365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (12 page)

1.
Preheat broiler. Flatten chicken to an even thickness. In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil and garlic. Brush about 2 tablespoons of garlic oil over both sides of both bread and chicken.

2.
Broil chicken about 4 inches from heat, turning once, until white throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Broil bread, turning once, until golden, about 1 minute. As soon as chicken is cool enough to handle, cut crosswise into strips.

3.
Whisk vinegar, Worcestershire, pepper, and anchovies into remaining garlic oil. In a large mixing bowl, toss lettuce with about three-quarters of dressing. Add cheese and toss again. Arrange chicken on top of lettuce and drizzle on remaining dressing. Garnish each salad with a toasted bread crouton.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: none Chill: 1 hour Serves: 4

Marinating cooked chicken in yogurt makes it ever so tender. As a timesaver, look for cut-up fresh pineapple in your supermarket’s produce department or salad bar.

• 1 cup plain yogurt
  

• ½ cup chopped fresh mint
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
  

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
  

• 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
  

• 1 cup diced pineapple, either fresh or canned
  

• Mint sprigs, for garnish
  

1.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add chicken and stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

2.
Add cucumber, red onion, and pineapple to chicken. Stir to combine. Garnish salad with mint sprigs.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: none Chill: 30 minutes Serves: 6

This is a contemporary version of an old favorite—the do-ahead layered salad.

• 3 cups cooked cubed chicken (about ¾ pound)
  

• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  

• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  

• 1 red bell pepper, diced
  

• ⅔ cup thinly sliced scallions
  

• 1 cup mayonnaise
  

• 2 fresh or canned jalapeno peppers, minced
  

• 1½ tablespoons lime juice
  

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
  

1.
In a 2-quart glass bowl, layer half of chicken. Make another layer of all of corn and then beans. Layer remaining chicken, then bell pepper and scallions.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, minced jalapeno peppers, lime juice, mustard, and salt. Spread over top of salad to cover completely. Refrigrate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

3.
Just before serving, sprinkle cilantro on top. To serve, scoop down to get some of each layer of salad.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: none Serves: 6

Buttermilk makes a tangy homespun dressing, but gives a rich flavor to this rather sophisticated salad. If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute plain yogurt. Prewashed, ready-to-use spinach can save you a lot of time here.

• 8 cups washed and torn spinach leaves
  

• ¾ pound thinly sliced cooked chicken breast
  

• 1 head of Belgian endive, thinly sliced
  

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
  

• 2 small seedless oranges, sectioned, with sections cut in half
  

• 8 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
  

• 2 tablespoons orange juice
  

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  

• ¼ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
  

• 1½ teaspoons grated orange zest
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

1.
In a large bowl, toss together spinach, chicken, endive, red onion, mushrooms, orange sections, and crumbled bacon.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to mix. Serve at once.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: none Serves: 4

• 1 head of green leaf lettuce
  

• ½ pound thinly sliced smoked or cooked chicken
  

• 2 large nectarines, sliced
  

• ¼ pound Swiss cheese, sliced and cut into thin strips
  

• ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
  

• 1 cup blueberries
  

• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  

• 2 tablespoons blueberry or other fruit vinegar
  

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

1.
Make a bed of lettuce leaves on a platter or 4 plates. Arrange chicken, nectarines, and cheese decoratively on lettuce. Scatter scallions, blueberries, and chopped mint on top.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over salad(s) and serve.

Prep: 25 minutes Stand: 30 minutes Cook: 35 to 40 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

Serve this either hot off the grill with warm lentils or mix a few hours ahead and let the flavors meld and deepen, then serve at cool room temperature. The chicken can also be broiled.

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  

• 2 tablespoons orange juice
  

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  

• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  

• ½ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 1½ cups dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
  

• 1 red onion, chopped
  

• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  

• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced into rounds
  

• ½ cup chopped parsley
  

1.
Pound chicken gently to flatten to an even thickness. Place in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it in a single layer.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, orange juice, mustard, orange zest, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. Pour about 3 tablespoons dressing over chicken, smearing to coat all sides. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in refrigerator.

3.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine lentils with 3 cups of lightly salted water. Cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid. In a mixing bowl, combine lentils, red onion, bell pepper, carrot, ¼ cup of parsley, and remaining dressing. Toss to mix well.

4.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a barbecue grill. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until chicken is white throughout, 10 to 15 minutes.

5.
Let stand a few minutes, then carve crosswise into slices. Spoon lentils onto a large platter. Arrange chicken slices on lentils. Garnish with remaining parsley.

Prep and stand: 25 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 1 tablespoon lime juice
  

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  

• 1 avocado, cubed
  

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  

• 1 cup bottled chunky salsa
  

• 3 cups tortilla chips
  

1.
Prepare a hot fire in a barbecue grill or preheat broiler. Use your hand to flatten chicken to an even thickness, then place in a shallow dish. Add olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Turn to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.

2.
Grill or broil chicken, turning once, until white throughout, about 10 minutes. Thinly slice chicken across grain.

3.
On 4 to 6 serving plates, make beds of lettuce. Add grilled chicken and avocado. Sprinkle with cheese, then spoon salsa over salad. Surround with tortilla chips.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 6 to 8 minutes Serves: 4

This is a fried chicken supper in a flash—coleslaw included. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to ½ cup milk and let stand 5 minutes to thicken and curdle.

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  

• ⅓ cup flour
  

• ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ½ cup buttermilk
  

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons corn oil
  

• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  

• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
  

• 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage