The Whole Chicken: 100 Easy but Innovative Ways to Cook from Beak to Tail

It may be fashionable to dismiss chicken as boring, but Clarke, chef and proprietor of London’s Chik’n’Sours, begs to differ in his appetizingly audacious debut. His aim is to “bring some light and life to an ingredient I have come to be very passionate about,” and thanks to a bold design and straightforward organization, his guide delivers, turning the familiar endeavor of cooking chicken into an attractive affair. (Clarke even offers a few playlists for those serious about getting into the “whole chicken” mood.) Once the butchering commences with a simple tutorial on cutting a bird into 10 parts, readers are shown how to make use of what they’ve got, with each chapter devoted to a chicken part, from the breasts to the offal, legs, and bones. Taking cues from the various ways chicken is prepared around the world, Clarke kicks things off with a how-to on cooking crispy chicken skin and making schmaltz (the fat of choice in traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cooking). The best recipes lean toward modern mash-ups of international dishes—such as the chicken, hot dog, and kimchi fried rice and Bangkok-style tacos—while the wings section offers seven recipes, including the chef’s cheekily titled “General Tso My Style.” This is ideal for those who want to go whole hog on hens. (Oct.)