Breaded chicken

Put it on a wire rack over a baking tray so hot air can circulate underneath, and bake in a preheated oven. Avoid covering it or piling pieces on top of one another, as trapped steam softens the coating.

Check the thickest part with a food thermometer: the centre should reach 75 °C. If the coating is browning before the middle is ready, lower the oven temperature and cook it for longer.

Reheat it uncovered on a wire rack in an oven at 180 °C until piping hot throughout; this usually takes 10–15 minutes, depending on the thickness. A microwave heats it quickly but tends to soften the coating.

Cool it promptly, store it covered in the fridge and eat it within two days. Reheat it only once, until piping hot throughout.

Try it with chips or potato wedges and a sharp, crunchy side such as coleslaw, pickled onions or a green salad. It also works well in a sandwich with lettuce and mayonnaise, or sliced over a salad.

For a similar crisp coating without chicken, try breaded aubergine or courgette slices. For a chicken option with less coating, use grilled chicken and add a crunchy salad or toasted breadcrumbs to the dish.

Chicken schnitzel has 207 kcal per 100 g, compared with 227 kcal in breaded chicken. Schnitzel is usually a thin, flattened cutlet coated in crumbs, so it cooks quickly and has a broad, crisp surface.