This very special quick and easy will be less expensive if you marinate the chicken breasts yourself in Italian dressing. You can still make the “half-an-hour-or-less” rule if you let them marinate for only about 7 minutes; that’s enough for our purposes.

1 pound sliced fresh button mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter 6 Italian-marinated b.s.c.b. halves (buy them that way or do it yourself)
3 Tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 & 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbsp capers, drained
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Steamed fresh vegetables (optional)

In a 12-inch skillet cook mushrooms, uncovered, in a Tbsp of melted butter over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from skillet.

Turn the heat down to medium. Add the rest of the butter and the chicken breast halves to skillet. Cook, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes or until no longer pink (170� F), turning once. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

Remove skillet from heat; add vinegar to it, stirring to loosen browned bits in bottom of skillet. Return skillet to heat and stir in cream, capers, and pepper. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Return mushrooms to skillet; heat through. Cut each chicken piece in half horizontally to make two thin pieces, if desired. Top with mushroom sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

This is a chicken dish that will really get their attention and their "hurrays".

12 oz chicken strips
1/4 tsp each, salt & ground red pepper
1 tsp cooking oil
1 sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
1 small banana pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice 1 tsp corn starch
2 kinda-green bananas, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 cups hot cooked, quick-cooking brown rice

Season chicken with salt and red pepper and cook in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add sweet potato and banana pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink and potato is just tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the pineapple juice and cornstarch; stir into chicken mixture. Cook and stir gently until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in bananas. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

To be more eco-friendly I'm cutting back on the energy it takes and heat it generates to type the 30-some letters in “boneless, skinless, chicken breasts". From now on, when you see "b.s.c.b." here you'll know I'm fighting global warming in my own little way.

4 b.s.c.b. halves
Salt and pepper
8 oz mushrooms, halved
1 Tbsp olive or cooking oil
1 lemon
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 10-oz container light Alfredo sauce from the market

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

In large skillet brown chicken and mushrooms 4 minutes in hot oil, turning chicken halfway through.

Meanwhile, shred 2 tsp lemon peel; set aside.

Slice lemon and add the slices and broccoli to the skillet. Cover; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, then plate.

Add Alfredo sauce to skillet; heat through and spoon it over the chicken.

Add lemon peel and pepper and present your cteation to the lucky eaters.

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This is a Maryland dish so, of course, it’s ok to use crabmeat instead of chicken. Three cups of crabmeat will probably cost only about 4 times as much as chicken.

5 tablespoons butter
1 /2 cup sliced mushrooms, or more to taste
1 & 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 cups low-fat chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
3 Tbsp medium-dry sherry or Madeira
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper, just a tiny pinch

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium heat until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Set them aside.

Melt the rest of the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the flour blending it in with a whisk until smooth. Add the stock and cook until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, the chicken, and the mushrooms.

In a small bowl, beat the yolks and then add a little of the hot liquid to them. Add the yolks and wine to the chicken.

Simmer a few minutes, but don’t let the mixture boil or it'll curdle, and you'd hate that.

Season with salt and cayenne and serve over rice or taost or crepes.

This is quick as long as you don't keep eating the onions the way I do; I swear, these may be the most overlooked, under-appreciated snack in the store.

1 & 1/3 cups French’s French fried onions(or store brand; I know Wal-Mart has one)
1 & 1/2 lb b.s.c.b.
1 egg, beaten

Crush Onions in plastic bag

Dip chicken into egg, then coat in onion crumbs. Bake 20 minutes at 400°F until cooked through.

How's that for easy?

In less than 20 minutes, half of which you can use to read, watch tv or do your pilates, you’ll create a dish so special even you won’t believe it was so easy.

2 links andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 onion, quartered and sliced thin
2 small bell peppers, cored & sliced
8 oz chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 packets (6.4 oz each) dry red beans & rice mix
4 cups water
3 scallions, sliced

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion; cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until sausage is lightly browned.

Add peppers; saute 2 more minutes. Add chicken; saute 1 minute. Stir in rice mixes and water; bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 7 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.

Remove from heat; stir in scallions and serve with your favorite hot sauce.

Just another example of the exciting things you can do with chicken. (Try to calm your excitement enough to make a nice salad to go with this dish.)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp barbecue seasoning
4 BSCB (boneless, skinless chicken breasts, in case you wondered)
4 bacon slices
1 cup panko (Japanese extra-crispy breadcrumbs) or unseasoned ordinary breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. Butter

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Rub barbecue seasoning evenly onto each chicken breast. Wrap each bacon slice around each breast, stretching bacon to cover most of surface of chicken; then slightly flatten each breast with your palm. Secure bacon with a wooden pick.

Firmly press chicken in breadcrumbs in a large shallow bowl.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken in skillet 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Remove from skillet. and let cool slightly. Remove wooden picks before serving in case your eaters are overwhelmed by the beauty of this dish and forget to do it themselves. Serve with the mayo mixture you made a few minutes ago

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Call it a salad, call it an entrée. Whatever you choose to name it this is one delicious and nutritious chicken dish.

3 to 4 medium tomatoes
1 2 to 2 1/2 lb. Store-bought roasted chicken
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
I/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium lime, quartered
1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves
Salt and cracked black pepper

Cut tomatoes into slices and chunks. Divide among 4 individual plates.

Using 2 forks, gently pull chicken meat off bones; shred in large pieces. Discard, or save to make chicken stock, bones and skin. Top the tomatoes with chicken and avocado.

Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze juice from lime quarters over tomato, chicken and avocado. Sprinkle with basil leaves, salt, and cracked black pepper.

Do you sometimes feel a bit guilty about serving regular burgers to your kids/wife/husband/all of the above? Here's a quick and easy alternative that will satisfy their burger-lust and eliminate your guilt.

Sure, you could use chicken, but why should we just gobble the ugly gobbler only on Thanksgiving Day? But remember, you can’t do “rare” with poultry – but you knew that.

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb uncooked lean ground turkey
1/4 cup fine dry, unseasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
1/4 cup jalapeno jelly, melted or barbecue sauce(Optional)
Prepackaged shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, (toppings)

In a bowl combine egg, salt, and pepper. Add turkey and breadcrumbs; mix well. Shape the mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook patties over medium heat in oil for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the burger should register 165F. The same times and procedure apply to broiling them in the oven if you prefer.

Want a kickier burger? Lay on jalapeno jelly or barbecue sauce and cook another minute on each side to glaze.

To assemble, place cabbage and red onion on bottom of rolls and top with a burger.

This tasty burger will definitely get their attention and their praise if you create the seasoning according to the recipe for same included below.

1/4 cup canned chickpeas(a.k.a. garbanzo beans), drained and mashed
1 beaten egg
2 Tbsp fine dry bread crumbs
1-1/2 tsp Cajun Season Salt (Recipe below)
1 lb ground raw chicken or turkey
4 Kaiser rolls or burger buns, split

Preheat oven broiler.

In a medium mixing bowl combine mashed chickpeas, egg, bread crumbs, and that fabulous Cajun seasoning. Add ground chicken and mix well - use your clean hands. Shape into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

Next, be sure to wash your hands well since the seasoning will really, really hurt if you get any in your eye.

Place patties on a broiler pan rack and broil on the highest rack for 12 or 13 minutes, turning once.

Remove the burgers and broil your buns til they're just kind of gold.

Serve with lettuce leaves and tomato slices and plenty of ice water or other more interesting cold liquids.

Cajun Season Salt
Makes about a 1/4 cup (which c, considering all the pepper, should last a very long time stored with your other spices.

Combine 2 Tbsp salt,1 Tbsp ground red pepper and 1 tsp each ground white pepper, garlic powder and black pepper.

This is NOT "quick" if you marinate the chicken breasts at home, but if you have the time just put them in a plastic bag with some Italian dressing and let them rest for a few hours. But you're here at a quick and easy website so you should probably just buy them already marinated.

1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter
6 Italian-marinated b.s.c.b.halves (about 2 lb)
3 Tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbsp capers, drained
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Steamed fresh vegetables (optional)

In a 12-inch skillet cook mushrooms, uncovered, in 1 Tbsp of hot butter over medium-high heat about 3 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 Tbsp butter and the breast halves to skillet. Cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink (170F), turning once. Remove chicken from skillet. Remove skillet from heat; add vinegar and stir to loosen those tasty browned bits in the bottom of the skillet.

Return skillet to heat and stir in cream, capers, and pepper. Bring to boiling then simmer uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Add the cooked mushrooms and heat through.

If they're very thick cut each chicken piece in half horizontally to make two thin pieces, plate them and top with the mushroom sauce. For a super tasty and heathful meal serve with steamed vegetables.

Give this a "10" for easy and the same for taste. And it's good for you.

1-1/2 to 2 lb boneless, skinless breasts
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
¾ cup diced tomato, without liquid
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp snipped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a non-stick skillet cook chicken over medium heat 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown, turning once.

Reduce hea and place the garlic, half of the lemon slices, half of the tomato, the olives, onion, parsley, and oregano over chicken pieces in skillet. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Add the wine and the 3/4 cup broth. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 14 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter. Garnish with remaining lemon slices and there's your family's new favorite, especially if you're Greek.

Lemons, olives and couscous? It must be a Mediterranean quick & easy.

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for pan
8 lemon slices, plus 1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 l chicken thighs (about 8)
2 tsp herbes de Provence
1 box (10 oz.) plain couscous
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

Preheat broiler and lightly oil a shallow baking pan.

Arrange lemon slices in pan, placing 2 inches apart.

Rinse chicken, pat dry & evenly sprinkle all sides with herbes de Provence; season with salt and pepper.

Place each chicken thigh, skin side down, on a lemon slice and broil 4 inches from heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 1-3/4 cups water and 1 Tbsp oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous in a slow stream, stirring until combined. Immediately cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes then with a fork, stir in zest, parsley, celery, olives, and remaining oil; salt and pepper to taste.

Remove thighs from the broiler and arrange with lemon slices on one side of serving plates and couscous on the other.

What’s “Bisquick style”? Really it just means a whole lot quicker & easier than traditional flour plus baking powder, baking soda, etcetera, that you have to measure and add. And I’m sure you can find alternatives, maybe cheaper, maybe not, to real Betty Crocker’s Bisquick, and these peppery dumplings will still be wonderful.

1 & 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup frozen green peas
3/4 cup frozen sliced or diced carrots
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken (5 oz)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed creamy chicken mushroom soup
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix or similar
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Heat 1 & 1/2 cups milk, the peas, carrots, chicken and soup to boiling in a 3-qt saucepan. In a bowl stir Bisquick mix (or similar), 1/3 cup milk and the pepper until soft dough forms, then drop by 8 spoonfuls into chicken/milk mixture. Cook uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes then 10 minutes longer, covered.

Serve this Bis-quick & easy dish in shallow bowls with a little parsley on top.

Too easy to be this good tasting - and great looking.

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb. total)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry white wine or, if you must, chicken broth
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup fresh herbs,(oregano,thyme,mint or a mixture)
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
Steamed asparagus* (optional)

Place each chicken piece between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet, working from the center to the edges until pieces are an even 1/4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap - duh.

Combine flour and salt in a shallow dish. Coat chicken pieces with flour mixture.

In a 12-inch skillet heat 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add chicken & cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once.

Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Add white wine or broth and green onions to the skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute, scraping up any crispy, buttery bits in skillet. Cook about a minute more until reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat.

Whisk in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter until melted. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the herbs, the pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt (If using chicken broth, skip the salt.)

Serve it up with the asparagus or broocoli which you can steam or nuke while the chicken is cooking. Drizzle wine sauce over it all and lay a pinch of the remaining herbs onto each serving. Pretty, isn,t it?

You can also cut the breast tenders into thirds and create a quick & easy appetizer that will definitely enhance your rep as a great cooker.

1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup whole wheat cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 & 1/4 lb chicken breast tenders

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine multigrain crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl, Brush chicken evenly with mayonnaise mixture; dredge in cracker crumb mixture. Place chicken on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes until golden and chicken is done.

A wonderfully simple way to make wonderful tasting roast chicken

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Handful of chopped herbs, such as rosemary (careful, a little goes a long way in flavor), basil, tarragon or thyme
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 lemon, quartered, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a medium ovenproof dish with nonstick spray oil. In a medium bowl, mash the butter with a spoon until it is smooth. Add the garlic, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, mixing to combine.

With a sharp knife, make three diagonal slashes in each piece of chicken. Fill the cuts with the garlic-herb butter. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. When done, how about pairing it with buttered noodles tossed with Parmesan and the garlicky cooking juices poured over.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 Cup flour
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Dipping sauce such as BBQ, Plum, Sweet & Sour or Honey Mustard

Preheat oven to 450F.

Pound chicken breasts flat with a kitchen mallet (or, if you don't have a mallet, a baseball bat) between two pieces of plastic wrap. Cut into strips, about 1" x 4". Marinate them in soy sauce for 5 minutes.

Mix flour and sesame seeds on a plate & roll the drained strips in it.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray, place floured chicken strips on it and bake about 15 minutes, turning once. Actually, if you lay them on a wire rack on the cookie sheet you won't have to turn them (that will only save you 30 seconds but you now have a full 15 minutes for...whatever).

Use your largest nonstick skillet for this recipe. Don't crowd the pan. Any more orders? Oh, yeah: don't lose this recipe because you'll be asked to make it again and again. And When you buy the turkey cutlets why not ask the butcher to flatten them for you. He might tell you to go scratch but he also might be pleased to give you a bit of extra service, you never know until you try.

1 lb boneless turkey breast cutlets(boneless chicken thighs or even pork chops are great, too)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
3 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp drained capers
6 lemon slices, halved
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place turkey between 2 sheets heavy-duty plastic wrap or waxed paper, and flatten to 1/2-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and dredge turkey in it.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of rhe cutlets, and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Remove turkey from skillet, and place on a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan in a 200F oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining turkey, butter, and oil as needed (unless you got smart and acquired one of those large electric griddles so you can cook 'em all at once).

Stir wine and next 3 ingredients into skillet, and cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 Tbsp Butter. Put it on a platter, pour sauce over it and stand aside.

Less than 15 minutes to a scrumptious and very easy dish that only needs the addition of a starch and/or salad to make a complete meal.

2 chicken breasts, 4–5 oz each, pounded to an even 1/4" thickness
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped zucchini
3/4 cup no-salt-added canned tomatoes
Plus: Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil

Sear the chicken in a skillet on medium-high heat (about 4 to 5 minutes per side), seasoning each side with a pinch of salt and pepper as the other side cooks. Remove the breasts from the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium.

Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet, stirring frequently and scraping with a spoon to release the brown bits left behind by the meat (about 30 seconds).

Add the zucchini and basil. Let the mixture rest for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and place the chicken breasts back in the skillet. Cover and cook for 2 minutes more.

Using a vegetable peeler shave a little Parmesan onto each breast. Impressive.

If you want spice up this easy chicken dish add a 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper with the lime and other marinating ingredients.

1 & 1/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Finely grated rind of 1 lime
l/2 Tbsp lime juice
l Tbsp rum
l Tbsp light soft brown sugar
l tsp ground cinnamon
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed
Rice and salad, accompaniments

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks and place in a bowl with the lime rind and juice, rum, sugar and cinnamon. Toss well and set aside for 10 minutes to marinate. This gives you time to work on the salad and rice.

Remove the chicken chunks and thread them on to four skewers, alternating with the mango cubes.

Cook the skewers under the broiler, or on a barbecue grill, for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with the juices, until the chicken is tender and golden brown. Serve the kebabs at once, with rice and salad.

Don’t feel guilty about using refrigerated dough; we know that if you had plenty of time you’d make it from scratch, right? Sure.

And the peas are optional if your wife/husband/mate hates them as much as my wife does. It would take her an hour to eat this with the pea-picking she’d do.

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups cubed chicken breast meat
1 1/2 cups green peas
1 1/2 cups canned mushrooms, drained
1 cup cooked, sliced or diced carrots
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 16 oz can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour, then pour in broth and let thicken, stirring. Add chicken, peas, mushrooms, carrots, onion and bell pepper. Mix together and bring to a boil.

Pour chicken mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Lay the biscuits over the top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until biscuits are done. Serve it up.

You may never be happy with classic chicken cordon bleu again.

1 Tbsp butter
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 thin slices cooked ham (2 oz)
4 thin slices part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
1 bag (5 to 6 oz) prewashed baby spinach

In nonstick 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken and cut the heat to medium; cover and cook until chicken loses its pink color throughout, about 6 minutes longer.

Raise heat to medium-high and stir in broth, vinegar, and pepper; cook, uncovered for a minute. Remove skillet from heat; top each breast half with ham slice, then cheese slice. Cover skillet until cheese melts, about 3 minutes.

Place spinach on plates & top with chicken. Now the very special part - drizzle with the warm balsamic sauce. Wow!

The pecans may cost as much as the chicken but I think they're worth it for what they do for this dish - and I'm cheap.

1 & 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted for 1 minute
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1& 1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread chopped pecans on a cookie sheet and bake for a minute.

Blend nuts, parsley & salt in a bowl with a fork. Set aside.

Beat egg whites with a fork just until foamy.

Dip both sides of chicken in egg; dredge in pecan mixture & arrange on a non-stick sprayed baking sheet.

Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Plate 'em and eat 'em.

This easy chicken dish is usually an easy veal dish but with all these wonderful flavor-makers who will notice?

6 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups water
1 6 oz can white tuna in oil
4 anchovy fillets
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp capers, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 bunch arugula or lettuce,about10 oz
lemon slices

In 12-inch skillet, combine chicken, onion, and water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, turning chicken once, until it loses its pink color throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to plate & cover loosely. Place in your freezer section while you finish so it's cold when served.

Strain poaching liquid through a strainer; skim and discard fat and all but 1/4 cup of the liquid.

In your blender or processor blend this reserved liquid with tuna with its oil, the anchovies, 2 Tbsp capers, olive oil, lemon juice & salt until smooth.

Dip each cold chicken breast into tuna sauce to coat and arrange on a large platter lined with arugula. Pour remaining sauce over chicken & garnish with a few lemon slices and the remaining capers.

Of course you can, if you prefer, prepare individual plates rather than serving on a platter.

Another easy chicken dish, this time from Morocco in North Africa. Thanks to QuickEats Plus you don’t have to live in a big city with a North African restaurant to enjoy this kind of food; you can turn your dinner table into the Casbah.

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp chill powder
½ tsp salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp light olive oil
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup golden raisins

Combine 1 tsp of the cinnamon with the cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and salt in a plastic bag, add chicken and toss well to coat (Be sure the bag is tightly closed or you'll "coat" yourself).

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan and saute the chicken over medium heat about 5 minutes per side until no longer pink in the center.

Remove chicken from skillet to plates.

Add the apples and raisins to the skillet and saute for a minute. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon; cook and stir to coat. Spoon onto chicken and serve.

Brown rice or couscous are favorite accompaniments.

A half-hour could hardly be better spent than creating this fabulous dinner.

1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp each salt and pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 5 oz each)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried or chopped fresh sage
4 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp stick butter

Beans

1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed
¼ cup bottled roasted red peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 bag (9 oz) microwavable baby spinach

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a plastic food bag. Add the chicken; shake it around to coat and remove, tapping each piece to get rid of excess coating.

Place chicken in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat in which the oil has been heated. Cover and cook, about 5 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Remove to plates, sprinkle with sage and top each with a slice of prosciutto. Set plates aside.

Add broth and lemon juice to the pan, bring to a boil and cook a few minutes until reduced by about half.

While the liquid cooks combine the cannellinis, oil, peppers & seasonings in a covered microwave-safe bowl and nuke on high for a minute or 2. Then microwave spinach per directions on bag. Place the beans and the spinach on the plates.

Back to the simmering liquid, stir in butter, give it a minute to melt and drizzle –don’t dribble- over the chicken. Serve it up at once.

Hey! Two quick & easy recipes in one. You can use polenta in dozens of exciting ways and now you know how to make it fast.

1 & 1/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, each cut in thirds
1/8 tsp each salt and pepper
1 Tbsp oil
1 large onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 14 & 1/2 oz can crushed tomatoes

POLENTA
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Season chicken with salt and pepper.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken, cover and cook, turning once, about 6 minutes until golden and almost cooked through.

Meanwhile, slice onion. Remove chicken to a plate.

Add onion to pan; saute 3 minutes, or until golden. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, and chicken, stirring to scrape up brown bits on bottom of pan. Cover and cook 4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare Polenta: Put 2&1/2 cups water and the salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in cornmeal, cover and nuke on high, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to thicken. Stir in cheese.

Spoon Polenta on plates. Top with chicken and saucegarnish with chopped Italian parsley. So good. So quick.

Love fried chicken? Afraid of fried food? This one will satisfy both issues.

1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Pinch ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lb skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 12 pieces

Preheat oven to 400° F.

In medium bowl, stir bread crumbs, Parmesan, almonds, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper until mixed.

Pour oil into pie plate.

Dip chicken in oil, then in bread-crumb mixture to coat.

Place chicken on cookie sheet. Bake without turning about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Done.

Plate 'em and eat 'em.

Use healthful olive oil as the cooking medium for this easy chicken delight but substitute butter and you go from great to spectacular - that is, if you're not counting LDL's.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 & 1/4 lb)
1&1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tTbsp parsley flakes
1 cup sliced mushrooms (3 ounces)
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
Hot cooked pasta, if desired

Flatten each chicken breast half to 1/4-inch thickness by gently pounding between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture; shake off excess flour.

Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and parsley in oil 3-to-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add chicken to skillet. Cook, turning once, until brown. Add mushrooms and wine. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning chicken once, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Serve with pasta - and with pride.

Mmmmm. Basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Another easy chicken spectacular that looks far more time-consuming than it really is.

Dressing Ingredients:

1 shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 to 3/4 cup basil leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Chicken Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens
3 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, then drained and finely chopped
Shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Prepare the dressing:
In a food processor or blender, process the shallot, garlic and basil until the mixture turns to a paste, stopping once or twice to scrape the sides with a spatula. With the motor running, add the vinegar and then the olive oil in a steady stream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Prepare the chicken:
Flatten the chicken breast halves slightly to about a half-inch thickness. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a cast-iron grill or skillet on medium-high heat. Place the chicken breast halves on the grill or in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let sit loosely covered for 5 minutes.

Place the mixed salad greens in a large bowl. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and about a third of the dressing and toss to combine.

Place greens on individual plates. Cut the chicken on the diagonal into thin slices, keeping each breast half together.

Fan the chicken pieces on top of the greens. Drizzle some dressing over the top and sprinkle with the cheese shavings.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with the remaining dressing on hand at the table.

How they'll love it!

While this easy chicken recipe calls for broiling you may prefer to fry or bake the chicken - it will be terrific in any case.

2/3 Cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 Cup lemon juice
1/2 Cup chopped basil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp.sugar
8 chicken thigh fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil

Trim chicken of excess fat and sinew (don't you hate when you bite down on sinew?). Flatten slightly with a food mallet.

Place on cold, lightly oiled broiler pan or on one that has a non-stick surface. Brush chicken with oil and cook under medium—high heat 5 minutes each side or until cooked through.

While the chicken cooks place breadcrumbs in a food processor or blender. Add oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic and sugar. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.

Transfer to medium pan and stir gently over low heat 2 minutes or until heated through.

Pour it oover the cooked chicken, garnish with basil and serve. Yummy.

Be sure to start your pasta water while you're convertiing this easy chicken recipe into a wonderful complete meal.

4 skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs. total)
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
3 medium-size zucchini (about 1 lb. total), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 14 oz.can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
1/4 cup dry red wine
8 ounces dried spinach fettuccine
Chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Arrange chicken (bone side down), mushrooms, and zucchini in a 12- by 15-inch broiler pan. Drizzle with oil.

In a bowl, stir together pepper, fennel seeds, basil, tomatoes (include liquid), and wine. Pour evenly over chicken and vegetables; cover tightly with foil.

Bake in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until meat in thickest part is no longer pink, about another ten minutes.

Stir pasta into the boiling water and cook, uncovered just until tender to bite (about 8 minutes). Drain well.

To serve, spoon chicken, vegetables, and pasta onto plates; spoon pan juices over all then sprinkle with parsley. And, of course, grate some nice parmesan on top.

Use a rotisserie bird from the store for this terrific quick meal. This easy chicken recipe is also a great way to use that left-over meat from yesteday's meal.

2 Cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken
12 oz. firm-ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
3 Cups firmly packed packaged spinach cut into slivers
1/3 cup prepared pesto
2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
Salt
1 loaf (about 1 lb.) frozen white bread dough, thawed
1 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl combine chicken, tomatoes, spinach, pesto, and vinegar. Toss to mix; season to taste with salt. Set aside.

Divide bread dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured board, roll each piece out to a 7 to 8 inch round. Place dough rounds on 2 oiled, cornmeal-dusted 12 x 15 inch baking sheets.

Bake in a 500 degree oven until dough looks like a baked pizza crust(6 to 8 minutes). Sprinkle crusts equally with cheese and continue to bake until cheese is melted (about 2 more minutes).

Place one crust on each and top equally with chicken mixture.

So there's your bread, meat, veggies & salad in a delectable combination in less than half an hour.

Saltimbocca made with veal is a classic -and classically expensive. Use turkey to cut the cost and - more importantly - the cholesterol. Same applies if you'd rather make this an easy chicken recipe.

6 Turkey breast cutlets or slices (about 1 lb. total), each about 1/4 inch thick
Black pepper
6 slices prosciutto (about 1 & 1/2 oz.)
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2/3 Cup chicken broth
1/3 Cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Rinse turkey and pat dry. Place each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. With a kitchen mallet, pound firmly but gently to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.

Lightly sprinkle each slice with pepper; then lay a piece of prosciutto on each slice and top with a layer of cheese. Roll up turkey to enclose filling; secure each roll with a wooden toothpick.

Heat oil in a wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey rolls and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).

Combine broth, wine, sage, and mustard and add to pan. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Transfer turkey rolls from pan to a platter; keep warm.

Bring sauce to a boil over high heat; then boil, uncovered, until bubbles form (about 3 minutes). Pour over turkey and serve.

P.S. Don't forget to remove the toothpicks.

Look for Thai basil at an Asian foods source but if you can't find it plain-old American basil is just fine.
Serves 4

4 skinless chicken fillets
2 red bell peppers
1 small bunch fresh basil
1/2 Tbsp.olive oil
salt and ground black pepper

Slice chicken breast portions into strips. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds, then cut each piece of pepper into strips.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the chicken and red peppers and stir-fry over a high heat for about 3 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

Season with salt and ground black pepper.

Roughly tear up the basil leaves, add to the chicken and peppers and toss briefly to combine.

Serve at once with plain boiled rice or noodles with soy sauce on the side.

There! That must have taken all of ten minutes.