Him, see Important Stuff for more information. And His resurrection is, most certainly, worthy of celebrating

Roasted lamb leg, sliced and surrounded by golden, roast potatoes on a white platter. — Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb

Spring as a season heralds the beginning of new life.

Finally, Winter has passed and as blossom appears on the trees and birds build nests for their eggs, let’s take a moment to consider what a wonderful and beautiful world we live in.

Do you celebrate Easter?

If you have enjoyed this Redcurrant Jelly Glazed Roast Lamb, you may like to try these:

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder

Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

Slow Roasted Cider Pork

So whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

All content, opinions and views are my own. I was not paid for this post. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chunky Chilli

Hello lovely readers, do you think I’m crazy? Because my Chunky Chilli is made in the midst of Summer! And I understand, I had a moment with myself before going ahead and making this anyway. Trust me it’s good, even on the most scorching of days.

So here’s the thing – I try, on most days to get our evening meal made in the morning. Yet my body, frustratingly disruptive and painful that it is, does not, can not, start chopping and stirring at 5pm when dinner used to be made. Usually around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, very often well before that time, I’m done in and need to lay down. Consequently, any task that takes more than a couple of minutes standing just ain’t gonna happen!

While I’m learning to adapt (see Adapting to a New Normal) I made this Chunky Chilli. Most importantly, it was bubbling away, on the hob, by 10am. And the malted loaf was baked and cooling by 11am. Result!

How I now approach cooking:

I simply love cooking, yes there are more days than I’d like, where I can’t. Yet on the days I can, I do. Sometimes I double up on the recipe, so I can stash a meal in the freezer. Although that comes with it’s own challenges; more time standing, chopping, slicing, stirring etc. So I do what I can and at the end of the day, whatever sort of day it’s been I look at what I’ve achieved. And it keeps me positive and (not literally) on my toes, constantly thinking of new ways of getting dinner on the table.

Also, I am actively teaching all three of our children to cook. In fact, my heart swelled the other day, when I found a printed copy of my Crunchy Homemade Coleslaw recipe. Our eldest daughter had made it to go with dinner and it was perfect!

Chunky Chilli - a delicious make ahead meal. — Chunky Chilli – a delicious make ahead meal.

So, let me show you how I make Chunky Chilli!

Recipe : Chunky Chilli Serves 6

450g/1lb Minced/Ground Beef

1 Large Spanish Onion – cut into small dice

1tbsp Olive Oil – I use Filippo Berio

1-2 Red Chilli’s – or more if you really like it hot

4 Garlic Cloves – minced

1tsp Ground Cumin

4 x 400g/14oz Cans of Plum Tomatoes

2 x 400g/14oz Cans of Kidney Beans

3 Red/Green Bell Peppers – cut into large chunky dice

1tsp Corn Flour

Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Making the Chunky Chilli

First of all add the oil to a large, heavy based pan, over a medium heat.
Next add the onion and cook until just soft and slightly translucent.

Tip the minced/ground beef into the pan and cook until browned.

Add the finely diced chilli and tinned tomatoes.

Rinse each tomato can out with a little water and add this to the pan.

Chunky Chilli - add the minced, or crushed garlic and the ground Cumin. — Chunky Chilli

Now add the cumin and garlic.
And use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently break up the plum tomatoes. During cooking they will break down further.
Empty the kidney beans into a big sieve and rinse under cold, running water.
Add the rinsed kidney beans to the pan.

Chunky Chilli - tip the kidney beans into the pan. — Chunky Chilli

Allow the chilli to bubble gently for 2 hours partially covered with a lid.
I prepared this Chunky Chilli in the morning. After 2 hours cooking the heat was turned off.
Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Chunky Chilli - called so because of the Chunky diced 2 green and 1 red peppers! — Chunky Chilli – so called because of the Chunky diced 2 green and 1 red peppers!

Then add the diced bell peppers, the chilli will be reheated later. Alternatively if you make this chilli ready to eat, add the peppers during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Ensuring the peppers retain their crunch.
Dissolve the corn flour in a couple of tablespoons of cold water and add to the chilli.

Chunky Chilli - add the corn flour mix to the hot chilli, at the same time as the peppers. — Chunky Chilli

Give the chilli a good stir and allow the corn flour to thicken the sauce. Finally pop a lid on the pan and leave to cool until needed.

Chunky Chilli - reheat over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring until piping hot all the way through. — Chunky Chilli –

I like to serve this Chunky Chilli in a bowl with a generous dollop of plain yoghurt, tortilla chips or a thick slice of hearty, homemade bread and a little sprinkle of grated sharp cheddar.

Chunky Chilli - served my way! — Chunky Chilli

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chunky Chilli you may also like these:

Healthy Turkey Mixed Pepper Chilli

FF Chunky Chilli — Healthy Turkey Mixed Pepper Chilli

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Spicy Sausage Bean Casserole

Making this hearty, warming and economical meal is an easy way to feed the family.. Likewise they can all be easily scaled up if you need to feed a crowd. Also adding some crusty bread, such as my Seeded Cob Loaf or Easy Homemade Cottage Loaf not only makes this meal go further, they are perfect for dunking in spicy juices! Resulting in a delicious feast for all to share.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.