Owning your first AGA is a true joy, and we created this list of starter meal ideas to help you dive right into delicious AGA meals. Whether it is meat, fish or pasta, these helpful cooking tips help you understand where to start and which oven to use.

Chicken

Roast Chicken: For that very first meal on the AGA, we suggest a whole roasting chicken. Just put the chicken in a small AGA roasting tin or baking tray and season with garlic, lemon, rosemary or your favorite seasoning. We like to place the garlic and lemon under the skin. Put the chicken on the floor of the Roasting Oven for about 40 minutes. If you want to slow your cooking time, simply transfer the chicken to your simmering oven after the first 20 minutes.

Extra Tip: You may also keep your cooked chicken warm in the simmering or warming oven without worrying about drying it out. Serve with rice and a vegetable and everyone will know why you bought your AGA.

Chicken Breasts: For chicken breasts, marinate or season as desired. Preheat a grill pan in the roasting oven and place on the boiling plate. Add the chicken and quickly sear both sides. Put the chicken on a rack in a small roasting tin or baking tray and place in the roasting oven for 8 to 10 minutes to finish.

Beef

Beef Tenderloin: Beef tenderloin is an all-time favorite. A 4-pound tenderloin will take about 30 to 40 minutes in the roasting oven. Remove when a meat thermometer reaches 110°F (meat will continue to cook 10 to 15 degrees further after it is removed from the oven). Rest on the warming tray for 15 minutes and you’ll have delicious medium rare beef.

The tenderloin can also be started in the roasting oven and moved to the baking or simmering oven to finish depending on your schedule.

Steak: Individual steaks are easily seared in the grill pan on the boiling plate and moved into the roasting oven.

Hamburgers: Hamburgers can go directly into the roasting oven and never need to be turned.

Fish

Baked: To bake fish, wrap in aluminum foil or parchment paper and season to taste (we like lemon and dill). Bake in the roasting oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.

Poached: Poach fish by putting it in an AGA roasting pan or a fish poacher and covering it with liquid and seasonings. Bring it to a boil on the boiling plate, cover, and transfer to the simmering oven. Allow ten minutes per pound.

Fried: We fry fish on the floor of the Roasting Oven. Heat a grill pan in the roasting oven and then simply add the fish to the hot pan.

Rice 

For delicious rice every time, bring water and rice to a boil on the boiling plate. Use 1 part rice and 2 parts water. Cover and put in the simmering pven. Two cups of rice will be ready in 20 to 30 minutes, but can be left in for up to an hour. If you need to hold it longer, remove from the pot and place in a room temperature bowl. Add herbs and enjoy!

Pasta

Pasta is quick and easy. Follow package directions for amount of water and pasta. Bring the water to a boil on the boiling plate, add salt after it has started boil, then add the pasta. Cook to al dente. To keep warm until ready to serve, drain the pasta and place it back in the pot. Toss with good olive oil until thoroughly coated. Then place in the warming oven for up to 30 minutes.