Another February gone. Valentine’s Day chocolate splurges have our stomachs sitting roundly atop our waistlines and spring break is rushing up faster than we can crunch it all away. On top of that, the annual newness of the bars and house parties has worn off in a lackluster glitter bomb of girls in “21” signs, bad cover bands and pricey drinks. Friend groups warily eye spring break plans and bank accounts, and attempts to go out come to a grindingly boring halt.
So with dollars and calories at a premium, Tuscaloosa’s attention turns toward Netflix, those books we’ve been meaning to read and the question, “What do we eat for dinner?”
Behold, the chicken breast. It’s cheap, lean and incredibly easy to prepare. Without further ado, here are a few easy ways to make chicken.
20-minute chicken chili
You’ll need: 1-2 lbs. of chicken breast, 1 tbsp. of oil, 2-3 medium sized tomatoes, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper and salt to taste.
Directions: Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, dice tomatoes and set aside. Add the chicken, seasoning and oil to a frying pan and brown on all sides over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomato, reduce to low heat and simmer uncovered until the tomato is reduced to a thick sauce coating the chicken – about 15 minutes. Season again to taste if necessary.
Baked chicken
Take a Ziploc bag, add chicken breasts, seasoning, and enough oil to coat the chicken. Shake the bag, marinate in the fridge for a couple hours, then throw it into a pan and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Here’s one of my favorites:
BBQ: Mix chicken with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice and any store–bought barbecue rub. Ridiculously simple, ridiculously good. Serve with a baked sweet potato (45 minutes at 400 degrees) and a side salad.
If you want to mix your own rub I advise the following: paprika, black/red pepper, ground mustard, garlic, thyme, sage, cinnamon and a little brown sugar. Experimenting while cooking is half the fun, so invest in some spices.
Having trouble telling whether a piece of chicken is done? Jab it with a knife. The juice should come out clear. If it’s pink, let it cook longer. Confused about how much seasoning to use? Trust your nose. If it smells good, it probably tastes good.
