I find it fascinating how you can learn a new technique or method of doing something in the kitchen that over time becomes so rote that you wonder how you even got along without it before.
Many years ago while staying home with our infant daughter, I happened to catch an episode of “The Barefoot Contessa,” Ina Garten’s Food Network show, and learned a technique that has truly been a game-changer in our household – roasting split chicken breasts.
It couldn’t be simpler, yet yields terrific flavor as well as an abundance of opportunity.
All you need is a package of bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts, olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the split chicken breasts skin side up on a foil-lined sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and roast for approximately 50 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat.
Now the possibilities are endless. You can make chicken spaghetti, chicken enchiladas, chicken soup, chicken and dumplings, chicken quesadillas and probably hundreds of other things. Hubby and I quickly became converts to this method and now roast split chicken breasts quite frequently because of the sheer versatility of having it in the fridge ready to use. An added benefit of cooking the chicken this way is that it retains both flavor and moisture and is a million times better than the dry, rubbery, tasteless chicken of yore when everyone boiled it.
Not long ago, I came up with the idea of experimenting with chicken salad. There are so many ways to prepare it and I felt like having several types in the fridge ready to go would make for some cool, quick, easy meals while still providing a little variety. Funny thing though, I got sidetracked by something I saw online and never got around to my deep dive into chicken salads but discovered something else instead – something that I’ve taken to calling “deconstructed chicken salad.”
I was checking out some recipes on foodbymaria.com when I saw a picture of something she called a savory egg breakfast plate, even commenting that the dish “is protein-packed and an absolute must to start your day on the right foot.” It had chickpeas, soft-boiled eggs, baby tomatoes, shaved zucchini and fresh herbs among other things.
That picture provided a bit of inspiration and I pivoted on my plans for supper that evening, basically fixing adult “lunchables.” On small individual sheet pans lined with parchment paper, I placed a little pile of roasted chicken, along with a sliced soft-boiled egg, some halved grape tomatoes, wholegrain crackers, slices of cheddar and Swiss cheese and some chopped steamed asparagus that had been cooled in an ice bath, all served with a couple of pinches of kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. We accompanied the meal with a super cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that I’d placed in the freezer earlier to chill. It may have been one of the best summer suppers I’ve ever had.
The next day for lunch I had some of the chicken, one of the soft-boiled eggs and some of the asparagus. The day after that, I got a little fancier with it and arranged it on a plate with some halved grape tomatoes instead of in little individual piles. I know I’ll get around to experimenting with various chicken salads at some point, but right now I’m really enjoying these easy meals made from cobbling various things together.
