You are on page 1of 3

CHICKEN

BREASTS
+9 WAYS

180

181

POACHED

I used to be one of those people who ragged on


boneless, skinless chicken breasts for being
flavorless and dry. That was until I learned
how to not overcook them.
In preparing chicken breasts, remember that
they should be cooked only until the last traces
of pink have vanishedand no longer. (Use a
thin-bladed knife to peek; if you prefer a meat
thermometer, measure at the thickest spot and
stop cooking at 155F or a little bit higher.) A
thinnish breast subjected to high heat can be
done in as little as 6 minutes, or it might take
as long as 10 minutes or even a bit morebut
never 20 minutes unless you are cooking the
thing on a radiator. Overcooking is easy, and
the results are predictably undesirable.
Whatever you cook a chicken breast with
is going to gain prominence, and whatever
cooking method you choose will have plenty
of impact. This provides good reason to keep
things as simple as possible: a skillfully
sauted chicken breast with lemon juice is a
beautiful thing. But gaining that skill takes
some practice, and even for veterans, attention
must be paid.
For these recipes, each of which serves four,
youll be using four chicken breast halves,
about 1 pounds altogether, not sliced into
cutlets or fingers or pounded flat but left as
they are, about 1 inch thick at the center. Learn
to cook by touch (the meat should yield slightly
when pressed) and by sight; with only a little
practice, youll know exactly when the breasts
are done.
182

ROASTED

SAUTED

White Wine, Onions, and Herbs

Herb-Roasted

Mushrooms and Wine

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saut 2 chopped medium


onions in 2 tablespoons butter until the onions soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the chicken, 1 cup white wine, 2 bay leaves, and several fresh
thyme and parsley sprigs. When the liquid boils, lower the heat to a
simmer, cover, and cook the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender
and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Boil the pan
mixture until it is reduced by three-fourths; it should be fairly thick. Over
low heat, stir in 2 more tablespoons butter, then return the chicken to
the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish:
chopped fresh thyme.

Heat the oven to 425F. Chop cup fresh parsley, dill, mint, or a
combination (a little minced garlic wouldnt hurt, either). Put 4tablespoons olive oil or butter in a roasting pan and place in the oven for
a couple of minutes, until oil is hot or butter melts. Roll the chicken in
the herb mixture, then add it to the pan; return the pan to the oven.
Roast, turning once or twice, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked
through. Garnish: more chopped herbs.

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Swirl


2tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in the pan. When the
butter foam subsides, dredge the chicken in flour, shaking to remove
the excess. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and nearly
cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover
loosely with foil. Add 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms to the skillet
and cook, undisturbed, until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates
completely. Add cup of any wine and let it bubble, stirring, until it is
reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add another tablespoon butter and
cook until the sauce is thickened; return the chicken to the skillet, turn
them in the sauce, and serve. Garnish: chopped parsley.

Soy-Poached

Coconut-Ginger

Florentine

Citrus

Skip the onions, butter, and


herbs. Toast cup shredded
coconut in a dry skillet and
set aside for garnish. Put the
chicken in the pan with cup
coconut milk, cup water,
and 1 tablespoon grated fresh
ginger. Reduce the sauce to your
liking and skip the additional
butter. Garnish: the toasted
coconut.

Tomatoes, Capers,
and Olives

Deviled

Substitute 2 or 3 shallots for


the onions (use butter or oil) and
cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
Use 2 tablespoons soy sauce,
the juice of 1 lemon, and cup
water instead of the wine. Substitute 1 tablespoon lemon zest,
1 tablespoon sugar, and teaspoon cayenne for the herbs.
Reduce the sauce a bit but skip
the extra butter. Garnish: fresh
cilantro and lemon juice.

Skip the herbs. Combine cup


Dijon or coarse mustard,
cup chopped shallots, and
teaspoon cayenne. Spread
this mixture over the top of the
chicken before putting it in the
pan. Use any extra mustard
mixture to baste the breasts;
roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until
just cooked through. Garnish:
chopped parsley.

After removing the chicken from


the pan, substitute chopped
fresh spinach for the mushrooms. Use white wine, and after
you reduce the sauce by half,
turn off the heat. Wait 30 seconds, then stir in cup heavy
cream or sour cream. Turn the
heat to low, stirring, until slightly
thickened. Return the chicken
to the skillet, turn in the sauce,
and serve.

Skip the mushrooms. Cut a large


orange in half and section one
half as you would a grapefruit,
removing any seeds; set the
other half aside. After removing the chicken from the pan,
instead of wine, add the juice of
the second orange half with the
juice of a lime and 1tablespoon
sugar. Include the orange
sections in the mixture. Finish
asabove. Garnish: lime.

KITCHEN MATRIX

Skip the herbs. Combine 2 or


3 chopped ripe tomatoes, the
juice of lemon, 1 teaspoon
drained capers, and a handful
of olives. Lightly grease the
pan with olive oil, then put the
chicken in the pan and pour the
tomato mixture over it. Roast
for 10 to 15 minutes, or until
just cooked through. Garnish:
chopped fresh basil.
POULTRY AND EGGS

183

POACHED

I used to be one of those people who ragged on


boneless, skinless chicken breasts for being
flavorless and dry. That was until I learned
how to not overcook them.
In preparing chicken breasts, remember that
they should be cooked only until the last traces
of pink have vanishedand no longer. (Use a
thin-bladed knife to peek; if you prefer a meat
thermometer, measure at the thickest spot and
stop cooking at 155F or a little bit higher.) A
thinnish breast subjected to high heat can be
done in as little as 6 minutes, or it might take
as long as 10 minutes or even a bit morebut
never 20 minutes unless you are cooking the
thing on a radiator. Overcooking is easy, and
the results are predictably undesirable.
Whatever you cook a chicken breast with
is going to gain prominence, and whatever
cooking method you choose will have plenty
of impact. This provides good reason to keep
things as simple as possible: a skillfully
sauted chicken breast with lemon juice is a
beautiful thing. But gaining that skill takes
some practice, and even for veterans, attention
must be paid.
For these recipes, each of which serves four,
youll be using four chicken breast halves,
about 1 pounds altogether, not sliced into
cutlets or fingers or pounded flat but left as
they are, about 1 inch thick at the center. Learn
to cook by touch (the meat should yield slightly
when pressed) and by sight; with only a little
practice, youll know exactly when the breasts
are done.
182

ROASTED

SAUTED

White Wine, Onions, and Herbs

Herb-Roasted

Mushrooms and Wine

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saut 2 chopped medium


onions in 2 tablespoons butter until the onions soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the chicken, 1 cup white wine, 2 bay leaves, and several fresh
thyme and parsley sprigs. When the liquid boils, lower the heat to a
simmer, cover, and cook the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender
and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Boil the pan
mixture until it is reduced by three-fourths; it should be fairly thick. Over
low heat, stir in 2 more tablespoons butter, then return the chicken to
the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish:
chopped fresh thyme.

Heat the oven to 425F. Chop cup fresh parsley, dill, mint, or a
combination (a little minced garlic wouldnt hurt, either). Put 4tablespoons olive oil or butter in a roasting pan and place in the oven for
a couple of minutes, until oil is hot or butter melts. Roll the chicken in
the herb mixture, then add it to the pan; return the pan to the oven.
Roast, turning once or twice, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked
through. Garnish: more chopped herbs.

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Swirl


2tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in the pan. When the
butter foam subsides, dredge the chicken in flour, shaking to remove
the excess. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and nearly
cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover
loosely with foil. Add 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms to the skillet
and cook, undisturbed, until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates
completely. Add cup of any wine and let it bubble, stirring, until it is
reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add another tablespoon butter and
cook until the sauce is thickened; return the chicken to the skillet, turn
them in the sauce, and serve. Garnish: chopped parsley.

Soy-Poached

Coconut-Ginger

Florentine

Citrus

Skip the onions, butter, and


herbs. Toast cup shredded
coconut in a dry skillet and
set aside for garnish. Put the
chicken in the pan with cup
coconut milk, cup water,
and 1 tablespoon grated fresh
ginger. Reduce the sauce to your
liking and skip the additional
butter. Garnish: the toasted
coconut.

Tomatoes, Capers,
and Olives

Deviled

Substitute 2 or 3 shallots for


the onions (use butter or oil) and
cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
Use 2 tablespoons soy sauce,
the juice of 1 lemon, and cup
water instead of the wine. Substitute 1 tablespoon lemon zest,
1 tablespoon sugar, and teaspoon cayenne for the herbs.
Reduce the sauce a bit but skip
the extra butter. Garnish: fresh
cilantro and lemon juice.

Skip the herbs. Combine cup


Dijon or coarse mustard,
cup chopped shallots, and
teaspoon cayenne. Spread
this mixture over the top of the
chicken before putting it in the
pan. Use any extra mustard
mixture to baste the breasts;
roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until
just cooked through. Garnish:
chopped parsley.

After removing the chicken from


the pan, substitute chopped
fresh spinach for the mushrooms. Use white wine, and after
you reduce the sauce by half,
turn off the heat. Wait 30 seconds, then stir in cup heavy
cream or sour cream. Turn the
heat to low, stirring, until slightly
thickened. Return the chicken
to the skillet, turn in the sauce,
and serve.

Skip the mushrooms. Cut a large


orange in half and section one
half as you would a grapefruit,
removing any seeds; set the
other half aside. After removing the chicken from the pan,
instead of wine, add the juice of
the second orange half with the
juice of a lime and 1tablespoon
sugar. Include the orange
sections in the mixture. Finish
asabove. Garnish: lime.

KITCHEN MATRIX

Skip the herbs. Combine 2 or


3 chopped ripe tomatoes, the
juice of lemon, 1 teaspoon
drained capers, and a handful
of olives. Lightly grease the
pan with olive oil, then put the
chicken in the pan and pour the
tomato mixture over it. Roast
for 10 to 15 minutes, or until
just cooked through. Garnish:
chopped fresh basil.
POULTRY AND EGGS

183

You might also like