CHAPTER 7 POULTRY

1. FOR THE CHICKEN Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Whisk 4 quarts water, soy sauce, and garlic together in Dutch oven. Arrange breasts, skinned side up, in steamer basket, making sure not to overlap them. Submerge steamer basket in water.

2. Heat pot over medium heat, stirring liquid occasionally to even out hot spots, until water registers 175 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot, remove from burner, and let sit until chicken registers 160 degrees, 17 to 22 minutes. Transfer breasts to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing vinaigrette.

3. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot, ginger, cumin, and fennel and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro, vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with pepper to taste. Spoon vinaigrette evenly over each breast before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 280 • Total Fat 12g • Sat Fat 2g • Chol 125mg

Sodium 240mg • Total Carbs 3g • Fiber 1g • Total Sugar 2g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 39g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0

To create chicken breasts of even thickness, simply pound the thicker end of each breast until they are all of uniform thickness. Though some breasts will still be larger in size, at least they will cook at the same rate.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Leek and White Wine Pan Sauce

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Simple pan-seared chicken breasts are an easy choice when aiming to eat more healthfully, but it can get tiresome to eat them again and again unless you can vary the flavorings. A great way to do that is to make a simple pan sauce using the fond left behind in the skillet. Here we turned to a classic leek and white wine sauce that is easy to execute and super flavorful thanks to the wine and just a tablespoon of butter, which we swirl in at the end along with fragrant tarragon and a little whole-grain mustard. You can omit the leek and white wine pan sauce and instead make any of the sauces on this page.

CHICKEN

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

PAN SAUCE

1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsalted chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

1. FOR THE CHICKEN Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook breasts, turning as needed, until well browned and register 160 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer breasts to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing sauce.

2. FOR THE PAN SAUCE Pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat from skillet. (If necessary, add oil to equal 2 teaspoons.) Add leek and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook sauce until thickened and measures about ¾ cup, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Off heat, whisk in butter until combined, then whisk in tarragon, mustard, and any accumulated chicken juices. Season with pepper to taste. Spoon sauce evenly over each breast before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 310 • Total Fat 11g • Sat Fat 3g • Chol 130mg

Sodium 350mg • Total Carbs 5g • Fiber 1g • Total Sugar 1g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 39g • Total Carbohydrate Choices <0.5

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Parsing Poultry Parts

Chicken is one of the leanest meats and different cuts of chicken are essentially similar in their ratios of healthy fats to unhealthy fats but different in their relative total fat and total protein content. There are differences, too, between the taste of dark meat and light meat and between skinless chicken and chicken with skin (and the bones in bone-in chicken pieces can make it hard to figure out how many ounces you’re actually eating). We’ve assembled a chart of the most common cuts we used in the recipes in this book.

	CAL	UNSAT FAT	SAT FAT
6 Ounces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast	204	4g	1g
6-Ounce Bone-In, Skinless Split Chicken Breast	163	4g	1g
6-Ounce Bone-In, Skin-On Split Chicken Breast	234	13g	3.5g
3 Ounces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thigh	102	4g	1g
5-Ounce Bone-In, Skinless Chicken Thigh	103	4g	1g
5-Ounce Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thigh	266	20g	5g
4-Ounce Bone-In, Skinless Chicken Drumstick	76	2g	1g
4-Ounce Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Drumstick	122	7g	2g
4 Ounces Ground Chicken	150	9g	2.5g
4 Ounces Boneless, Skinless Turkey Cutlet	120	1g	0g
4 Ounces Ground Turkey	120	2g	2g

Chicken Piccata

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chicken piccata is a simple Italian dish that highlights the incredibly tender texture of chicken cutlets (as opposed to whole chicken breast) as well as the fresh, clean flavor of lemon. The problem with most recipes, however, is that the chicken turns out rubbery and the sauce bland, with little lemon flavor. In addition, this dish often relies on an abundance of butter, turning what should be a light, fresh dish into a heavy one. To start, we decided to flour the chicken on just one side to keep it from becoming gummy and starchy. After sautéing the chicken in a little canola oil, we built a simple sauce by first cooking capers and garlic in the fat left behind and then deglazing the pan with broth and wine; we then simmered it all with strips of lemon zest, which infused the sauce with bold lemon flavor. We returned the chicken to the skillet to let it heat through in the sauce. Once our chicken was perfectly done, we gave our sauce its finishing touch by whisking in lemon juice and just a bit of butter to add richness and body. Make sure that the cutlets do not overcook—they take only about 4 minutes to cook through completely. If you can’t find chicken cutlets at the supermarket, you can make your own by slicing four 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally. To make slicing the chicken easier, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

8 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, ¼ inch thick, trimmed of all visible fat

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup unsalted chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine

4 (2-inch) strips lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled

1. Spread ¼ cup flour in shallow dish. Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, lightly dredge one side in flour, shaking off excess.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 cutlets floured side down in skillet and cook until golden brown on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlets and cook until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to large plate and tent with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 4 cutlets; transfer to plate and tent with foil.

3. Add capers and garlic to oil left in skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, wine, and lemon zest, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook sauce until thickened slightly and measures about ½ cup, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Discard lemon zest. Nestle chicken into sauce along with any accumulated juices and cook until heated through, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to serving dish. Off heat, whisk lemon juice and butter into sauce until combined. Spoon sauce evenly over each cutlet before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 340 • Total Fat 14g • Sat Fat 3g • Chol 130mg

Sodium 280mg • Total Carbs 5g • Fiber 1g • Total Sugar 1g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 40g • Total Carbohydrate Choices <0.5

1. If small strip of meat (tenderloin) is loosely attached to underside of breast, pull it off and reserve for another use.

2. Lay chicken smooth side up on cutting board. With your hand on top of chicken, carefully slice it in half horizontally to yield 2 pieces between ⅜ and ½ inch thick.

3. Lay each cutlet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat pounder or small skillet until roughly ¼ inch thick.

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Capers 101

Capers are sun-dried pickled flower buds from the spiny shrub Capparis spinosa, and their unique flavor is most commonly found in French and Italian cooking. Capers pack an acidic punch with a lingering sweetness that is both floral and pungent. Capers range in size from tiny nonpareils to large caperberries, and they develop flavor from being cured, either in a brine (sometimes with vinegar) or packed in salt. Because of this, they tend to be high in sodium, so we always rinse them to remove some of the sodium. And because they pack so much distinct, briny flavor, just a tablespoon or two is all you need. Brined capers are the most commonly available, and we’ve found that we prefer the smaller nonpareil capers for their compact size and slight crunch. Our favorite brand is Reese.

Almond-Crusted Chicken Breasts

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS One way to dress up a humble chicken breast for a weeknight dinner is to coat it with a layer of nuts, which offer more nutrients and a welcome crunch without all the carbs that a traditional breaded chicken breast would rack up. But many recipes go overboard on the coating. Looking for a way to keep the rich, nutty flavor of this dish intact, we found that instead of white bread crumbs we could swap in a half cup of whole-wheat panko bread crumbs for a good portion of the coating. As an added benefit, this move actually improved the texture of the coating by making it more crisp. Grinding the almonds to fine crumbs helped the nutty coating stick to the chicken, and toasting them with the panko in canola oil, along with chopped shallot and minced garlic, contributed some richness without making things greasy. Before breading the chicken, we brushed it with a mixture of yogurt and egg yolk, which further ensured the coating stayed in place while also helping the chicken stay moist and tender.

½ cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large shallot, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried

½ cup 100 percent whole-wheat panko bread crumbs

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt

1 large egg yolk

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and lightly spray with canola oil spray. Process almonds in food processor until finely chopped, 20 to 30 seconds.

2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and salt and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-low, add almonds, panko, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer almond mixture to shallow dish and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley.

3. Whisk yogurt, egg yolk, and lemon zest together in second shallow dish. Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and brush skinned side of breasts evenly with yogurt mixture. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge coated side in nut mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

4. Transfer breasts crumb side up to prepared sheet and bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 390 • Total Fat 19g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 170mg

Sodium 240mg • Total Carbs 12g • Fiber 3g • Total Sugar 2g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 43g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Tasting Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Americans roast plenty of whole chickens, but they cook even more chicken breasts. The lean white meat portions account for 60 percent of the chicken sold in stores, and the vast majority of those are the boneless, skinless variety.

Our investigation of boneless, skinless chicken breasts homed in on processing. And it was only when we asked the manufacturer of our winner, Bell & Evans, to walk us through its methods that we uncovered a good, albeit peculiar, reason for our findings: Once a Bell & Evans whole chicken is broken down into parts, the breasts are “aged” on the bone in chilled containers for as long as 12 hours before the bones (and skin) are removed. This aging period, it turns out, actually improves tenderness. While four to six hours of chilling before boning is effective—and 12 hours is ideal—many companies skip the aging process altogether. Why? Building time into the process costs money. Instead, some opt for shortcut tenderizing methods like electrical stimulation of the carcass, which forces the breast muscle to contract and relax, releasing its energy.

Tasters noticed the difference, lauding Bell & Evans breasts for being “mega-juicy and tender” and deeming the texture of breasts that came from an electrically stimulated carcass “unremarkable.” Its $6.99 per pound price tag makes Bell & Evans relatively pricey, but we think the premium results more than justify the premium expense.

For an easy, great-tasting chicken dinner, we coat cutlets in a mix of panko and Parmesan cheese and serve them with a salad.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Warm Bitter Greens and Fennel Salad

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chicken cutlets are often dripping with oil, smothered with handfuls of cheese, and served over a mountain of pasta. For a modern, healthier twist, we served flavorful cutlets with a fresh salad. Instead of a thick layer of cheese, we added a smaller amount of grated Parmesan to our whole-wheat breading, boosting the flavor with Italian seasonings. A nonstick skillet helped us use a moderate amount of oil while still browning the cutlets perfectly. To bring in some tomato flavor, we used our skillet to soften fennel and cherry tomatoes before tossing them with radicchio, frisée, and baby arugula in a simple vinaigrette for a warm, gently wilted salad. The slight bitterness of the greens paired well with the sweet fennel and juicy chicken.

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

½ cup 100 percent whole-wheat panko bread crumbs

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1½ teaspoons minced shallot

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

2 fennel bulbs, stalks discarded, bulbs halved, cored, and sliced thin

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

½ head radicchio (5 ounces), cored and sliced thin

1 head frisée (6 ounces), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

3 ounces (3 cups) baby arugula

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Spread flour in shallow dish. Beat eggs in second shallow dish. Combine panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, and oregano in third shallow dish. Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed, then pat dry with paper towels. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 breasts and cook until chicken is tender, golden brown, and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 2 breasts; transfer to prepared sheet in oven.

3. Whisk 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper together in large bowl. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add fennel and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with vinaigrette along with radicchio, frisée, and arugula and gently toss to combine. Season with pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.

PER SERVING

Cal 570 • Total Fat 27g • Sat Fat 5g • Chol 220mg

Sodium 490mg • Total Carbs 30g • Fiber 8g • Total Sugar 9g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 51g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Warm Mediterranean Grain Pilaf

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Here we pair lean, boneless, skinless chicken breasts rubbed with a little cumin, salt, and pepper with a bulgur side dish packed with vegetables and bold flavors. Since fine-grind bulgur takes only 5 minutes to cook, we were able to engineer this recipe to use just one pan. After cooking the chicken in a skillet, we sautéed frozen artichoke hearts, a great source of fiber, until they were nicely browned. Next, we steamed the bulgur directly in the skillet to take advantage of all that flavorful fond, which seasoned our grain side nicely. To finish, we simply stirred cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, parsley, olives, and a little lemon juice into the bulgur after steaming. When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. Do not use coarse- or medium-grind bulgur in this recipe.

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry

1½ cups water

1 cup fine-grind bulgur

10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)

¾ cup minced fresh parsley

⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1. Combine cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with cumin mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook breasts, turning as needed, until golden brown and register 160 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer breasts to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing pilaf.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add artichoke hearts and cook, without stirring, until spotty brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to boil. Stir in bulgur and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Off heat, cover and let sit until grains are softened and liquid is fully absorbed, about 5 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, feta, parsley, olives, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pilaf and gently fluff with fork to combine. Season with pepper to taste. Serve chicken with pilaf and lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 560 • Total Fat 25g • Sat Fat 6g • Chol 145mg

Sodium 600mg • Total Carbs 37g • Fiber 10g • Total Sugar 3g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 48g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2.5

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

How Much Sodium Is in Brined Food?

There are a number of foods that we typically poach or soak in a saltwater solution, or brine, before cooking. The salt in the brine doesn’t just season the food; in the case of meat, poultry, and fish, it improves juiciness and tenderness. It also helps dried beans cook faster and gives them a creamier texture and more tender skin (see Ultimate Beef Chili). That said, we’ve often wondered just how much sodium ends up in brined food, especially when considering the nutritional parameters of certain diets like that required for diabetes. To find out, we sent cooked samples of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that we brined for our standard recommended times to an independent lab for sodium analysis. We also analyzed plain water–soaked samples so that we could then subtract any naturally occurring sodium. Here’s how much sodium brining adds to each food. (Note: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend less than 2,300 milligrams daily for people under 51 and less than 1,500 milligrams for those 51 and older.)

Much to our surprise, we found that very little brining salt actually ends up in the final product. So we won’t shy away from brining in certain recipes, as we believe the culinary benefits are certainly worth the scant amount of sodium it contributes. For example:

6 Ounces Cooked Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

BRINING FORMULA 2 quarts water, ¼ cup salt, 1 hour

ADDED SODIUM 270 milligrams

SALT EQUIVALENT Less than ⅛ teaspoon

Chicken Baked in Foil with Fennel, Carrots, and Orange

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Steaming in a pouch (we use aluminum foil) is an excellent way to cook delicate chicken breasts. Besides being healthy, this method is fast and convenient, and it keeps everything moist. We solved the bland problem by adding vegetables and fruits that are first tossed with a little olive oil and bold seasonings like tarragon and shallot. The result is moist, perfectly cooked chicken with highly flavorful vegetables. To prevent overcooking, open each packet promptly after baking.

2 oranges

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks

1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

2 scallions, sliced thin

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eight 12-inch square sheets of aluminum foil.

2. Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Quarter oranges, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces; transfer to bowl. Combine oil, shallot, tarragon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in separate medium bowl. Toss oranges with half of oil mixture. Add carrots and fennel to remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Pat breasts dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

3. Arrange carrot-fennel mixture evenly in center of four pieces of foil. Lay breasts over vegetables then spoon orange mixture over top.

4. Place remaining pieces of foil on top and fold edges over several times to seal. Place packets on rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 25 minutes. (To test doneness of chicken, you will need to open one packet.)

5. Carefully open packets, allowing steam to escape away from you, and let cool briefly. Smooth out edges of foil and, using spatula, gently slide chicken, vegetables, and any accumulated juices onto individual plates. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

PER SERVING

Cal 340 • Total Fat 12g • Sat Fat 2g • Chol 125mg

Sodium 420mg • Total Carbs 17g • Fiber 5g • Total Sugar 11g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 40g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

VARIATION

Chicken Baked in Foil with Tomatoes and Zucchini

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This variation relies on zucchini and tomatoes as a succulent chicken topping. To be sure the zucchini did not shed too much moisture, we first tossed it with a bit of salt to draw out the water. A pungent olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flake, and pepper mixture united this dish. To prevent overcooking, open each packet promptly after baking.

2 zucchini, sliced ¼ inch thick

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Lemon wedges

1. Toss zucchini with ¼ teaspoon salt in colander and let drain for 30 minutes. Spread zucchini out on several layers of paper towels and pat dry; transfer to bowl. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eight 12-inch square sheets of aluminum foil.

2. Combine oil, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Toss zucchini with half of oil mixture in separate bowl. Add tomatoes to remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness as needed. Pat breasts dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

3. Arrange zucchini evenly in center of four pieces of foil. Lay breasts over zucchini then spoon tomato mixture over top.

PER SERVING

Cal 300 • Total Fat 12g • Sat Fat 2g • Chol 125mg

Sodium 310mg • Total Carbs 6g • Fiber 2g • Total Sugar 3g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 40g • Total Carbohydrate Choices <0.5

1. Arrange vegetables in center of sheet of aluminum foil. Lay chicken on top of vegetables and spoon topping over chicken.

2. Place second piece of foil on top of chicken and fold edges of foil together several times to create well-sealed packet.

One-Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Root Vegetables

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cooking vegetables and chicken together on the same sheet pan is a helpful and healthful technique which turns out an easy, go-to weeknight dinner. The chicken juices mix with the roasting vegetables, creating extra layers of flavor throughout the dish. We chose bone-in, skin-on breasts (we removed the skin before serving) to prevent drying out while roasting. We arranged the vegetables on two-thirds of the sheet and the breasts on the opposite end; this allowed the vegetables to get direct heat and roast in the same time it took to cook the chicken through.

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 ounces parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths, thick ends halved lengthwise

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths, thick ends halved lengthwise

4 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

6 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1½ teaspoons dried

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or ¾ teaspoon dried

Salt and pepper

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and halved crosswise

Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine Brussels sprouts, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, shallots, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in separate bowl.

2. Pound chicken breast pieces to uniform thickness as needed, then pat dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently loosen skin covering each breast piece, then rub oil mixture evenly under skin.

3. Spread vegetables cut side down in single layer over three-quarters of rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken pieces skin side up on empty portion of sheet. Roast until vegetables are browned and tender and chicken registers 160 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting. Discard chicken skin. Toss vegetables with any accumulated chicken juices. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 410 • Total Fat 14g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 80mg

Sodium 430mg • Total Carbs 43g • Fiber 10g • Total Sugar 11g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 32g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 3

VARIATIONS

One-Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Butternut Squash and Kale

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In order to combine sturdy squash, dark leafy greens, and chicken in a single pan, we’d need to get them to cook at the same rate. Halving bone-in split breasts assisted in even cooking as did starting the chicken and squash before the kale. A simple sage marinade seasoned both the chicken and vegetables. In just 25 minutes, we had crisp-skinned chicken, tender but not mushy squash, and lightly crispy kale. A sprinkling of unsweetened dried cherries added fiber and a sweet-tart chew to the mix. We topped our chicken with a drizzle of light, creamy yogurt sauce accented with orange zest and garlic to bring the dish into harmony. Both curly and Lacinato kale will work in this recipe.

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Salt and pepper

¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon water

7 garlic cloves, peeled (6 halved, 1 minced)

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)

8 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

2 teaspoons paprika

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and halved crosswise

8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

½ cup unsweetened dried cherries

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine oil, sage, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Combine yogurt, water, minced garlic, orange zest, and 1 tablespoon oil mixture in separate bowl. Season with pepper to taste and refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.

2. Combine squash, shallots, halved garlic cloves, and 3 tablespoons oil mixture in large bowl; set aside. Stir paprika into remaining oil mixture. Pound chicken breast pieces to uniform thickness as needed, then pat dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently loosen skin covering each breast piece, then rub remaining oil mixture evenly under skin.

3. Spread vegetable mixture in single layer over three-quarters of rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken pieces skin side up on empty portion of sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, vigorously squeeze and massage kale with hands in now-empty bowl until leaves are uniformly darkened and slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Rotate sheet, stir kale and cherries into vegetables, and roast until vegetables are browned and tender and chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 20 minutes, stirring vegetables halfway through roasting.

5. Discard chicken skin. Toss vegetables with any accumulated chicken juices. Serve, passing yogurt sauce separately.

PER SERVING

Cal 580 • Total Fat 23g • Sat Fat 4g • Chol 100mg

Sodium 420mg • Total Carbs 56g • Fiber 9g • Total Sugar 19g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 40g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 4

One-Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Cauliflower, Shallots, and Tomatoes

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS A sheet pan full of roast chicken, cauliflower, and tomatoes is the promise of a satisfying, nutritious meal with minimal cleanup. We used halved bone-in split chicken breasts, which cook more quickly than a whole chicken, and rubbed the meat with seasoned oil. Cutting the cauliflower into wedges provided a flat side for good contact with the baking sheet. Grape tomatoes added nice color and juicy bursts of acidity. Tossing the vegetables with the chicken juices at the end added flavor and moisture.

1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges through stem end

6 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and halved crosswise

8 ounces grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine cauliflower, shallots, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon sage, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Combine garlic, lemon zest, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 tablespoon sage, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in separate bowl.

3. Spread vegetables cut side down in single layer over three-quarters of rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken pieces skin side up on empty portion of sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Rotate sheet, spread tomatoes over vegetables, and roast until vegetables are browned and tender and chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 20 minutes. Discard chicken skin. Toss vegetables with parsley and any accumulated chicken juices. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 360 • Total Fat 18g • Sat Fat 3g • Chol 100mg

Sodium 390mg • Total Carbs 15g • Fiber 4g • Total Sugar 7g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 34g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

1. Peel off any loose or discolored leaves and slice off bottom of stem end, leaving leaves attached.

2. Cut sprouts in half through stem end so that leaves stay intact.

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Buying Chicken

Here is what you should know before you head to the meat counter.

Boneless, Skinless Breasts and Cutlets Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the weeknight warrior of the meat world, as they are quick to prepare and can adapt to almost any flavor profile. They’re also a great choice for those paying close attention to nutrition labels as they’re low in fat and high in protein. Try to pick a package with breasts of similar size, and pound them to an even thickness so they will cook at the same rate. You can buy cutlets ready to go at the grocery store, but we don’t recommend it. These cutlets are usually ragged and of various sizes; it’s better to cut your own cutlets from breasts.

Bone-In Parts You can buy a whole chicken or chicken parts at the supermarket, but sometimes it’s hard to tell by looking at the package if the chicken has been properly butchered. If you have extra time, buy a whole chicken and butcher it yourself.

Whole Chickens Whole chickens come in various sizes. Broilers and fryers are younger chickens that weigh 2½ to 4½ pounds. A roaster (or “oven-stuffer roaster”) is an older chicken and usually clocks in between 5 and 7 pounds. Stewing chickens, which are older laying hens, are best used for stews since the meat is tougher and more stringy. A 3½-to 4-pound bird will feed four people.

One-Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Ratatouille

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Roasted chicken and ratatouille is simplicity on a plate: the flavors of summer in perfect balance. It’s also a great option for a weeknight dinner. Despite its simple nature, the preparation can be onerous, requiring multiple pans and cooking stages for the ratatouille alone. Seeking an easier method, we turned to a sheet pan. Not only would its large surface area accommodate both the chicken and the vegetables, but exposing the vegetables to dry heat would prevent them from becoming soggy—a hallmark of bad ratatouille. We selected bone-in chicken breasts, which gave us juicy, tender meat without being too fussy or producing too much grease, and pounded them to an even thickness to ensure they cooked at the same rate. We chopped eggplant, zucchini, and red bell pepper into bite-size pieces and tossed them with canned tomatoes (ideal for year-round cooking), seasoning them with garlic and plenty of thyme to drive home the authentic flavor. We started by roasting the vegetables alone first to achieve nice browning on the eggplant and ensure all the vegetables had plenty of time to become tender. Halfway through roasting, we stirred the vegetables, added the chicken, and added lemon wedges to roast for a flavor boost. Just 15 minutes later, our chicken was ready, the ratatouille was tender and moist but not wet, and we even had juicy roasted lemon wedges to squeeze over everything.

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

12 ounces eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 small zucchini (6 ounces), cut into ½-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, halved

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1½ teaspoons dried

Salt and pepper

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and halved crosswise

1 lemon, quartered

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly grease rimmed baking sheet with canola oil spray. Toss tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread vegetables in even layer over prepared sheet and roast until beginning to wilt, about 15 minutes.

2. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pound chicken breast pieces to uniform thickness as needed. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with thyme mixture.

3. Using spatula, stir vegetables, then clear one-quarter of sheet and redistribute vegetables into even layer. Place chicken pieces skin side up and lemon wedges cut side down on now-empty portion of sheet. Roast until vegetables are browned and tender and chicken registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet hallway through roasting. Discard chicken skin. Toss vegetables with parsley and any accumulated chicken juices. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 290 • Total Fat 11g • Sat Fat 2g • Chol 100mg

Sodium 370mg • Total Carbs 14g • Fiber 5g • Total Sugar 7g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 33g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Farro Salad

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Pomegranate molasses is a powerhouse of an ingredient. Used sparingly, it can transform mild-tasting chicken breasts with its sweet-tart flavor and lustrous sheen. Applying the glaze to the chicken in stages allowed each layer to thicken and brown before we added another coating. A little cinnamon further increased the dish’s complexity. Roasting the breasts on the bones helped keep the meat juicy. To round out this rich centerpiece, we tossed cooked and cooled farro, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and mint with a zippy yogurt-lemon dressing. Mixing in some almonds added some nice crunch and favorable fat. We prefer the flavor and texture of whole farro; pearled farro can be used, but the texture may be softer. Do not use quick-cooking or presteamed farro (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this). The cooking time for farro can vary greatly among different brands, so we recommend beginning to check for doneness after 10 minutes.

1 cup whole farro

Salt and pepper

¼ cup pomegranate molasses

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed of all visible fat, and halved crosswise

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons 2 percent Greek yogurt

1 shallot, minced

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup toasted sliced almonds

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add farro and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until grains are tender with slight chew, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain farro well. Transfer to platter and spread into even layer. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and lightly spray with canola oil spray. Combine pomegranate molasses and cinnamon in small bowl; measure out and reserve 1 tablespoon glaze for serving.

3. Pound chicken breast pieces to uniform thickness as needed. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Transfer skinned side up to prepared rack and brush with 1½ tablespoons of glaze. Roast until chicken registers 160 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet and brushing chicken with remaining glaze halfway through roasting.

4. Whisk oil, lemon juice, yogurt, shallot, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in large bowl until combined. Add farro, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, and almonds and gently toss to combine. Brush chicken with reserved glaze and serve with farro salad.

PER SERVING

Cal 480 • Total Fat 18g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 70mg

Sodium 390mg • Total Carbs 54g • Fiber 6g • Total Sugar 13g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 30g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 3.5

Braised Chicken Breasts with Chickpeas and Chermoula

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Hearty and rustic, braised bone-in chicken breasts become juicy and tender as they simmer and lend their succulent flavor to the surrounding ingredients. We first browned skin-on breasts to develop lots of flavorful fond (we later discarded the skin in favor of a healthier dish). For this relatively quick-cooking braise, flavors needed to develop quickly. We added a very aromatic vegetable to the mix: Fennel, cooked until softened, worked perfectly, as its lively, licorice-like flavor added a soft but sturdy balance. Although beginning to take shape nicely, our dish lacked the hearty, starchy component that would make it a complete meal. Chickpeas were a natural fit; as they braised, they picked up great flavor from both the chicken and fennel. To pack even more flavor into our dish, we added homemade chermoula. This bold Moroccan green sauce worked overtime, seasoning the chickpeas and fennel and also serving as a bright, potent topping to drizzle over the juicy chicken. For a punch of freshness, we also stirred fennel fronds into the chickpea and fennel mixture. If you can’t find fennel bulbs with their fronds intact, you can omit the fronds, or substitute minced parsley.

1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and halved crosswise

2 fennel bulbs, 2 tablespoons fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulbs halved, cored, and sliced thin

¾ cup unsalted chicken broth

2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed

1. Process cilantro, ¼ cup oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon salt in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer chermoula to bowl and set aside for serving.

2. Pound chicken breast pieces to uniform thickness as needed, pat dry with paper towels, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook breast pieces skin side down in pot until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to plate.

4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add fennel and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in chickpeas and bring to simmer. Nestle chicken pieces into pot along with any accumulated juices. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Transfer chicken to plate and discard skin. Stir fennel fronds and 1 tablespoon chermoula into chickpea mixture. Top individual portions of chicken and chickpea mixture evenly with remaining chermoula. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 550 • Total Fat 26g • Sat Fat 4g • Chol 100mg

Sodium 480mg • Total Carbs 35g • Fiber 10g • Total Sugar 6g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 41g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

Cumin-Crusted Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower Couscous

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cauliflower is a versatile choice to replace pasta or another starchy side dish and a great way to increase the vegetable content of a meal. We used it to make a “couscous”-style side to accompany cumin-crusted boneless chicken thighs that cooked quickly and stayed moist. We pulsed the cauliflower in the food processor to a crumbly consistency before lightly sautéing it. We flavored our “couscous” with paprika and cumin and cooked it over medium-high heat to allow the edges to get crisp. After our cauliflower was done cooking, we stirred in pomegranate seeds, lime zest, and mint, which gave our dish a boost of fiber and color. Serving the finished dish with lime wedges provided a final bright, citrusy punch of flavor.

8 (3-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon paprika

½ cup pomegranate seeds

½ cup chopped fresh mint

1½ teaspoons grated lime zest, plus lime wedges for serving

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook thighs, turning as needed, until well browned and register 175 degrees, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing cauliflower.

2. Working in 2 batches, pulse cauliflower in food processor to ¼- to ⅛-inch pieces, about 6 pulses. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cauliflower, paprika, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in pomegranate seeds, chopped mint, and lime zest. Serve chicken with couscous and lime wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 320 • Total Fat 15g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 160mg

Sodium 410mg • Total Carbs 10g • Fiber 4g • Total Sugars 5g

Added Sugars 0g • Protein 36g • Total Carbohydrate Choices >0.5

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Poultry Safety and Handling

It’s important to follow some basic safety procedures when storing, handling, and cooking chicken, turkey, and other poultry.

Refrigerating Keep poultry refrigerated until just before cooking. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees. This means leftovers should also be promptly refrigerated.

Freezing and Thawing Poultry can be frozen in its original packaging or after repackaging. If you are freezing it for longer than two months, rewrap (or wrap over the packaging) with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or place it inside a zipper-lock bag. You can keep poultry frozen for several months, but after two months the texture and flavor will suffer. Don’t thaw frozen poultry on the counter; this puts it at risk of growing bacteria. Thaw it in its packaging in the refrigerator (in a container to catch its juices), or in the sink under cold running water. Count on one day of defrosting in the refrigerator for every 4 pounds of bird.

Handling Raw Poultry When handling raw poultry, make sure to wash hands, knives, cutting boards, and counters (and anything else that has come into contact with the raw bird, its juices, or your hands) with hot, soapy water. Be careful not to let the poultry, its juices, or your unwashed hands touch foods that will be eaten raw. When seasoning raw poultry, touching the saltshaker or pepper mill can lead to cross-contamination. To avoid this, set aside the necessary salt and pepper before handling the poultry.

Rinsing The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises against washing poultry. Rinsing poultry will not remove or kill much bacteria, and the splashing of water around the sink can spread the bacteria found in raw poultry.

Cooking and Leftovers Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to ensure that any bacteria have been killed (however, we prefer the flavor and texture of thigh meat cooked to 175 degrees). Leftover cooked poultry should be refrigerated and consumed within three days.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Classic chicken cacciatore, an Italian stew that includes earthy mushrooms, tomatoes, and red wine, should boast moist meat and a silken, robust sauce. Too often, though, the chicken is dry and the sauce greasy and unbalanced. Using chicken thighs and removing the skin after rendering the fat solved the problems of dry meat, soggy skin, and greasy sauce in our Italian-inspired braise. Cooking the chicken in a combination of red wine, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes, plus seasoning with fresh thyme, yielded moist, well-seasoned chicken. Portobello mushrooms gave the dish a meatier flavor, and fresh sage, to finish, highlighted our braise’s woodsy notes. The Parmesan cheese rind is optional, but we highly recommend it for the rich, savory flavor it adds to the dish.

4 (5-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

6 ounces portobello mushroom caps, cut into ¾-inch pieces

1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

1½ cups dry red wine

½ cup unsalted chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown thighs, 5 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to plate and discard skin.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion, mushrooms, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.

3. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cheese rind, if using, and pinch salt and bring to simmer. Nestle thighs into pot and add any accumulated juices, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken registers 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Remove pot from oven and transfer chicken to plate. Discard cheese rind, if using. Stir sage into sauce and season with pepper to taste. Spoon sauce evenly over each portion of chicken before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 330 • Total Fat 10g • Sat Fat 2g • Chol 135mg

Sodium 420mg • Total Carbs 13g • Fiber 3g • Total Sugar 5g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 31g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

Chicken skin is often slippery, making it a challenge to remove by hand, even when the chicken has been browned. To simplify the task, use a paper towel to provide extra grip while pulling.

Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Tagines are a North African specialty: exotically spiced, assertively flavored stews slow-cooked in earthen ware vessels of the same name. They can include all manner of meats, vegetables, and fruit. Traditional recipes usually require a time-consuming cooking method, the special pot (the tagine), and hard-to-find ingredients; we wanted to make tagine more accessible. We found that braising in a Dutch oven was a serviceable substitute for stewing for hours in a tagine. To keep things easy we turned to meaty, bone-in chicken thighs and removed the skin after browning them. Chickpeas, carrots, onion, and garlic rounded out the stew. We created a spice blend for our tagine that was short on ingredients but created big flavor without adding any salt. Cumin and ginger lent depth, cinnamon brought warmth that tempered the cayenne’s heat, and citrusy coriander boosted the stew’s lemon flavor (as did a couple of broad ribbons of lemon zest); paprika colored the broth a deep, attractive red and lent a pleasant sweetness, as did the dried apricots.

3 (2-inch) strips lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice

5 garlic cloves, minced

4 (5-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick

1¼ teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups unsalted chicken broth

2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ½ inch thick

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed

½ cup dried apricots, halved

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Mince 1 strip lemon zest and combine with 1 teaspoon garlic in bowl; set aside.

2. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown thighs, 5 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to plate and discard skin.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining lemon zest strips and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, cumin, cayenne, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits.

4. Stir in carrots and chickpeas and bring to simmer. Nestle thighs into pot and add any accumulated juices, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken registers 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes.

5. Remove pot from oven. Transfer chicken to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Discard lemon zest. Stir in apricots, return sauce to simmer over medium heat, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro, lemon juice, and garlic–lemon zest mixture and season with pepper to taste.

6. Off heat, return chicken to pot along with any accumulated juices and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve.

PER SERVING

Cal 290 • Total Fat 8g • Sat Fat 1.5g • Chol 80mg

Sodium 480mg • Total Carbs 31g • Fiber 7g • Total Sugar 14g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 24g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

Latin-Style Chicken and Brown Rice

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS When done right, arroz con pollo (literally, “rice with chicken”) is satisfying Latino comfort food—tender chicken nestled in rice rich with peppers, onions, and herbs. But the traditional method for making it takes all day; we wanted to turn this one-dish dinner into a fast but flavorful weeknight meal and keep it healthy at the same time. Using just boneless, skinless chicken thighs ensured that all the chicken would cook through at the same rate. To ensure the chicken was flavorful, we tossed it with a potent marinade of garlic and cider vinegar. The base for this dish was a mixture of sautéed chopped onion and green pepper to which we added broth and diced tomatoes. Switching out white rice for brown upped the fiber content. Once the chicken was perfectly cooked and the rice had absorbed most of the liquid, we simply shredded the chicken, let the rice steam for another 10 minutes, and then mixed in the pungent ingredients that are the hallmark of this dish: roasted red peppers, green olives, capers, and cilantro.

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried

Pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¾ cup unsalted chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt added diced tomatoes

½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin

½ cup pitted large brine-cured green olives, chopped

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine half of garlic, vinegar, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, pepper flakes, and remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and tomatoes and their juice, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer.

3. Nestle chicken on top of rice, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is almost fully absorbed, 50 to 65 minutes.

4. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Meanwhile, cover pot and let rice steam for 10 minutes.

5. Add chicken, red peppers, olives, cilantro, and capers to pot and gently fluff rice with fork to combine. Season with pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING

Cal 410 • Total Fat 12g • Sat Fat 1g • Chol 90mg

Sodium 570mg • Total Carbs 53g • Fiber 7g • Total Sugar 8g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 29g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 3.5

Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Tomato-Feta Salad

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Grilled chicken kebabs are a healthy option, but they often dry out on the grill. For this recipe, we first created a zesty vinaigrette that could pull double duty as the base for the marinade for the chicken and as the dressing for our simple tomato-feta salad. While the tomato salad sat in the fragrant dressing, we turned to the chicken—just ¼ cup of yogurt added to the vinaigrette made for a luxurious coating and ensured the chicken stayed moist on the grill. You will need four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

Salt and pepper

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (¾ cup)

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into 1-inch pieces

1. Whisk oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Reserve half of oil mixture in separate medium bowl. Add tomatoes, feta, and onion to remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Season with pepper to taste and set salad aside for serving.

2. Whisk yogurt into reserved oil mixture. Set aside half of yogurt dressing for serving. Add chicken to remaining yogurt dressing and toss to coat. Thread chicken onto four 12-inch metal skewers.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.

4. Place skewers on grill and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is well browned and registers 160 degrees, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, slide chicken off skewers onto serving platter. Serve chicken with salad and reserved dressing.

PER SERVING

Cal 400 • Total Fat 21g • Sat Fat 6g • Chol 145mg

Sodium 410mg • Total Carbs 9g • Fiber 2g • Total Sugar 6g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 43g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0.5

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

All About Spices

Just one or two spices can elevate an everyday dish to the next level. But spices can go rancid or stale, and often home cooks reach for old bottles of spices with little flavor. Here are a few tips to help you get the most from your spice rack.

Buying Spices

Grinding releases the compounds that give a spice its flavor and aroma, so it’s best to buy spices whole and grind them before using; the longer a spice sits, the more its flavor fades. That said, there’s no denying the convenience of preground spices. Try to buy preground spices in small quantities, from places likely to have high turnover.

Storing Spices Properly

Don’t store spices and herbs on the counter close to the stove; heat, light, and moisture shorten their shelf life. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry place in well-sealed containers. To check whole spices for freshness, grind or finely grate a small amount and take a whiff. If the spice releases a lively aroma, it’s still good to go. It’s helpful to label each spice with the date opened; whole spices are generally good for two years and ground spices for one year.

Spice Rack Essentials

From arrowroot to mountain pepper to sumac to za’atar, there are hundreds of spices out there to choose from, but in the test kitchen there are only a few we believe are a must in every pantry. We have found we go through chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne, paprika, and peppercorns fairly quickly; all others we recommend buying on a need-to-use basis.

Blooming Spices Builds Flavor

We often like to bloom spices, a technique that removes any raw flavor or dustiness from spices and intensifies their flavor. To bloom spices, cook them briefly on the stovetop or in the microwave in a little oil or butter. As they dissolve, their essential oils are released from a solid state into solution form, where they mix and interact, producing a more complex flavor. Be careful to avoid burning them.

Getting a Good Grind

Freshly ground spices have superior aroma and vibrancy, and because whole spices have a longer shelf life than preground, grinding your own will help you get more out of the spices you buy. We recommend buying a designated blade-type coffee grinder for grinding spices.

Weeknight Skillet Roast Chicken

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This is a recipe everyone should memorize. Given how popular and healthy roast chicken is, it’s good to have a back-pocket recipe for busy nights that reliably delivers succulent meat with very little fuss or prep needed. Add a healthy side dish and you’re done. And if you just need tender moist chicken to round out a salad or take to work, this recipe is your ticket. After systematically testing the various components and steps of typical recipes, we found we could just tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath. We also discovered we could skip both the V-rack and flipping the chicken, which many recipes require, by using a preheated skillet and placing the chicken breast side up; this method gave the thighs a jump start on cooking, ensuring that the breast and thigh meat finish cooking at the same time. Starting the chicken in a 450-degree oven and then turning the oven off while the chicken finished cooking slowed the evaporation of juices, which gave moist, tender meat.

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch oven-safe skillet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub entire surface with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with twine and tuck wing tips behind back.

2. Transfer chicken breast side up to hot skillet in oven. Roast chicken until breast registers 120 degrees and thighs register 135 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Turn oven off and leave chicken in oven until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve chicken, discard skin, and serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING (½ BREAST PLUS 1 THIGH OR 1 DRUMSTICK)

Cal 240 • Total Fat 6g • Sat Fat 1.5g • Chol 160mg

Sodium 280mg • Total Carbs 0g • Fiber 0g • Total Sugar 0g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 42g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0

1. Cut chicken where leg meets breast.

2. Pull leg quarter away from carcass. Separate joint by gently pressing leg out to side and pushing up on joint. Cut through joint to remove leg quarter.

3. Cut through joint that connects drumstick to thigh. Repeat steps 1 through 3 on chicken’s other side.

4. Cut down along side of breastbone, pulling breast meat away from breastbone as you cut. Remove wing from breast by cutting through wing joint. Discard skin and slice breast crosswise into slices. Repeat with other side.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Lettuce wraps are the perfect low-carb vehicle for delicious fillings. We wanted a light but flavor-packed filling and knew an Asian-inspired flavor profile was the way to go. Chicken lettuce wraps are most often made with ground or chopped chicken thighs. To lighten up our wraps, we turned to a combo of nutty, fiber-rich brown rice and store-bought lean ground chicken. Easy to make, we seasoned the chicken filling with minced jalapeño, fish sauce, and lime zest and juice. The bold flavors and simple ingredient list made this dish an easy weeknight dinner. Be sure to use ground chicken, not ground chicken breast (also labeled 99 percent fat free) in this recipe. To make this dish spicier, add the seeds from the chile.

1 cup short-grain brown rice, rinsed

1½ cups water

1 pound ground chicken

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 Thai or jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

3 scallions, sliced thin

¼ cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, chopped

12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves

1. Bring rice and water to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Off heat, lay clean dish towel underneath lid and let rice sit for 10 minutes.

2. Mash chicken in bowl with back of wooden spoon until smooth and no strand-like pieces of meat remain. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ground chicken, chile, and lime zest and cook, breaking up meat with spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3. Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, and cornstarch together, then add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened, about 45 seconds. Off heat, stir in basil, scallions, and peanuts. Gently fluff rice with fork. Divide chicken filling and rice evenly among lettuce leaves and serve.

PER 3-WRAP SERVING

Cal 440 • Total Fat 18g • Sat Fat 3.5g • Chol 75mg

Sodium 420mg • Total Carbs 44g • Fiber 4g • Total Sugar 1g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 26g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 3

Stovetop Chicken Fajitas

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This ingenious recipe can be made in a flash and delivers fajitas packed with chicken infused with pleasing orange undertones and the mild heat of chipotle chiles. Since sautéed red onion and bell pepper are a must when making fajitas, we started there and then set them aside until assembly time. Then we focused on boneless, skinless chicken. We poured some orange juice into our skillet and then added a hefty dose of minced cilantro, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and chipotle. We slipped the chicken into this fragrant mixture and let it poach until perfectly tender, which took just 15 minutes. After we removed and shredded the chicken, we didn’t want to waste a drop of the flavorful liquid. So we simmered it down until thickened, then stirred in mustard, more cilantro, chopped tomato, and sliced scallions. When the chicken had heated through in this mixture, our bright filling was complete and ready to stuff into warm whole-wheat tortillas.

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin

1 red onion, halved and sliced thin

½ cup orange juice

¾ cup minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Salt and pepper

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped

3 scallions, sliced thin

8 (6-inch) 100 percent whole-wheat flour tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add bell peppers and onion and cook until softened and well-browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Combine orange juice, ½ cup cilantro, Worcestershire, garlic, chipotle, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in now-empty skillet and bring to simmer. Add chicken and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

3. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.

4. Meanwhile, continue to simmer sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in mustard, tomato, scallions, remaining ¼ cup cilantro, and shredded chicken and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with pepper to taste. Divide chicken filling and vegetable mixture evenly among tortillas and serve with lime wedges.

PER 2-FAJITA SERVING

Cal 520 • Total Fat 10g • Sat Fat 1.5g • Chol 125mg

Sodium 550mg • Total Carbs 57g • Fiber 9g • Total Sugar 5g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 48g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 4

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Know Your Labels

Many claims cited on poultry packaging have no government regulation, while those that do are often poorly enforced. Here’s what you need to know.

Pay Attention to Processing

Processing is the major player in chicken’s texture and flavor. We found that brands labeled “water-chilled” (soaked in a water bath in which they absorb up to 14 percent of their weight in water, which you pay for since chicken is sold by the pound) or “enhanced” (injected with broth and flavoring) are unnaturally spongy and are best avoided. Labeling laws say water gain must be shown on the product label, so these should be easily identifiable. When buying whole chickens or chicken parts, look for those that are labeled “air-chilled.” Without the excess water weight, these brands are less spongy in texture and have more flavor.

Buyer Beware

USDA Organic is considered the gold standard seal for organic labeling. Poultry must eat organic feed that doesn’t contain animal byproducts, be raised without antibiotics, and have access to the outdoors (how much, however, isn’t regulated).

American Humane Certified is a program that verifies the use of standards that promote animal health and reduce stress, but these practices are widespread industry norms.

Raised Without Antibiotics and other claims regarding antibiotic use are important; too bad they’re not strictly enforced. (The only rigorous enforcement is when the claim is subject to the USDA Organic seal.) Loopholes seem rife, like injecting the eggs—not the chickens—with antibiotics or feeding them feather meal laced with residual antibiotics from treated birds.

Natural and All Natural are ubiquitous on food labels. The USDA has defined the term just for fresh meat, stipulating only that no synthetic substances have been added to the cut. Producers may thus raise their chickens under the most unnatural circumstances on the most unnatural diets, inject birds with broth during processing, and still put the claim on their packaging.

Hormone-Free is empty reassurance, since the USDA does not allow the use of hormones or steroids in poultry production.

Vegetarian Fed and Vegetarian Diet sound healthy, but these terms aren’t regulated by the government, so you’re relying on the producer’s notion of the claim.

Chicken Enchiladas

SERVES 6

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The things that make this Mexican dish so irresistible are the same things that make it so bad for you: the generous layer of melted cheese, greasy chicken, and heavy, sodium-laden sauce. For our take on this indulgent classic, we opted for boneless chicken breasts, which worked well when simmered gently in a potently flavored sauce; the meat was tender and infused with deep flavor. Instead of sprinkling all the cheese on top of the enchiladas, we mixed some in with the chicken and sauce for ultra-cheesy bites throughout. Canned chiles and minced cilantro added tangy, peppery notes and freshness. Using chipotle chile powder added layers of smoky, spicy flavor. Whole corn tortillas easily add more fiber to the casserole. When forming our enchiladas, simply rolling the filling in cold tortillas didn’t cut it—the enchiladas broke and tore. Heating the tortillas in the microwave helped to make them pliable.

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped fine

½ teaspoon salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1¼ cups water

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained and chopped fine

½ cup minced fresh cilantro, plus ¼ cup leaves

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Canola oil spray

¾ cup low-fat sour cream

Lime wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, chile powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and water, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer into bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer solids to large bowl and stir in chicken, ½ cup strained sauce, ½ cup cheddar, chiles, and minced cilantro.

3. Wrap tortillas in clean dish towel and microwave until pliable, 30 to 90 seconds. Top each tortilla with ⅓ cup chicken mixture, roll tightly, and lay seam side down in 13 by 9-inch baking dish (2 columns of 6 tortillas will fit neatly across width of dish).

4. Lightly spray tops of enchiladas with oil spray. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar evenly over top. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake until enchiladas are hot throughout, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese browns slightly, about 5 minutes.

5. Let enchiladas rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

PER 2-ENCHILADA SERVING

Cal 360 • Total Fat 15g • Sat Fat 5g • Chol 80mg

Sodium 480mg • Total Carbs 32g • Fiber 6g • Total Sugar 6g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 28g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

Chicken Pot Pie

SERVES 8

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS With its buttery, flaky crust and tender chicken and vegetables coated in a velvety sauce, what’s not to love about chicken pot pie? To make this family-friendly classic a little healthier, we cut back on the butter in both the crust and the filling. We started with the sauce, which relies on a butter-flour roux for its thickening power and richness. Fortunately, we found that simply toasting the flour let us ditch the butter; this easy step added deep flavor and also allowed us to add the flour to the stew without having it clump. Adding a bit of soy sauce to the filling helped ramp up its flavor even further. Moving on to the topping, we knew pie dough was out. We found that one sheet of puff pastry provided the perfect flaky, buttery topping without ratcheting up the saturated fat count significantly. To thaw frozen puff pastry, allow it to sit either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 celery rib, minced

Salt and pepper

3½ cups unsalted chicken broth

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat

3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 cup 1 percent low-fat milk

¾ cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll puff pastry into 13 by 9-inch rectangle on lightly floured counter and transfer to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Using tip of paring knife, lightly score pastry in half lengthwise, then into quarters widthwise to create 8 segments, making sure not to cut through pastry completely. Bake pastry until puffed and lightly browned, about 8 minutes; let cool on sheet.

2. Toast flour in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to medium bowl and let cool.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in broth and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Add chicken and carrots and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to carving board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.

4. Whisk milk into toasted flour until smooth, then whisk into cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Bring to simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in chicken, peas, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with pepper to taste.

5. Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place baked pastry on top and cut four 1-inch steam vents along center. Bake until pastry is deep golden and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 350 • Total Fat 13g • Sat Fat 4.5g • Chol 85mg

Sodium 460mg • Total Carbs 25g • Fiber 3g • Total Sugar 6g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 33g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1.5

Turkey Cutlets with Barley and Broccoli

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS To update the traditional chicken-and-rice formula, we wanted to pair quick-cooking turkey cutlets with rustic, fiber-packed barley and nutritious broccoli. Since the cutlets cook so quickly, we prepared the barley first, simmering it with softened onion and garlic. To give the turkey and barley bright flavor, we employed a simple trick: We caramelized lemon halves in the cooking oil, infusing it (and thus the cutlets) with flavor. We seared the broccoli over high heat to get some tasty browning and then steamed it so that it cooked evenly. A light dusting of Parmesan added a savory richness, tying the dish together. Do not substitute hulled, hull-less, quick-cooking, or presteamed barley for the pearled barley in this recipe. The cooking time for pearled barley will vary from brand to brand (our preferred brand, Bob’s Red Mill, is one of the longer cooking brands), so start checking barley for doneness after about 20 minutes.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 cup pearled barley, rinsed

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups unsalted chicken broth

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

4 (4-ounce) turkey cutlets, ¼ inch thick, trimmed of all visible fat

1 lemon, zested to yield ½ teaspoon, halved and seeded

1 pound broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in barley and garlic and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

2. Stir in broth and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until barley is tender and broth is absorbed, 20 to 40 minutes. Add parsley, 1 tablespoon oil, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and gently fluff with fork to combine; cover to keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, pat cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook lemon halves cut side down until browned, about 2 minutes; set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet until shimmering. Cook cutlets until well browned and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and tent with aluminum foil.

4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook, without stirring, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until water has evaporated and broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Off heat, add lemon zest, pepper flakes, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine. Squeeze lemon halves over barley and cutlets. Serve with broccoli, sprinkling individual portions with Parmesan.

PER SERVING

Cal 500 • Total Fat 17g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 45mg

Sodium 480mg • Total Carbs 49g • Fiber 12g • Total Sugar 4g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 40g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 3

Turkey Tacos

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS So maybe they’re not authentic Mexican food, but ground meat tacos boast a comfort-food appeal that’s undeniable. Ditching the ground beef in favor of ground turkey helped us slash the saturated fat in our healthier version of this popular dish, but its lean flavor needed a boost. To pump it up, we made a thick, zesty sauce using chicken broth, tomato sauce, and cider vinegar. Chili powder, garlic, and oregano provided the aromatic notes. Crunchy whole-grain corn tortillas were a given; soft tacos didn’t do nearly as good a job securing the rich, hearty filling. Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat-free), in this recipe.

SALSA

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 scallions, sliced thin

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1½ teaspoons lime juice

TACOS

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound ground turkey

½ cup canned no-salt-added tomato sauce

½ cup unsalted chicken broth

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Pepper

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

1. FOR THE SALSA Combine all ingredients in bowl; set aside for serving.

2. FOR THE TACOS Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, and vinegar. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with pepper to taste. Divide filling evenly among tortillas and serve with salsa.

PER SERVING

Cal 320 • Total Fat 12g • Sat Fat 3.5g • Chol 45mg

Sodium 360mg • Total Carbs 26g • Fiber 7g • Total Sugar 5g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 32g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Getting to Know: Ground Turkey

We prefer turkey that is ground from both white and dark meat. Typically labeled 93 percent fat-free, this ground turkey is moist and flavorful. By contrast, 99 percent fat-free ground turkey, which is all breast meat, is dry and chalky. When shopping for ground turkey, purchase just the amount you need from your supermarket butcher. Or, look for packaged ground turkey. But unlike packaged ground beef, packaged ground turkey is sold in uniform-size packaging, but the contents can vary in weight. Even among packages of the same brand, the amount of turkey can vary, from 1 pound to 1.3 pounds and so on. Our advice? Be sure to freeze the rest for another use. Otherwise, your tacos might not taste as saucy or your burgers might not be as moist.

Turkey Burgers

SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS A burger is the quintessential comfort food, but it’s not too surprising to learn that a classic beef burger is packed with saturated fat and salt. To satisfy a juicy burger craving, many of us have turned to lower-fat ground turkey, only to be disappointed with a dry, tasteless, and pale patty. We found that burgers made with a mixture of dark and white turkey meat (labeled 93 percent lean) had a decent meaty flavor and were relatively juicy. To add some moisture to the burgers, we mixed in a special ingredient: ricotta. This imparted a juicy, chewy texture, and its mild flavor allowed the turkey to stand out. Dijon and Worcestershire sauce amped up the savoriness of the burger. Tasters were divided on the necessity of a bun: The traditionalists insisted that a burger isn’t a burger without a bun, while some felt that such a tasty burger just needed a few toppings to make it complete. Avocado brought some richness that was cut through by spicy vinegared onions. Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat-free), in this recipe.

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin

1 pound ground turkey

3 ounces (⅓ cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, plus ¼ cup leaves

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 100 percent whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted (optional)

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 head Bibb lettuce (8 ounces), leaves separated

1 tomato, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick

1. Microwave vinegar and pepper flakes in medium bowl until steaming, about 2 minutes. Stir in onion and let sit until ready to serve.

2. Break turkey into small pieces in large bowl, then add ricotta, minced cilantro, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, lightly knead mixture until combined. Pat turkey mixture into four ¾-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.

3. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Gently place patties in skillet, reshaping them as needed, and cook until browned and register 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Serve burgers on buns, if using, and top with avocado, lettuce, tomato, cilantro leaves, and onions.

PER SERVING WITH BUN

Cal 420 • Total Fat 17g • Sat Fat 5g • Chol 55mg

Sodium 530mg • Total Carbs 31g • Fiber 8g • Total Sugar 5g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 33g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 2

PER SERVING WITHOUT BUN

Cal 290 • Total Fat 15g • Sat Fat 5g • Chol 55mg

Sodium 340mg • Total Carbs 9g • Fiber 7g • Total Sugar 3g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 33g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0.5

Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

SERVES 6

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We wanted to refashion shepherd’s pie into a high-nutrient dinner while keeping its hearty comforts. Substituting ground turkey for beef or lamb was a promising start. It’s typical to brown the ground meat to add to the meatiness of the dish; however, doing so made it dry and tough. Instead, we seared mushrooms and onions as the base for a rich gravy, and enriched the gravy with Worcestershire sauce (for umami flavor) and carrots (for a touch of natural sweetness). Then we tossed the turkey with a little water, salt and pepper, and baking soda; the baking soda kept the meat moist and succulent as the turkey simmered in the gravy. For a nutrient-dense and carbohydrate-light topping, swapping out mashed russet potatoes for mild, fiber-rich cauliflower was an easy choice. We cooked a head of chopped florets until soft and pureed them until velvety smooth. Then we gently bound the mixture with an egg and stirred in chives for flavor. Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat-free), in this recipe. You will need a 10-inch broiler-safe skillet.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large head cauliflower (3 pounds), cored and cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water

Salt and pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 pound ground turkey

¼ teaspoon baking soda

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup unsalted chicken broth

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until cauliflower falls apart easily when poked with fork, about 10 minutes.

2. Transfer cauliflower and any remaining liquid to food processor and let cool for 5 minutes. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to large bowl and stir in egg and chives; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, toss turkey, 1 tablespoon water, baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.

4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in broiler-safe 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until liquid has evaporated and fond begins to form on bottom of skillet, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until bottom of skillet is dark brown, about 2 minutes.

5. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in carrots, thyme sprigs, and Worcestershire, bring to simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. Pinch off turkey in ½-inch pieces, add to skillet, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook until turkey is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up meat into small pieces halfway through cooking.

6. Whisk cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon water together, then stir mixture into filling and continue to simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Discard thyme sprigs and season with pepper to taste.

7. Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Transfer cauliflower mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Using scissors, snip 1 inch off filled corner. Squeezing bag, pipe mixture in even layer over filling, making sure to cover entire surface. Smooth mixture with back of spoon, then use tines of fork to make ridges over surface. Place skillet on aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil until topping is golden brown and crusty and filling is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING

Cal 220 • Total Fat 9g • Sat Fat 2.5g • Chol 60mg

Sodium 490mg • Total Carbs 13g • Fiber 3g • Total Sugar 5g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 23g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 1

Transfer cauliflower mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner. Pipe mixture over filling, making sure to cover entire surface. Smooth with back of spoon, then make ridges with fork.

Easy Roast Turkey Breast

SERVES 12

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Bone-in turkey breasts are an under-utilized cut, and a perfectly roasted breast is a great option for a smaller holiday gathering, especially if your guests prefer white meat. Other benefits: A breast requires less cooking time, which can free up your oven for other dishes, and it’s much easier to carve than a whole bird. To start, we removed the backbone so the breast sat flat in the oven for even cooking and to make carving easier. Roasted right, the breast is flavorful and delivers lots of moist, tender meat. The trick, we found, was to use two different oven temperatures. Rather than trying to sear the cumbersome breast on the stovetop, we elevated it in a V-rack and started it out in a blazing hot oven to kick-start the browning process. Dropping the temperature to 325 degrees after 30 minutes allowed the meat to gently finish cooking so it stayed moist and tender. Brining the turkey was the most efficient way to season the meat and allowed us to limit the amount of salt. If using a self-basting turkey (such as a frozen Butterball) or a kosher turkey, do not brine. Serve with any of the sauces on this page.

1 (5-pound) bone-in turkey breast

¼ cup salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1. To remove backbone, use kitchen shears to cut through ribs following vertical line of fat where breast meets back, from tapered end of breast to wing joint. Using your hands, bend back away from breast to pop shoulder joint out of socket. With paring knife, cut through joint between bones to separate back from breast; discard backbone. Trim excess fat from breast. Dissolve salt in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge turkey breast in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 6 hours.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Set V-rack inside roasting pan and spray with vegetable oil spray. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with pepper. Place turkey, skin side up, on prepared V-rack and add 1 cup water to pan. Roast turkey for 30 minutes.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to roast until turkey registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve turkey, discard skin, and serve.

PER SERVING

Cal 170 • Total Fat 2g • Sat Fat 0g • Chol 85mg

Sodium 310mg • Total Carbs 0g • Fiber 0g • Total Sugar 0g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 35g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0

1. Using kitchen shears, cut through ribs following vertical line of fat where breast meets back, from tapered end of breast to wing joint.

2. Using your hands, bend back away from breast to pop shoulder joint out of socket. Cut through joint to remove back.

Smoked Turkey Breast

SERVES 12

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For smoked turkey with plump, juicy white meat lightly perfumed with smoke, we chose a turkey breast, which cooked relatively quickly on the grill. Brining the turkey helped to flavor the meat and keep the lean white meat moist. Before grilling, we dried the skin and seasoned it with black pepper for a kick. Piercing the skin before grilling allowed some of the fat to drain away. Two cups of wood chips added enough smokiness without overwhelming the mild meat. After grilling the bird for an hour and a half, we had smoky, well-seasoned, juicy meat with golden, crisp skin. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet. If using a self-basting turkey (such as a frozen Butterball) or a kosher turkey, do not brine.

1 (5-pound) bone-in turkey breast

¼ cup salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups wood chips

1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan (if using charcoal)

2. Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with pepper. Poke skin all over with skewer.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL Open bottom vent halfway and place disposable pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into 2 even piles on either side of disposable pan. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set cooking grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-low. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)

4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place turkey breast, skin side up, in center of grill (over disposable pan if using charcoal). Cover (position lid vent over turkey if using charcoal) and cook until skin is well browned and breast registers 160 degrees, about 1½ hours.

5. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve turkey, discard skin, and serve.

PER SERVING

Cal 170 • Total Fat 2g • Sat Fat 0g • Chol 85mg

Sodium 310mg • Total Carbs 0g • Fiber 0g • Total Sugar 0g

Added Sugar 0g • Protein 35g • Total Carbohydrate Choices 0