Whole Chicken

Topping the chicken with pancetta slices before roasting adds a rich flavor.

This is a traditional Tuscan method—bricks weigh down the butterflied chicken, resulting in even, quick cooking and crispy skin (you'll need two bricks for this recipe; wrap them in foil). If you don't have bricks, a cast-iron skillet will do the trick. Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken for you.

An elegant meal for four that requires only 20 minutes active time? That's our kind of dinner. This creamy, comforting dish is just the type of thing you crave on a blustery March night. Because aged vin jaune can be hard to come by in the United States, we substituted a two-year-old Savagnin (with a flavor similar to a dry Sherry) and were very happy with the results.

Featuring olive oil and the combined herbs and produce of the south of France, this one-dish country dinner will transport you to a café table in Aix in a heartbeat.

Though coq au vin made with red wine is perhaps the best-known incarnation of the French dish in this country, most regions of France have unique versions that take advantage of local wines. Alsace's dry Riesling lends a gentle richness to this creamy, comforting meal.

When shopping for a chicken, look for the organic seal. An organic chicken will be juicier than one that's conventionally raised. In this recipe, the chicken is butterflied for quicker cooking.

Serve this with a side of steamed basmati rice or Savory Semolina . Be sure to let guests know that there are whole cloves in the finished dish.

Many Indian families have their own recipe for this popular dish. While most versions are mild and flavorful, this one pays special attention to the spices, so it won't be too hot for young palettes—and it's a surefire winner with kids. Garam masala and other spices are available by mail order at Kalustyan's.

Ajiaco The term ajiaco means different things in different parts of Latin America, but in Colombia the name refers to a chunky chicken soup thickened with papas criollas, a native potato. The tiny yellow tubers break down completely, giving the broth a rich, silky mouthfeel. If you can't find papas criollas in your supermarket's freezer section, grated russets achieve pretty much the same effect. Yukon Gold and red boiling potatoes contribute contrasting texture, and a handful of briny capers punches up the flavor.

The chicken gets great flavor from a six hour brine, so begin early or a day ahead.

The figs for the sauce need to marinate overnight, so start one day ahead.

Why you'll make it: Because it's that one easy, really delicious recipe for barbecued chicken that every cook needs. Grilling bone-in chicken takes a bit more time than boneless, but the flavor payoff is worth it. Stay close to the grill and flip the pieces every six to eight minutes. Rub spices on the chicken at least six hours ahead.

As in the classic recipe from Richard Olney's Simple French Food that inspired this one, two key innovations ensure a moist, incredibly succulent chicken. First, the birds are spatchcocked, meaning they're butterflied and spread flat so that both the white meat and the dark can be perfectly cooked; second, an herbed-ricotta filling is pushed under the skin, puffing slightly during cooking and extending the meat's flavor in a creamy direction. Actually, you'll notice how much we liked the filling — we call for extra to be baked in a separate dish so that everyone gets a helping. The filling becomes a cross between a popover and a soufflé in texture, with oregano and parsley supplying a suggestion of the Provençal countryside.

Mixing dried porcini with tomato paste is a simple way to omit butter and still keep chicken moist while infusing it with a woodsy mushroom flavor.

The sauce would also taste great with pork tenderloin.

Mangoes are used two ways in this Indian dish — grilled with the chicken and tossed into rice.