Poor chicken breasts, the old workhorses of desperate weeknight dinners, of mediocre restaurants, of large-scale corporate catered events. Handled incorrectly, they can be dry, bland, boring: a blank slate still, well, woefully blank. But dressed up, in a top hat or fancy coat, in glittery heels and a fur collar, chicken breasts can star in any dinner, one simple or elegant, harried or leisurely. Here are seven reasons to give chicken breasts a chance -- 7 ways to turn a blank slate into a wonderful meal.
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Cook three chicken breasts in water with bouillon, vegetables and herbs. Save stock and chicken. Give the rest to the worms.
One breast goes to filling of spinach chicken dumplings for the soup. (They're more like little turnovers you poach in the soup.) Extra chicken goes into the soup.
Second breast goes to filling of chicken pot pie.
Third breast goes to chicken enchiladas.
I've got plenty more recipes including chicken cacciatore, panko fried chicken, chicken kiev and chicken a lá king. My Mom makes a wonderful chicken and dumplings but I haven't mastered the fluffy dumplings yet.