Food & Recipes: The chicken recipe you’ll use every week

“What is there to eat?” That question plays on repeat in households everywhere.

Today I’m sharing one of the handiest shortcuts to give you a great answer when the inevitable question is asked. Now you can say, “There’s chicken in the fridge, go make yourself something!”

I call this recipe “Every Week Chicken” because I make this chicken nearly every week for my family. And once you try this, you might do the same.

Chicken breast can be troublesome because they’re so lean, it’s easy to overcook. You’ll find this recipe produces tender, juicy chicken every time.

This is a simple recipe for oven-roasted chicken breasts. It’s perfect for an easy dinner or to make in advance for meal prep all week long.

Moist and flavorful, this is the chicken you want waiting in the fridge to expedite your dinner, stick in a salad, slam on a sandwich, toss in a pasta, put on a pizza. You get the idea.

This simple salt and pepper seasoning gives the chicken tons of flavor yet keeps it neutral enough to play well with other flavor profiles. As always, feel free to adjust to your personal preferences.

So, what do you do with all that chicken? Well, besides chicken salad, sandwiches and wraps, here are three fabulous ideas:

BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza: Split a loaf of French bread lengthwise and spread with barbecue sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella, cooked shredded chicken and chopped red onion. Bake at 400 degrees until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of additional barbecue sauce and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro before slicing and serving.

Chicken Avocado Quesadillas: Layer shredded mozzarella, cooked chicken and diced avocado between two flour tortillas. Add a drizzle of your favorite sauce, such as ranch, barbecue or teriyaki, if you’d like. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted, then slice into wedges and serve.

Quick Chicken Alfredo: Make sliced leftover chicken into a fast comfort meal by simmering it with jarred Alfredo sauce, a splash of milk, butter and Italian seasonings. Spoon over cooked egg noodles and finish with chopped parsley.

Sometimes the simplest recipes become the ones you reach for again and again. I have a feeling this will be one of them.

Every Week Chicken

Ingredients

4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (about 6 breasts)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Olive oil or your choice of cooking spray

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For easy clean up, line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Brush the chicken with olive oil or give it a quick spray of cooking spray. Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl and season both sides of the chicken breasts with the mixture, then put them on the prepared baking sheet, uncovered. Place them in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken when it reaches 160 degrees. Carryover heat will bring it to a safe final temperature while it rests. Remove the chicken and rest, covered with foil, for 15 minutes.

This cooking time works on chicken breasts of nearly all sizes, 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches thick. If your chicken breast is thinner than 3/4 inch thick, reduce cooking time to 25 minutes.

To store, place in a storage container with the accumulated pan juices over the chicken for flavor and to keep the chicken moist. Store in the fridge for up to five days.