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The Humble Chicken Breast: 3 fresh takes on a basic

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are literally the white meat of the meat world. They are a great lean protein, quick and easy to prepare, freeze well, and take to just about any flavor or cuisine you care for. But they also can be rather dull. So we’ve come up with three ways to jazz up this weeknight staple.

First, we created a spice rub. It’s as simple as it sounds — you stir together a few spices, rub it into the meat, then slap it on the grill or into a pan on the stove. It’s a great option to use on a sandwich because the breasts are pounded out flat before cooking.

Our second choice was a marinade. In the morning, toss all the ingredients in a zip-close bag and pop the whole thing into the refrigerator. When you get home from work, you’ll have a flavorful and moist dinner ready to cook. They can be cooked on the grill, in a grill pan on the stove, or even on a rack in the oven.

Consider throwing these tenders over a bed of rice or on top of a salad.

Our last option is smothered. Sometimes you want a gooey, sticky sauce to moisten things up. These breasts work especially well alongside roasted potato wedges and corn on the cob. Of course, if chicken breasts aren’t on your menu tonight, any of these options would work equally as well on chicken thighs, pork, even salmon or steak.

Ÿ Alison Ladman is a recipe developer for the AP. Follow her on Twitter @CrustAndCrumbCo

Sticky Orange-Cilantro Smothered Chicken

Miso-Lime Marinated Chicken Strips

Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts dress up to fit your palatte, from left sticky orange-cilantro smothered chicken, spiced-rubbed chicken breast and miso-lime marinated chicken strips. Associated Press
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