THE most searched for recipes online are pancakes, fish and chips - and banana bread.

       Statistics from Google search figures show that people in the UK searched for a simple pancake recipe up to 368,000 times a month in the past four years, with that number rising to 522,000 times a month on average in 2021.

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       'Recipes for pancakes' is the most searched for phrase on Google for recipes Credit: Getty

       Other popular recipes people are keen to learn via the internet are chicken curry, fajitas and carbonara – with 49,500 searches each on average each month since 2017.

       And research of 2,000 adults found 62 per cent regularly turn to the internet when they're trying to find a recipe - as only eight per cent have NEVER used the world wide web for cookery help.

       The research, commissioned by Birds Eye also found despite the average household owning seven cookery books, half of those polled find it easier to use an online recipe.

       While one in twenty (six per cent) even admitted to using cookery books for display purposes only.

       But 43 per cent have been inspired by social media to try out a new recipe, with Facebook and Instagram being the most popular.

       A spokesperson from Birds Eye said: “After the challenges and changes to our daily habits we’ve all encountered over the last 18 months, it’s incredibly interesting to understand what meals the nation is now searching for and how they’re searching for them.

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       “Chicken breast recipes have been a midweek staple for many years, being a great option for a meal-for-one to catering for a dinner party, but the huge increase in searches for these following lockdown suggests how we are now more eager than ever to experiment with new recipes.”

       There have also been shifts in recipe searches during the pandemic.

       ‘Simple chicken breast recipes for dinner’ saw a 4,900 per cent increase in searches when comparing data from August 2019 to July 2020, with August 2020 to July 2021

       Searches for ‘chicken pasta recipes for dinner’ have also risen by 1,106 per cent.

       The average adult estimates they search for seven recipes online each month, and that they would be ‘lost’ without the Internet when it comes to cooking.

       A quarter were also guilty of using the internet to search for really simple instructions, such as how to boil an egg.

       50 most searched for recipes and average monthly searches

       Recipe for pancakes - 368000 Fish and chips - 201000 Recipe for banana bread - 135000 Recipe for scones - 135000 Recipe for Yorkshire pudding - 135000 Recipe pizza dough - 90500 Fish pie - 74000 Chicken breast recipes - 60500 Chicken curry - 49500 Chicken thigh recipes - 49500 Fajitas - 49500 Thai green curry - 49500 Recipe American pancakes - 49500 Recipe carbonara - 49500 Recipe for chilli con carne - 49500 Recipe hummus - 49500 Recipe paella - 49500 Chicken casserole - 40500 Chicken tikka masala - 40500 Katsu curry - 40500 Roast chicken - 40500 Recipe apple crumble - 40500 Recipe guacamole - 40500 Recipe lasagne - 40500 Recipe macaroni cheese - 40500 Recipe quiche - 40500 Recipe toad in the hole - 40500 Recipe Victoria sponge - 40500 Recipe with courgette - 40500 Recipe with minced beef - 40500 Butter chicken - 33100 Coq au vin - 33100 Hunter chicken - 33100 Chickpea curry - 33100 Fish tacos - 33100 Sea bass recipe - 33100 Recipe cottage pie - 33100 Veg soups - 33100 Vegetable curry - 33100 Vegetarian roast - 33100 Chicken pie - 27100 Coronation chicken - 27100 Jerk chicken - 27100 Kung pao chicken - 27100 Sweet and sour chicken - 27100 Tandoori chicken - 27100 Onion bhaji - 27100 Thai red curry - 27100 Chicken and leek pie - 22200 Chicken biryani - 22200

       And 38 per cent of those polled via OnePoll said they have discovered their favourite recipes on the internet.

       The spokesperson added: “Social media has been a great way for us to reach a new audience with exciting and delicious chicken grills recipes.”

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       'Recipes for banana bread' is a popular search term on Google after 'fish and chips' and 'recipes for pancakes' Credit: Getty

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