Yardbirds

Wrapping chicken in foil seals in its natural juices. Season it well and add a handful of fresh vegetables, and your meal will be moist and delicious.

Ubiquitous chicken breasts are versatile and make an ideal base for a wide variety of herbs and spices.

Mild and inexpensive, chicken is the most invited meat to the dinner table. One reason chicken is the most sought-after protein is also its greatest flaw—blandness. While the birds don’t necessarily fly, their popularity is soaring. As a result, the most requested parts, like breasts, are coming to market heavier than ever. While you may consider one boneless chicken breast to be one serving, you could be far off the mark. The average portion size for chicken ranges from four ounces in a low-fat cookbook to up to six ounces for a typical serving. Open a package from the market, however, and a single breast can weigh up to ten ounces. This is problematic for foil packet dinners and all other methods of cooking: it takes longer than anticipated to reach the proper interior temperature, while the exterior overcooks and becomes tough. To solve this, slice one oversized chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two cutlets.

​Consider substituting chicken thighs for breasts. Their darker meat has more flavor and moisture, since it has more fat than breasts. Thighs come in manageable sizes, sometimes on the small side. One may be too skimpy a serving, so double up to get a good six-ounce portion.