Food basics

Ask my parents, former roommates, and boyfriend what my Food Network addiction is and they'll all tell you: Good Eats. Few of them see the appeal, but I love Alton Brown's simple, yet educated take on cooking. His recipes aren't exactly gourmet, but he's amazing at teaching his viewers how to easily cook those must-know recipes.



I'm constantly inspired by Alton's show, but realized that there are no recipes on how to make simple chicken (for pastas, salads, sandwiches, you name it). There are nights when I don't want to go to the grocery store for any fancy add-ons, and just have frozen chicken breasts in my freezer, and this is what I make.

No fuss chicken


1 chicken breast per serving
Salt
Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

If you use frozen chicken breasts, like I do, make sure to completely defrost your chicken before starting any of this. Put a frying pan on the stove on medium heat, making sure that it is completely hot before anything touches it.

Use a large knife (ie, not paring), that you're comfortable working with. You don't need something as large as a chef's knife, but something at least as long as the chicken breast and sharp. Place your non-cutting hand on top of the breast, and cut through it parallel to the counter. This part really matters if you want tender chicken. Then slice these halves into three pieces each, but use your best judgment.

The hard part is over. Liberally salt and pepper all of the pieces, then flip them over and repeat.

Add a quarter sized amount of olive oil to your hot pan. Honestly, if you have a non-stick pan, this step isn't even necessary. Add three pieces of chicken. You really don't want any more than that in the pan, or else the food will get crowded and won't cook evenly.

The hardest part is over. Our mission now is to touch the chicken as little as possible. You should only flip it once, although peeking is definitely permitted. You're looking for the chicken to start turning opaque, and some brown on the bottom. Flip when you see this, and wait for the now flipped side to start to show those brown bits. If you're still wary about how cooked the pieces are after that, you can check by carefully pulling back a piece of the chicken with a fork. If you can't see pink, you're fine. Remember that the longer the chicken is on this kind of heat, the drier it gets... but you don't want salmonella poisoning, so don't chance it.

You're done! It's not fancy, but it's delicious, tender chicken that you can add to just about anything. I made this with couscous last night, then chopped up the leftovers and put them on a sandwich with melted cheese for a sandwich for lunch today. Simple chicken is one of the building blocks of cooking, and opens up so many new options once you know how to successfully cook it.