It is so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to preparing and serving chicken. We all have our “go to” chicken recipes that we gravitate to when time is of the essence. Here are a few quick, easy and healthy options to add to your recipe collection. Pair these with your favorite veggie and salad, and dinner is on the table before you can say “mo’ chicken!”
Break out the cast iron skillet for a chicken dinner your whole family will remember.
Photo by Michael Phillips
CHICKEN CUTLETS IN A LEMON BUTTER PARSLEY SAUCE
SERVES 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
¼ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup white wine
¾ cup chicken stock, more if needed
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Place chicken between two pieces of plastic on a hard surface. Pound with a meat mallet or bottom of a clean, small cast-iron skillet until each cutlet is about ¼-inch thick. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. In another medium bowl, whisk egg and milk until smooth.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, then the egg/milk mixture. Place in the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a platter and keep warm. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
Using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the lemon slices and cook for 2–3 minutes or until lemons brown. Remove from skillet. Add the remaining butter and melt. Add flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Pour in white wine and simmer—still whisking—for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and continue to whisk and simmer for an additional 4–5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Sauce should be the consistency of thin gravy; add additional stock if needed. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over chicken. Top with lemon slices and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Chicken with Olives, Artichokes and Lemons
Add an elegant flair to the dinner table with this surprisingly easy chicken recipe.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 whole chicken legs, cut into thigh and drumstick (or chicken breasts cut in half)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 large yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional, or increase turmeric)
1½ cups chicken stock
1 cup halved green olives (preferably Castelvetrano)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 teaspoons minced cilantro
1 15-ounce jar artichoke hearts, quartered
1 lemon cut into slices
Heat oven to 350 F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot and cook, turning, until browned, 12–15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Add onions to the pot; cook until golden, 10–12 minutes. Add spices (coriander, white pepper, ginger, turmeric and saffron); cook for 2 minutes. Return chicken to pot with stock and bring to a boil. Move pot to oven and bake, covered, until tender, 35–40 minutes. Stir in olives, butter, parsley, cilantro, artichoke hearts and lemons; cook for an additional 6 minutes. Serve over couscous, rice or mashed potatoes.
Chicken Stuffed with Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Olives
Stuffed Chicken Breasts on Oval Platter Horizontal
The name says it all, but wait until you taste this combination of flavors with each and every bite.
Photo by Karen Hermann
SERVES 6–8
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
6 slices of prosciutto, cut in half
12 pieces mozzarella cheese, ½-inch thick rectangles (to fit on chicken half)
12 olives, pitted and halved (green or black or both)
Fresh ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup unsalted butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
½ cup chopped parsley, divided
¼ cup olive oil
On inside (cut side) of each breast cutlet, place a piece of prosciutto, a piece of mozzarella and two olive halves. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Fold unfilled side over to cover filling, and press edges firmly together to enclose filling or roll and secure with toothpicks. Flour each package so it is dusted on all sides. Beat egg slightly, adding milk. Dip chicken cutlets into mixture on both sides. Then dip into breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan. Add half the chopped garlic and parsley. Keep warm until chicken is cooked. Over medium heat, in a large skillet, heat remaining butter and olive oil with remaining garlic and parsley until fats are hot but not smoking. Place breaded chicken in skillet and turn heat to medium high. Saute chicken quickly, only until golden. Turn once to cook the other side.
Remove to heated serving dish. Remove toothpicks, if using. Pour warm garlic parsley butter on top.
Braised Garlic Chicken with Potatoes, Mushrooms and Peas
Dutch ovens were invented to make delicious one-pot wonders like this tasty recipe.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 4–6
1 whole chicken, cut up (or bone-in chicken pieces)
2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning
Canola/vegetable oil, as needed for browning
6–8 red new potatoes, cut into wedges
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups white wine
1½ cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ pound mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup frozen peas
Preheat oven to 425 F. Season chicken with all-purpose seasoning. (Cut breasts and larger pieces in half for even cooking.) In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil and brown chicken on all sides. Remove to a platter and keep warm. Add potato wedges to the pot and season with salt and pepper; cook until brown, about 8–10 minutes. Once potatoes are brown, add garlic and saute an additional minute. Deglaze with wine, scraping up bits on the bottom of pot until liquid is reduced by half. Add chicken stock and place chicken back into the pot. Bring to a boil and add the bay leaves. Cover and place pot in the oven; let cook for 20 minutes.
While chicken cooks, prepare mushrooms. In a large skillet or saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute until golden brown and all liquid has evaporated.
Check doneness of chicken with a meat thermometer—165 F on an instant-read thermometer—and remove pot from oven to medium-low heat on the stovetop. Stir in remaining butter; then mushrooms. Remove from heat and add peas. Let sit covered about 10 minutes to allow peas to warm up, and serve immediately.
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Chef Belinda’s tips and techniques
Egg and milk dredging substitute. If there is an egg allergy in the household, use buttermilk instead of the egg and milk mixture.
Why flatten boneless, skinless chicken breasts? This allows the cutlets to cook evenly and requires less cooking time.
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