cover image The New York Times Chicken Cookbook

The New York Times Chicken Cookbook

. St. Martin's Press, $29.95 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-312-31234-3

In this latest collection, the editors of he New York Times have assembled a number of verifiably delicious chicken recipes taken from the newspaper or from the cookbooks of its writers. Contributors include famed restaurants like New York's Le Cirque, TV chef Nigella Lawson and the paper's distinguished food editor, the late Craig Claiborne. The book covers everything from roasted and baked chicken in its myriad forms to chicken burgers and chicken salads, and it illustrates the bird's versatility by including not only recipes for American classics like buffalo wings but for international fare such as Hkatenkwan, a savory African stew. Personal essays from the various food writers are inserted throughout and include helpful hints, such as techniques for successful skewering and tips on retaining flavor. Though these informative additions are an appreciated break among the many recipes, they occasionally get lost in the mix, and some readers may simply skip over them. Nevertheless, this comprehensive sourcebook on everyone's favorite fowl is sure to become a mainstay on many home cookbook shelves.