Chicken is a basic ingredient in many kitchens. It's more nutritious than red meat and there are so many ways to cook it. Try these hints the next time you're hungry for chicken!
1. Have you tried steaming it? This is perfect for a quick meal for one or two. Put a boneless, skinless chicken breast into one of those zippered steaming bags that you can find in your grocery store. Sprinkle in a little seasoning salt, some fresh ground pepper and a couple Tablespoons of BBQ sauce. Zip the bag closed and give it a shake. Cook it according the directions on the steaming bag: about six minutes for a chicken breast.
Be careful when opening- it will be hot and steamy! You will be amazed at how tender and juicy the chicken is- in no time and NO mess!
2. Make your own gourmet pizza! Use Alfredo sauce, if you like or BBQ sauce add your chicken breast, some mozzarella and bake. Who needs take out?
3. Citrus chicken sandwich- Want a sandwich that looks gourmet and tastes that way too? Brush a chicken breast with oil and grill until done. Slice it horizontally and then toss it up with a squeeze of lime juice, some sour cream and a Tablespoon of sweet chili sauce. Serve it on a crusty roll with some crisp lettuce and spinach leaves.
4. Marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts overnight, covered with Italian dressing. These are best cooked on the grill, but you can broil them as well. Toss the extra dressing. Because of the dressing, this will tend to flare up if you aren't careful, so keep an eye on it. It's worth the trouble.
5. Make kabobs. Cube chicken breasts and skewer them with alternative chunks of peppers, onion and zucchini. Brush with olive oil, squeeze on some lemon juice and grill or broil.
6. Cube the chicken breast and stir fry in wok or skillet until starting to brown. Add a bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Season with lemon pepper. Turn the heat to med-low and cover. Simmer for about 6 or 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until veggies are done, but still firm. Serve it up!
7. Cut chicken breasts into small strips or cubes and brown. Add one can cheddar cheese soup and ½ cup salsa. Heat through and spoon ¼ cup of the mixture onto one-half of warmed, soft flour tortillas. Moisten the edge of tortilla, fold over and press down the edges to seal. Bake in 325° for about 5-7 minutes.
8. Add chicken breast and broccoli to creamy macaroni and cheese. This is best if you use the creamiest macaroni and cheese you can. Choose homemade, frozen or the shells and cheese brands.
9. For a Mediterranean style chicken flavor, mix diced cooked chicken with some plain yogurt and Greek-style seasoning mix. Serve this on a croissant or in a pita shell.
10. Fry chicken breasts lightly in olive oil. Add sliced onion, chopped red pepper, zucchini and a clove of garlic, diced or crushed. Fry for just a few minutes and add some dried basil and a can of chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Take off the lid and simmer 5 minutes longer. Serve with rice.
(Christine Steendahl – Ezine @rticles)----------------------------------------------------------
