A story is told that during a visit by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the United States, he attended a dinner at which he asked the server for chicken breast.
“In this country,” the woman gently chided him, “we say `white meat’ instead of breast.”
Some time later, she received a large and beautiful corsage from Churchill with a note. It said, “Please do me the honor of wearing this on your white meat.”
Chicken breast. White meat. Whatever you call this choice portion of the chicken anatomy, you’ve surely been among the legions who find it anything but funny trying to come up with new and interesting ways to prepare it.
Who wouldn’t be daunted by the task? Americans eat 73 pounds of chicken every year. We particularly like chicken breast because it’s convenient, with little visible fat or waste to worry about. Skin and fat removed, it’s a relatively healthful food. And we like its versatility; it can be used anywhere, from the wok to the grill to the oven.
Chicken breast has been referred to as a blank canvas because you can do anything to it. With a little creativity, it can become a masterpiece.
But who’s feeling creative at 6 o’clock at night? After working all day, you’re probably more concerned about feeding the hungry mouths in your family–fast–than playing Julia Child.
We understand. That’s why we’ve done some of the work for you by offering some ideas for cooking up chicken breasts quickly and deliciously.
So get the chicken breasts–er, white meat–out of the freezer and try one of these tonight.
– Salsa chicken: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and pat dry 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Place a chicken breast in the center of a piece of aluminum foil about 8 inches square. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Fold the pointed, thin end of the chicken under the thick end, so the meat will cook evenly. Top each breast with 3 tablespoons of mild or medium salsa. Wrap well and fold the edges of the foil to seal the salsa inside. Bake 35 minutes. If using frozen chicken breast, bake 45 to 50 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Serve with avocado slices, sour cream if you like.
– Apples and chicken: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pound 4 chicken breasts flat with the rim of a saucer. Prepare the filling: In a bowl combine 2 apples (peeled, cored and chopped), 1 cup raisins, 3 tablespoons apple or orange juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. (Throw in a few walnuts or pine nuts if you have them.) Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and place in the middle of chicken breasts. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place breasts in a dish. Spread any remaining mixture over the rolled-up chicken pieces. Cover with foil. Bake for about 35 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Serve with rice, risotto or stuffing.
– Honey-Dijon chicken: Pour a jar of bottled honey-Dijon barbecue sauce into a 1-gallon zip-lock bag or a shallow glass baking dish. Marinate 4 chicken breasts in the sauce for 1 hour. Remove breasts and place on hot grill. Cook about 15 minutes. Baste toward end of cooking period with sauce. Discard any remaining sauce. Serve chicken with assortment of grilled vegetables (bell peppers, onions, zucchini, mushrooms) and/or roasted potatoes. Makes 4 servings.
– Sesame chicken nuggets: Cut 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks. Place in large bowl. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, toast 2 tablespoons sesame seeds until golden brown, stirring often. Sprinkle toasted seeds over chicken chunks. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve nuggets with purchased sweet-and-sour sauce, barbecue sauce or honey. Makes 4 servings. Accompany chicken with cooked lo mein noodles. (Recipe from Fast and Healthy magazine.)
– Curried chicken Caribe: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet. At medium heat, cook 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 1 small onion, chopped, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine one 8-ounce container of plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon apricot spreadable fruit or preserves, 4 teaspoons creamy peanut butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder. Mix until well blended. Turn chicken over; stir in yogurt mixture. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clean, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 servings. Serve with rice or couscous. (Recipe from Fast and Healthy magazine.)
– Chicken primavera potatoes: Pierce 4 potatoes with a fork; place on paper towel or microwave-safe roasting rack in microwave. Microwave on high (100 percent) 15 minutes or until tender, turning once halfway through cooking. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 3/4 cup chopped zucchini and 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper; cook and stir until zucchini is crisp-tender. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 1/2 cups skim milk; stir until well-blended. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast; cook until thoroughly heated.
To serve, cut potatoes in half lengthwise, cutting to but not through bottom of potatoes. Mash slightly with a fork. Spoon chicken mixture over hot potatoes. Makes 4 servings. (Recipe from Fast and Healthy magazine.)
Note: You can cook chicken breasts over a weekend, cool, cube or shred and refrigerate until ready to use–but not for longer than four or five days. To steam chicken breasts, place in a collapsible steaming basket in a Dutch oven or other large pan with lid. Fill with 1 to 2 inches of water. Steam about 30 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure water does not evaporate completely during cooking.
– Garlic baked chicken: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse 4 chicken breasts and pat dry. Arrange on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan. Spread 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (bottled minced garlic is fine) over each piece of chicken. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Makes 4 servings. Serve with steamed vegetables and warm bread. (Recipe from “American Heart Association Quick and Easy Cookbook.”)
– Lemon pepper chicken with linguine: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange 4 chicken breasts in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Squeeze juice from a lemon half over chicken. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cover and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook 8 to 10 ounces of linguine according to package directions. Do not use oil or salt in preparation. Drain and return pasta to saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cup meatless spaghetti sauce and 2 tablespoons fresh basil, oregano or parsley, chopped. Toss to mix well. Serve chicken over pasta mixture. Makes 4 servings. Serve with garlic bread and tossed salad. (Recipe adapted from “American Heart Association Quick and Easy Cookbook.”)
– Greek chicken: Sprinkle skinless, boneless chicken breasts generously with Greek seasoning, available in grocery stores. Saute in 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over couscous. Offer crumbled feta cheese on the side.
– Sweet and sour chicken: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and pat dry 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Arrange in an ungreased shallow baking dish. In a bowl, combine 1 cup Russian salad dressing, 1 cup apricot preserves and 1 package (3 ounces) onion soup mix. Mix well. Pour over chicken. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.
