We met at Club Med on Paradise Island in the spring of 1979. Within a month, David and I were engaged. And not long after that, I left my native Canada to make the States my home.
I feel like I’ve been on the run ever since.
In addition to juggling two hectic careers in Washington, D.C. — David is a lawyer; I’m a teacher and food writer — we have to juggle our love of good food. Which is how I learned to love chicken in a hurry.
The first time I came down to Washington to visit my husband-to-be, he convinced me he was a great cook by preparing Honey-Ginger Chicken, made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Not only was I amazed by
how good it tasted, but also by how fast it could be prepared.
The fact of the matter is, a lot of people are discovering the same thing. Last year, we consumed a record 63 pounds of chicken each, up from 50 pounds per person in 1980, according to William P. Roenigk, a director at the National Broiler Council in Washington, D.C.
And for the first time in 1983, we ate more chicken than pork. Today, beef and chicken consumption are running neck and neck. Roenigk predicts that “by 1990, chicken consumption will inch ahead of beef.”
There are good reasons for the steady rise. Chicken can save time and calories. And when you consider that it has about half the saturated fat of beef, it makes good sense for those of us who are health-conscious.
Furthermore, boneless chicken breasts in particular lend themselves to a variety of preparations. Sauteing, microwaving, barbecuing or broiling can give you savory chicken in 20 to 40 minutes from start to finish.
When I had my catering business, I used the boneless breasts regularly; they could be transformed into numerous hors d’oeurves, and clients loved them for buffet-style meals. Now I use them at home because they fit our busy lifestyle; they’re quick to prepare and even more healthful to eat when prepared without the skin.
“There’s a distinct advantage to removing the skin before cooking,” says Dr. Fred Pfaff, director of nutrition for Perdue Farms Inc. The fat content is reduced about 35 percent, he says, and the calories are reduced from 170 to 140 per 3 1/2-ounce raw portion of chicken breast.
Boned breasts also put you in the express lane for preparing a meal, even if you bone them yourself. A small sharp knife, such as a good paring knife, is the only equipment you’ll need for boning. With a little practice you can skin and bone one breast half in 1 1/2 minutes or less. (See Back to Basics, Page 3, for step-by-step instructions.)
Fresh herbs and ethnic ingredients pair beautifully with succulent chicken. Chilies and cilantro from the Southwest, hoisin and ginger from the Orient, andouille sausage from Cajun country, feta cheese and olives from the Mediterranean and fragrant curry from India impart their signature characteristics to chicken.
The following recipes use chicken breasts that have been skinned and boned. To remove the tendon, turn boned breast over and locate small fillet on back breast. Slip the knife under the tough white tendon in the fillet to loosen. Hold the tendon with one hand while scraping it with the knife from both sides to separate it from the fillet.
20 minutes flat
It’s not unusual in Mexican cooking to combine peanuts and tomatoes with chicken. Here’s an easy version with a creamy and chunky peanut sauce to serve with wagon-wheel pasta or rice with toasted pumpkin seeds.
CHICKEN WITH CHUNKY PEANUT SAUCE
2 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves or 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Dash Tabasco sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Separate fillets from chicken and remove tendons. Cut chicken into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Put in bowl. Stir 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce into chicken to coat. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil. In a small bowl, add tarragon to chicken stock. In another bowl, mix together remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, peanut butter and tomato paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large wide-mouthed skillet on medium-high heat and stir-fry chicken for 1 minute until seared and lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, garlic and cumin and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan if necessary. Stir peanut mixture into oil in pan and cook on low heat for 2 minutes, stirring the thick paste constantly. Whisk in stock and cook 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in chicken to coat. Add salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste. Serve with a zucchini and carrot stir-fry and a spinach and avocado salad to nicely round out the menu. Makes 2 servings.
20 minutes and baking
This is a pretty and colorful entree that is as good sauteed in butter for 6 to 8 minutes as baked.
SOUTHWEST CHICKEN WITH MONTEREY JACK & PEPPERS
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
5 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
4 ounces thinly sliced Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red pepper, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
1/4 yellow or green pepper, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, oregano, or parsley
1 avocado, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
2 teaspoons fresh lime or lemon juice
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together bread crumbs, 4 teaspoons chili powder, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Lay breast smooth side up. With a long knife cut a large horizontal pocket in each breast, leaving one edge intact so attached top can be flipped back.
Allow 1 ounce cheese per breast. Line pocket with 1/2-ounce cheese and arrange two rows of red peppers over cheese down length of the breast with a row of yellow peppers in between. Sprinkle with a pinch of remaining chili powder, black pepper and cilantro. Top with remaining 1/2-ounce cheese, fold breast over and secure edges with two toothpicks. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Sprinkle half the bread crumb mixture on a dinner plate and completely coat two breasts. Repeat with remaining coating and chicken. Bake chicken covered in a large, lightly oiled dish for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Discard toothpicks, diagonally slice chicken into 1/2-inch wide slices;fan slices on a warm plate. Arrange avocado and tomato slices on opposite side of plate and sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.
30-minute countdown
Teen-agers love this warm filling scooped up with tortilla chips. I like to make a vegetarian taco with this mixture, too — omitting the chicken, doubling the tomatillos or tomatoes and using an entire can of drained beans. Adjust the seasonings.
TACOS WITH CHICKEN AND BLACK BEANS
2 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 green onions, green and white part thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup cooked black beans or of can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
3-4 fresh tomatillos, husk removed, cut 1/2-inch square (1 cup) or 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes (see note)
1/2 cup red or green pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice, if using tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Pinch cayenne
10 tacos
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Separate fillets from chicken and remove tendons. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir in 2 teaspoons lime juice and 2 teaspoons oil to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy wide-mouthed skillet on medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken for 1 minute until seared, remove with a slotted spoon, cover and keep warm.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes until softened. Add beans, tomatillos, red pepper and jalapeno. Saute 2 minutes to warm, shaking pan. Gently stir in 2 teaspoons lime juice, salt, cilantro and chicken for 1 to 2 minutes to warm. The mixture should be crunchy and thick. Taste, add cayenne and adjust seasonings. Serve in warm crisp tacos with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Makes 2 cups filling for 10 tacos, or about 4 servings.
Note: Tomatillos are available in specialty or Spanish markets, and some supermarkets. Do not use canned tomatillos since they are too watery and mushy.
Minutes to microwave
A friend once told me that a hearty marinade of “a good 1/4 cup of hot seasonings to 2 cups of cider vinegar” is the mainstay of West Tennessee hog and rib barbecues. Use this sauce to baste broiled and barbecued chicken, too.
FIERY WEST TENNESSEE CHICKEN
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
( teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned
Heat butter, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, white pepper and salt in a measuring cup, covered, for 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave at 100 percent. Stir in vinegar and set aside. Lightly pound thick end of chicken breasts.
Place chicken on 10-inch round plate, pour sauce over chicken, coating top and bottom and marinate 10 minutes. Cover chicken and marinade tightly with plastic wrap.
Cook 5 minutes at medium-high (70 percent) power. Let chicken stand to finish steaming for 2 minutes. Serve with rice pilaf, steamed broccoli and crusty French bread. Makes 2 servings.
Note: Recipe cooked in 500-watt microwave. Reduce cooking time by 1 minute if using a full power unit.
The heat is on: barbecue or broil
This herbed marinade flecked with green onions doubles as a velvety serving sauce when blended with sour cream or yogurt. It’s also great with cooked, cubed chicken and water chestnuts for a refreshing salad or croissant sandwich filling.
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY HERBED MARINADE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Creole or grainy mustard
cup green onions, green and white part, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves or 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
2-3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon paprika
Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, oregano, basil, cayenne, salt and pepper together. Makes cups.
Coat chicken breasts with half the sauce. Mix remaining cup of sauce with sour cream and paprika for the serving sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Grill chicken in a covered grill on a rack (brushed with oil to prevent sticking) over a moderately hot fire for a total of 12 to 14 minutes. Begin by cooking chicken for 3 minutes per side to sear; grill for 6 to 8 minutes more, turning every 2 minutes for even cooking. (See note.)
Serve with sour cream sauce, crisp baked potatoes or grilled potato slices and steamed green beans. Makes 2 servings.
Note: To broil, place chicken smooth side down on a cake cooling rake set on a baking sheet for best heat circulation. Broil chicken 3 inches from broiler for 3 minutes. Turn and broil for 3 minutes. Turn again and broil 2 minutes more.
Sassy salad
A colorful main course salad. Try it with baby corn or steamed yellow beans, carrots, green beans or broccoli.
CHICKEN AND HEARTS OF PALM SUNBURST WITH CAESAR VELVET
Caesar Velvet:
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 anchovy fillets, drained, dried and halved
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
Sunburst:
4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned and steamed or microwaved
3/4 pound zucchini, halved crosswise and cut into finger-sized strips
1 can (7 ounces) hearts of palm, drained, dried on paper towel and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup bottled roasted red peppers, drained, cut 3 inches long by 1/4-inch wide (or fresh red peppers)
4 red-skinned potatoes, (3 ounces each) skins on, cooked, quartered
2 tablespoons tiny capers, drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, thyme, chives or parsley
In a food processor, mince garlic. Add anchovies, yolk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and process 30 seconds. With the machine running, drizzle in oil until creamy and thick. Makes 1 1/4 cups. Refrigerate leftover dressing up to 2 weeks. (See note.)
Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal. Arrange zucchini in a sunburst on a 14-inch glass platter. Arrange rows of peppers, hearts of palm and sliced chicken in sunburst on top. Place potato wedges in center and around platter.
Drizzle salad with 1/2 cup dressing. Pass remainder separately. Sprinkle salad with capers and fresh herbs. Serve room temperature with warm crusty bread. Makes 4 servings.
Note: To make dressing by hand, mash garlic, anchovies and salt. Whisk in all ingredients but oil. Drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until thick.
