Celebrating the unsung hero of the kitchen.
We recognise that the cost of living issue isn’t going anywhere, and that means, as butchers, we’ve got to keep looking at how to help families make their food budgets stretch further - without sacrificing quality.
Mince might not be glamorous, but it’s one of the hardest-working ingredients you can have in the kitchen. It’s lean, adaptable, and affordable. Everything the family cook needs.
At G.J. Honour, we sell five different types of mince, and over the next few months we’ll be shining a light on each one: what makes it special, what cuisines it works best in, and two go-to recipes - one for batch cooking and one for those busy midweek evenings.
To start us off, we’re talking chicken mince.
Why Chicken Mince?
Chicken mince has quietly been gaining popularity over the past few years. You might have noticed it popping up more often in the supermarkets. Here's 3 reasons why we love it:
- It’s a lighter alternative to beef or pork mince, making it a brilliant choice for anyone keeping an eye on fat intake or simply after something a bit leaner. Chicken mince is high in protein, low in fat, and full of potential.
- Because it has a mild flavour, it takes on seasoning and spice beautifully. From fragrant Thai basil and lemongrass to Italian herbs or smoky paprika. Think of it as a blank canvas for your favourite flavours.
- And when it comes to versatility, chicken mince really earns its keep. You can turn it into meatballs for a curry, use it in stir-fries, stuff it into lettuce cups, or simmer it in a quick bolognese. It’s easy to cook, affordable, and fits perfectly into family meal planning. Whether you’re cooking ahead or feeding everyone in 20 minutes flat.
Where Our Chicken Comes From
Our chicken mince is made from free-range birds raised in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
They’re high welfare, top-quality chickens that live happy, healthy lives, and you can taste the difference. The result is mince that’s lean, full of flavour, and far superior to the watery supermarket stuff.
Batch Cooking Recipe: Spicy Asian-style Chicken Mince
If you like a bit of heat and plenty of flavour, this one’s for you. Our spicy Asian-style Chicken Mince is ideal for batch cooking. It’s brilliantly versatile too:
- Spoon it into crisp lettuce cups for a light lunch
- Serve with rice and a fried egg for an easy dinner, or
- Serve it on top of your Thai Red Curry
It freezes well, reheats beautifully, and brings big flavour to the table with very little effort.
Here's the recipe to feed 4 people:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
4 spring onions sliced - keep the white and green parts separate
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
500g chicken mince
60ml oyster sauce
60ml honey
60ml light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tsp sesame oil
Method:
Heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the spring onions, garlic, ginger and carrot. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken mince to the pan. Break it up with a wooden spoon until it changes colour with no pink bits left and the lumps are all even sized.
In a small bowl combine the honey, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy and chilli flakes.
Add the sauce to the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every now and then to make sure it’s not catching on the bottom. At this point it's going to smell pretty intense and you might be wondering what on earth you're cooking - trust the process!
Eventually, the sauce will thicken and be absorbed by the chicken mince. The smell will also be lessened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil and green parts of the spring onions, then serve. Alternatively let it cool and then refrigerate to use later in the week.
I had mine with some lettuce cups - delicious!
Quick Midweek Recipe: Chicken Mince Caesar Wrap
This Chicken Mince Caesar Wrap is hardly a recipe but for when you need something filling and nutritious quickly, it hits the spot. Crisp, savoury, and satisfying. Perfect for those midweek evenings when the family’s hungry and you need a win.
Here's what you'll need to make 1 large wrap - you can scale up from here:
100g Chicken mince
1 tortilla wrap
Romaine lettuce
Parmesan cheese
Caesar dressing
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Smash 100g handful of chicken mince onto a wrap and mash it down into a thin, uniform layer with a fork, Season it well.
Put 1 tbsp of oil into a frying pan and put it over a medium-high heat. When it's hot, place the wrap down meat side down. Give it a bit of a press down to make sure the meat adheres to the wrap. After 2-3 minutes it should be golden and cooked through.
Flip the wrap over and give a minute of cooking on the other side to crisp up the wrap a bit.
Slide it out of the pan and add chopped romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan and a good drizzle of Caesar dressing.
Fold, wrap, and you’re done. I like to eat mine with some seasoned potato wedges.