At some point in the last 20 years, boneless, skinless chicken breasts became terribly uncool. Professional cooks and recipe developers (like me) turned up their noses at white meat in favor of cheap and flavorful thighs. There was nary a boneless breast in sight unless it was breaded and fried.
Boneless breasts have taken a back seat for two big reasons: They don’t have much flavor, and they dry out easily. But what some see as shortcomings I see as assets. Bland? How about neutral in flavor. Easy to overcook? I think you mean quick-cooking. Both of these characteristics make them a fast, family-friendly option that isn’t buttered pasta. There are three fail-safe ways to leverage chicken breasts’ strengths: crisping, glazing or marinating them.
Like any meat, boneless, skinless breasts benefit from a good sear, which adds fat and texture, and builds a layer of caramelized flavor, just as the skin would. Don’t rush it, or you’ll be left with flabby and flavorless meat. To help things along, dredge the breasts in grated Parmesan beforehand. When they hit the pan, the cheese melts and crisps into frico, a nutty crust so deceiving that when I first made this at home my husband took one bite and said, “This is skinless?” Good man. Toss some big-flavored vegetables like mushrooms and red onion into the skillet, and you’ll never miss the skin.
You can also glaze them. Using a combination of soy sauce, honey, garlic and coriander instead of water to steam-cook the chicken keeps the meat moist and infuses it with zingy flavor. The sauce then reduces to a rich, mahogany glaze that coats the chicken. Serve the chicken with a vinegary cucumber salad and a pile of rice to soak up the syrupy glaze.
Finally, when in doubt, marinate. But not the old-fashioned way. Marinating is great in theory — hang out in a bath of oil, vinegar and herbs, and you’ll taste pretty good yourself — but who has the time? Instead, try a technique called the “post-marinade”: Brown the breasts, then pour a bright mixture of lemon, garlic, chile and herbs into the skillet. The meat soaks up the sauce and the sauce deglazes the pan. Add crisp greens and crunchy croutons. Sold.
When shopping, look for chicken breasts of the same size. Those plastic-wrapped trays are often packed with two big guys and a runty third. If you can point out the ones you want to the butcher, great. If not, just be prepared to take the smalls out a minute or two before the bigs to avoid overcooking. Also, use a 12-inch skillet. If you use too small a vessel, you’ll be forced to brown in batches or cram in a fourth breast and ruin all of your good searing. A skillet with a lid is useful but not necessary; use a large baking sheet or a piece of foil to cover the skillet when needed.
I’m not saying chicken breasts are better than chicken thighs — we’re all entitled to our chicken preferences — but you can never have too many fast and easy weeknight dinner options. And why clip your wings?
