By Barbara Beltrami
You’re probably wondering why I hardly ever write about chicken. In fact, several people have asked me that, and I can answer only that there are so many chicken recipes in magazines and cookbooks and on the internet that it’s seemed superfluous. However, a recent menu planning experience has convinced me otherwise.
At my wit’s end to accommodate those who didn’t eat red meat or were allergic to fish, I found myself scouring my files for recipes and realized that there’s always such a good old standby whose myriad ways of preparation have rescued many a cook, tantalized many a guest and certainly saved the day for me.
There are three recipes here: one for the cook top, one for the grill and one for the oven, so depending on the weather, your mood and what else you have on hand, you can choose your preparation. That’s the great thing about chicken; there are so many ways to prepare it that you can’t go wrong. In fact, I think I’m going to do a column on chicken more often.
Summer Chicken Stew
YIELD: Makes 3 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
One 3½-pound chicken cut into 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Flour for dredging
½ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or basil
2 large fresh tomatoes, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup dry white wine
DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge it in flour. In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup oil over medium heat. Fry chicken, turning pieces once, until both sides are golden; remove to large saucepan. Discard oil and add remaining ¼ cup oil to pan; add onion, eggplant, bell pepper and herbs and saute stirring frequently, over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to saucepan with chicken, add tomatoes, garlic and wine and mix thoroughly. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally and adding ½ cup water at a time, if needed, until chicken and veggies are done, about 45 minutes. Serve with orzo and a summer lettuce salad.
Pesto Grilled Chicken
YIELD: Makes 3 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
½ cup pignoli nuts
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
One 3½-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
DIRECTIONS:
Place basil, garlic, oil, grated cheese, pignoli nuts and salt and pepper in bowl of electric food processor and puree, scraping bowl often, until smooth and medium green in color. Heat grill to medium-hot. In large bowl toss chicken pieces with pesto until evenly coated. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Let sit and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is crispy and slightly charred and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a knife, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese and corn on the cob.
Oven-Fried Chicken
YIELD: Makes 3 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
One 3½-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 cups buttermilk
1½ cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over it; let sit to marinate at room temperature 30 minutes. In a wide shallow bowl or pan, thoroughly combine breadcrumbs, herbs and salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces in breadcrumb mixture to thoroughly coat on both sides; place on greased baking sheet and let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 F. Bake chicken until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.
