Naked Chicken

Some tips to make chicken a little more exciting

By Khalil Hymore

I rarely cook with boneless skinless chicken breast. Ina doesn't like it, so I steer clear (she is one of my demi-gods after all). But lately, I've been rethinking that humble cut of naked poultry. It's so easy to knock boneless, skinless chicken breast when you're a chef. It's often tasteless and boring. In fact, very few ingredients are so unwelcome in a restaurant kitchen. The truth is it's the skin and bones that give the chicken flavor as well as much of the unwanted fat and calories. Which is precisely why boneless, skinless chicken is so popular (oh those healthy eaters).

An average roasted chicken breast contains about 200 calories, while the boneless, skinless variety had only about 140 calories. Boneless. skinless chicken breast is also quite inexpensive--Fresh Direct and Peapod both sell 'em for under $5 per pound. At Costco, well, they're an even better deal at under $3. Hmm...in these tough times, both Ina (and I) might need to start economizing, because you know she's not giving up that Beemer convertable!

Ok, so how do you take advantage of this economical cut of poultry without boring your family to tears? (You know you are! Be honest!) Full disclosure: It doesn't involve a can of condensed soup (Sorry Sandra!).

• A blank canvas - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are like a blank canvas (hence the countless recipes pairing it with canned soup), so let your imagination run wild--saute some healthy veggies to pair with it, braise it in a flavorful broth or broil it with some parmesan cheese over the top. You can marinate it in just about anything--fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil is one of my favorites. You can really do anything to them.

• Use a non-stick skillet - Naked chicken breasts (I love this new term!) have very little fat so a non-stick skillet or frying pan is essential. Not only will it help you achieve a great sear and browning, but it won't stick! In fact, having one great non-stick skillet in your kitchen is indispensable too for perfect eggs, pancakes, or fried rice. I love, love, love my Calphalon non-stick frying pan.

• Add a little fat - Even with a non-stick skillet, you have to use a little bit of fat for or else you might as well not heed my advice at all. In addition to making the cooking process easier, butter or olive oil (or bacon fat) will also provide much needed flavor. Even some "healthy" boneless skinless chicken recipes still call for a bit of butter, otherwise you might want to consider tofu.