Annie Starke is an actress, self-taught cook and mental health advocate. She grew up in Bedford, New York and lives in Bozeman, Montana with her husband. She’s always had a passion for entertaining and loves to cook amazing effortless meals indoors and over the fire at her family’s mountain ranch.

Annie Starke

Annie Starke's Gorgeous Chicken Grain Bowls

Gorgeous Chicken Grain Bowls

Meet The Creator

Roast Chicken

Chicken Marsala is one of my dad’s favorite dishes. I learned to make this recipe by cooking it for him over time. This recipe has a really delicious balance of Marsala, mushrooms, garlic, and lemon. It’s an easy stovetop meal that can be made quickly, but is satisfying and rich in flavor.

Chicken Marsala

Fried Chicken

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Flautas

“Pho wasn’t a dish you could easily find in Waco until the last few years, so serving it to friends always felt like revealing a best-kept secret. If you can’t find the rice noodles at your grocery store, you can always substitute ramen in a pinch. The finished product won’t be traditional pho, but you will still receive all the warmth and restoration a bowl of pho can give.” — Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Chicken Pho from Magnolia Table, Volume 3. 

Chicken Pho

Chicken Florentine

There is a large Portuguese community in our area, and this is how I first learned about chicken piri piri. I had this classic dish at a barbecue and fell in love with the combination of spice and acidity. I love to cook chicken, but sometimes it can feel plain. In this version of the dish, the lemon, vinegar, and spices bring so much flavor to the meat, and the use of red pepper flakes instead of the traditional piri-piri chiles makes it easy to put together. It’s a fun recipe to make on the grill, but it’s also simple to make in the oven if you’re feeling like a cozy meal at home, so I’ve given instructions for each method below.

Chicken Piri Piri

Perfect Roast Chicken

Honey Chicken

In my book, whole-roasted chicken is an essential recipe for any kitchen. There’s something comforting about the smell enveloping you as it roasts. I always add vegetables to cook alongside the chicken to make dinner a little easier – all in one pan, delicious, and hearty. While there’s wide versatility in the veggie selection, parsnips are a good choice because they caramelize to candy-like sweetness when they cook. Rosemary adds an irresistible piney flavor. But the crispy chicken skin is the star. For the best results, it is imperative to season the chicken with salt ahead of time. After buying the chicken, go ahead and prepare it for cooking by salting it. Seasoning ahead of time will allow the salt to penetrate into the chicken, making it more delicious and help retain moisture when roasting.

I find myself using chicken stock in my cooking almost every day. I use a jar of stock to make rice and pasta dishes, and to make soups and stews. It is a quick and simple way to elevate the flavor of a dish. The best way to do this is to make a big pot of stock, process it in a pressure canner, and stock your pantry with the jars. It is fun to make this recipe on a cold day when you are getting things done around the house, since the stock simmers on the stove for a long time.

Chicken Stock

Lemon Chicken

Samantha Seneviratne's Chicken and Clam Paella

Chicken and Clam Paella

Jo’s Chicken Pot Pies

Chicken Soup Dumplings

This chicken pot pie is hearty yet nourishing. It highlights the vegetables, which stay bright and colorful. The chicken is poached not roasted, so the broth from the poaching adds depth to the flavor. The pastry is flaky, buttery, and rich, and it is a wonderful way to feed a large group of friends.

Chicken Pot Pie

"An easy way to gather vegetables for this recipe is to keep a baggie in the freezer and whenever you have leftover vegetables you can just toss them in. That way, as soon as you cook a recipe that leaves you with chicken bones, you have what you need to make the stock—you can just put it all in a large pot on the stove and let it simmer. I always try to make as much of this stock as possible so that I can freeze at least half the batch. There is satisfaction in using every last bit of food you can, and knowing that nothing is going to waste." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Homemade Chicken Stock

“My daughter Ella loves white sauce with pasta. Besides chicken, it’s her favorite way to top pizza and pasta. This recipe was an experiment in combining her two favorite toppings in a classic lasagna—and I love the way it turned out.” — Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Gorgeous Chicken Grain Bowls

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Roast Chicken

Chicken Marsala

Fried Chicken

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Flautas

Chicken Pho

Chicken Florentine

Chicken Piri Piri

Perfect Roast Chicken

Honey Chicken

Roast Chicken

Chicken Stock

Lemon Chicken

Chicken and Clam Paella

Jo’s Chicken Pot Pies

Chicken Soup Dumplings

Chicken Pot Pie

Homemade Chicken Stock

White Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Curry Chicken Salad