This dish ain’t yellah, it’s chicken.

Fried Chicken Breasts
Time 15 minutes

This is one of those recipes that I keep on mental file because it is so quick, tasty and versatile. It works with nearly any side dish you can think of. Later on in the post, I’ll get into some ways that you can take this simple recipe and add some complex flavors (just a teaser to keep you reading). This dish is in fact so simple, I probably should have used it as my flagship recipe...nevertheless here’s a version that will serve 4.

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Some flour
Salt, Pepper, and good Olive oil

Place a layer of wax paper (or plastic wrap) on your counter. Put the chicken breast on top of that layer, and then put another layer on top of the chicken. Although this helps keep your kitchen clean, I would still wash anything that comes close to the raw chicken well. Using a rolling pin (or meat tenderizer or even a hammer), pound the chicken until it is 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick.

Meanwhile, heat enough olive oil to coat your pan over medium-high heat. As the oil heats, salt and pepper both sides of the meat (don’t skip this step, it is always important to season any meat you have before you do anything else).

Once the oil is hot, quickly dredge the chicken in flour and slap it onto the pan. Fry until it is golden brown on both sides. It should be cooked all the way through-if it isn’t, just slap it back onto the frying pan.

Ok, that’s it...I promise it is really nice and simple...however, there are a few simple things that can elevate this recipe from solid home cooked food to a subtle and delicate dish. First, you can flavor the flour with paprika or curry to introduce more flavors into the dish.

Second, you can use the oil and chicken juice remnants that are in the pan (that you would normally wash down the drain which is a crime-that’s pure fatty flavor) to make a gravy. There are a plethora of ways to use what’s left in the pan, but here are a few ideas to get you going: You can saute lemon juice and shallots, balsamic vinegar and garlic, or even jam and pour the gravy over the chicken (or a combination of these things-explore the possibilities).

You can also cook vegetables in the spent pan. I really like to cook sliced tomatoes over a very high heat in the pan once the water burns off (usually about 7-8 minutes) pour the entire contents of the pan over some rice-you’ll be in chickeny heaven.

As always-try this one out and let me know how it goes-I would love to hear of previously untested flavor combinations.