The Humble Chicken Breast

 Alison Ladman (AP):

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are literally the white meat of the meat world. They are a great lean protein, quick and easy to prepare, freeze well, and take to just about any flavour or cuisine you care for. But they also can be rather dull. So we've come up with three ways to jazz up this weeknight staple.

First, we created a spice rub. It's as simple as it sounds - you stir together a few spices, rub it into the meat, then slap it on the grill or into a pan on the stove. It's a great option to use on a sandwich since the breasts are pounded out flat before cooking.

Our second choice was a marinade. In the morning, toss all the ingredients in a zip-close bag and pop the whole thing into the refrigerator. When you get home from work, you'll have a flavourful and moist dinner ready to cook. Consider throwing these tenders over a bed of rice or on top of a salad.

Our last option is smothered. Sometimes you want a gooey, sticky sauce to moisten things up. These breasts work especially well alongside roasted potato wedges and corn on the cob. Of course, if chicken breasts aren't on your menu tonight, any of these options would work equally well on chicken thighs, pork, even salmon or steak.

Spice-rubbed Chicken Breasts

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about one pound)

1tbs olive oil

1tbs brown sugar

1tsp ground cumin

1/2tsp garlic powder

1/2tsp onion powder

1/2tsp sweet paprika

1/2tsp dried thyme

1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp ground black pepper

1/4tsp ground allspice

Set the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice horizontally across the breast to create - two thinner halves. One at a time, cover each half with plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet to pound to an even thickness. Drizzle the poun--ded halves with the olive oil and rub all over.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper and allspice. Rub the mixture over both sides of each of the four pieces of meat.

If cooking on the grill - heat to medium heat. Cook for two minutes per side. If cooking on the stovetop in a large skillet heat one tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Cook for two to three minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Let rest for five minutes.

Miso-Lime Marinated Chicken Strips

These marinated chicken strips are incredibly versatile. Prep them in the morning, then just cook them when you get home from work. They can be cooked on the grill, in a grill pan on the stove, or even on a rack in the oven.

Start to finish: six to eight hours (30 minutes active)

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2tbs white miso

2tbs lime juice

Zest of one lime

1tsp ground black pepper

1tbs honey

1tsp chili-garlic paste

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about one pound), cut into strips

Directions

In a zip-close plastic bag, combine the miso, lime juice, lime zest, black pepper, honey and chili-garlic paste. Squish around in the bag until well combined. Place the chicken strips into the bag and squeeze out any air. Refrigerate for six to eight hours.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 450F or heat the grill to medium-high. If using the oven, place a wire rack over a baking sheet and mist with cooking spray.

Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade. Arrange the chicken strips over the rack-baking sheet or on the grates of the heated grill. Grill for two minutes or roast for four to five minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Let rest for five minutes.

Sticky Orange-Cilantro Smothered Chicken

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about one pound), cut into two-inch chunks

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2tbs brown sugar

1/2tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oven to 400F.

Directions

In a large, oven-safe skillet, mix together the chicken broth, marmalade, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and cilantro. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken, turning to coat, then place the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 160F.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Alison Ladman is a recipe developer for the AP. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CrustAndCrumbCo