For some reason, I have been thinking a lot about chicken breast. And I'm not sure why.
It's just chicken breast. The most quotidian of animal proteins. Sure, it's versatile, in that it can take on many flavors and cooking methods. Grill it, bake it, roast it, poach it. Ditto with flavors - it's essentially a blank canvas, so let your spice rack have its way with it. But still...kind of boring and uninspired, right?
Maybe the reason why I have been craving chicken breast is that it's been a while since I've eaten it. I used to eat chicken breast all. the. time. But after my stint as a temporary vegetarian last year, I started to eat less meat in general - and a whole lot less chicken breast. When I do want carnivorous fare, I usually invite friends over because it's easier to cook for four than it is to cook for one, and chicken is a pretty safe bet. I'd say in all, I only eat chicken breast a couple times a month, at most. What a change from three times a week.*
But one thing I've learned from changing my diet over the years - with both small changes and large overhauls - is that your body is like a toddler, no matter your biological age. When you change its routine, it's going to freak out. Eventually, though, it will settle into a new groove and forget its old ways. Like a toddler, you also have to know when to listen to it. It may ask for something once, and it's okay to ignore it. You don't want to risk spoiling it and doing things just to shut it up - this will backfire. But, when it asks over. and over. and over again. You should listen. So when I start thinking about chicken breast as I'm grooving from column to column in Excel...chicken I will eat.
I know that when my body specifically asks for chicken breasts, it doesn't want anything fancy. Just add some lemon, olive oil, and thyme, prepare simply, and enjoy with rice and vegetables. So I baked a couple of breasts on 350, ate one for dinner in this simple way, and saved the other for a lunch salad a couple of days later.
There's no real recipe for this because I think salad recipes are BS, as they're infinitely adaptable, hard to mess up, and you're pretty much guaranteed that somebody has made that salad before. Last year I wrote a post on salads here. Check it out if you need some inspiration.
My salad was made with utility in mind, but I knew the flavors would work well together, as this is a classic combination. My mom had given me some grapefruit and avocados to take with me back to DC after a trip home last weekend. Despite her enthusiasm for "guacs", as she calls them, she and my dad cannot possibly go through a Costco bag before they go bad. So these were the perfect salad components. I just love the tart winter citrus paired with the creamy, heart-healthy avocado. A light sprinkling of tangy feta cheese goes a long way, and the addition of a crunchy nut, such as walnuts or pistachios, is always great too. Leave out the chicken if you want - the salad is just as wonderful without it. For the pescatarians out there, add some shrimp and roasted red peppers (another one of my favorite combinations). For dressing, the juices from the grapefruit will dress the leaves, but feel free to add balsamic vinegar or maybe a hint of walnut oil. Just like that, a boring protein becomes a part of an amazing salad.
*I know my mother is probably having a conniption right now as she thinks I've become one of those snobs/freaks who won't eat normal food. Not the case. I will always eat what others make for me, but until I'm routinely cooking for someone other than myself, I am backing off the chicken breasts.
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Maybe the reason why I have been craving chicken breast is that it's been a while since I've eaten it. I used to eat chicken breast all. the. time. But after my stint as a temporary vegetarian last year, I started to eat less meat in general - and a whole lot less chicken breast. When I do want carnivorous fare, I usually invite friends over because it's easier to cook for four than it is to cook for one, and chicken is a pretty safe bet. I'd say in all, I only eat chicken breast a couple times a month, at most. What a change from three times a week.*
But one thing I've learned from changing my diet over the years - with both small changes and large overhauls - is that your body is like a toddler, no matter your biological age. When you change its routine, it's going to freak out. Eventually, though, it will settle into a new groove and forget its old ways. Like a toddler, you also have to know when to listen to it. It may ask for something once, and it's okay to ignore it. You don't want to risk spoiling it and doing things just to shut it up - this will backfire. But, when it asks over. and over. and over again. You should listen. So when I start thinking about chicken breast as I'm grooving from column to column in Excel...chicken I will eat.
I know that when my body specifically asks for chicken breasts, it doesn't want anything fancy. Just add some lemon, olive oil, and thyme, prepare simply, and enjoy with rice and vegetables. So I baked a couple of breasts on 350, ate one for dinner in this simple way, and saved the other for a lunch salad a couple of days later.
There's no real recipe for this because I think salad recipes are BS, as they're infinitely adaptable, hard to mess up, and you're pretty much guaranteed that somebody has made that salad before. Last year I wrote a post on salads here. Check it out if you need some inspiration.
*I know my mother is probably having a conniption right now as she thinks I've become one of those snobs/freaks who won't eat normal food. Not the case. I will always eat what others make for me, but until I'm routinely cooking for someone other than myself, I am backing off the chicken breasts.
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