Jamie Oliver brings sunshine to the table with five joyous, family-friendly dishes that prove cooking, easy recipes can also be packed with flavour. From a farmhouse roast chicken that rains down juices onto wild mushrooms, to a bright cod with avocado hollandaise, each recipe is designed to be simple, fast and perfect for sharing.
Farmhouse Roast Chicken with Mushrooms, Spinach & Lentils
This is comfort food with a French twist: a whole chicken rubbed with olive oil, vinegar, tarragon and a bulb of whole roasted garlic, roasted until golden. The clever trick is to roast mixed mushrooms beneath the bird so they fry from the base and roast from the top, soaking up every drop of flavour.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 bulb garlic, roasted
- Tarragon (leaves picked)
- Smoked streaky bacon or pancetta
- 650g mixed mushrooms
- 2 bags spinach
- Green lentils (drained if canned) and crème fraîche
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, splash of vinegar
How to cook
- Rub the chicken with oil, a splash of vinegar, salt, pepper and tuck tarragon stalks into the cavity. Roast at 180°C / 350°F.
- After about an hour, remove tray juices into a bowl. Lay smoky bacon over the breast and return the bird to roast for 20 minutes so the bacon crisps and basts the meat.
- Scatter mixed mushrooms (seasoned) on the low shelf of the oven beneath the chicken to fry and roast simultaneously.
- Wilt spinach in the same tray with a little oil. Heat lentils, season with vinegar and mix gently with a few spoons of crème fraîche—don’t over-stir so it ripples beautifully on top.
"Roast chicken is a thing of beauty."
Serve slices of chicken over the mushroom bed with a spoonful of lentils and spinach—simple, rustic and utterly satisfying.
Sweet Potato Burgers with Quick Slaw
Here’s a fun family swap: grilled sweet potato rounds in the patty line-up and a raw sweet-potato slaw for crunch. It’s an approachable way to refresh a classic burger—another example of cooking, easy recipes pushing regular ingredients into something exciting.
Ingredients
- Minced beef (or alternative mince), 2 patties
- 1 large sweet potato, halved
- ¼ white cabbage, grated
- Wholegrain mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper
- Brioche buns, lettuce, cheese
How to cook
- Slice sweet potato into ½ cm rounds and grill until charred and soft; grate the rest raw into the slaw with cabbage, mustard, vinegar, oil and seasoning.
- Form 120g patties from the mince, season on the outside, and grill about 3 minutes per side for medium.
- Glaze finished burgers with barbecue sauce, assemble with slaw, grilled sweet potato and lettuce.
Spiced Chicken Traybake & Quick Mustard Flatbread
This traybake packs bold flavours with minimum fuss: chicken thighs seared, tossed with jalfrezi paste, bay leaves, peppers and a hit of onion marmalade and red wine vinegar. The accompanying flatbread is a two-minute dough with mustard, rolled and double-laminated in oil for flaky, crispy layers—brilliant to mop up the sticky juices.
Quick flatbread – essentials
- 2 mugs self-raising flour
- 2 tsp English mustard, pinch of salt
- Water to bind, plenty of oil for laminating
Method
- Rub chicken thighs with salt and pepper, sear skin-side down in a tray with oil. Add garlic, green chillies (seeds mostly removed), jalfrezi paste, bay leaves and peppers.
- Stir in 2 tbsp onion marmalade and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, then roast at 180°C / 350°F for ~40 minutes.
- Make the flatbread: mix flour, mustard and water into a pliable dough; roll thin, oil, roll into a snail, then roll again and cook in a hot dry pan 3–4 minutes each side.
Cod & Asparagus with Avocado Hollandaise
An elegant midweek plate: steamed cod and asparagus topped with a silky avocado-based hollandaise that can’t split—no bain-marie required. Jamie swaps butter for avocado and blends egg and aromatics for a vivid, healthy sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 portions cod
- Asparagus spears
- 1 ripe avocado, 1 egg, juice of ½ lemon, splash white wine vinegar
- Spring onion greens, tarragon, salt and pepper
Quick method
- Simmer lemon, vinegar, sliced spring onion and a little water, then blend with avocado, egg to form a smooth sauce; adjust with boiling water for consistency.
- Steam trimmed asparagus with the cod on top for about 4 minutes until the fish flakes.
- Plate asparagus, top with cod and spoon over the avocado hollandaise; finish with chopped tarragon and spring onion.
Prawn Toastie with Quick Cucumber Pickle
This playful mash-up turns the classic prawn toast into a pan-fried family favourite. Chopped raw prawns mixed with ginger and spring onion sit between slices of bread dipped in egg white and coated in sesame for a crisp, golden finish. A speedy cucumber-lime pickle cuts through the richness.
Ingredients & tips
- 160g raw prawns, ginger, spring onions, 1 egg (separate whites)
- White bread slices, sesame seeds, light soy sauce
- Cucumber, lime, salt, chilli for quick pickle
How to assemble
- Chop prawns with ginger and spring onion, season lightly with soy. Spread onto bread, top with another slice and dip the edges in beaten egg whites, then press sesame seeds onto both sides.
- Sear in a non-stick pan 3–4 minutes each side until deeply golden and the filling is cooked through.
- Serve with the quick cucumber-lime pickle: salt sliced cucumber, squeeze lime and briefly massage to pull out excess water, then drain and serve.
Top tips for home cooks
- Use what’s in season—simple swaps keep these cooking, easy recipes fresh and affordable.
- Let oven time do the work: one-tray dishes free you up for family time while building flavour.
- Don’t fear shortcuts like marmalade or ready pastes—they’re flavour boosters that save time.
Serve & enjoy
These five recipes are joyful, practical and perfect for summer gatherings. Each one is designed to be approachable for busy families while delivering big, restaurant-style flavours—proof that cooking, easy recipes can bring people together without the fuss.
This article was created from the video 5 Family Recipes To Cook This Summer For Your Family & Friends with the help of AI.
5 Summer Family Meals: cooking, easy recipes from Jamie Oliver. There are any 5 Summer Family Meals: cooking, easy recipes from Jamie Oliver in here.
