Grilled chicken is perfect summer fare Ronnie Fein, contributor The hotter it gets, the more we think about light, easy-to-prepare, quick-to-cook dinners. Nothing fits that bill of fare more than skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Here are the virtues: Chicken breasts are low in fat, take only three to four minutes per side to cook, lend themselves to a variety of seasonings, and while you can use many cooking methods, it's better to keep the heat out of the kitchen. That's where your outdoor grill comes in. An ultra-hot fire isn't necessary, so even pre-cooking time is minimal, although there's one potential dilemma: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are so lean they easily dry out and toughen. You can minimise the problem by pounding the meat to a uniform thickness (half-inch is the standard for many recipes). This assures that the flesh will cook evenly and that all parts will be done at the same time. Place the breast between layers of waxed paper, then use a meat mallet or a heavy pot to do the job. It takes less than a minute. It's important to cook skinless, boneless chicken breasts close to the fire, about four inches from the heat source, so the surface browns fast. Place them over direct heat and close the grill cover. The cover creates an ovenlike effect that helps cook the meat internally. It also infuses it with a smoky taste and aroma. Some people like to use a meat thermometer to be sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. If so, the thermometer should read 160 degrees. But it's unnecessary. You'll find that a half-inch thick chicken breast will cook in about six to eight minutes. A small puncture with the tip of a sharp knife should release clear juices. When chicken cooks too long, no juices run and the meat is dry. Because they have no skin and little fat, chicken breasts must be protected from scorching. You can do the simplest thing - brush the grill with some olive oil. But a marinade works as well and provides extra flavour. Grilled chicken breasts are fine, as is, hot off the barbecue. Serve them with a salad or vegetables and dinner is complete. Versatile But they are also so versatile, you can do lots more. We offer a few thoughts on meals that centre on grilled, marinated chicken breasts. Start with the master recipe and build on the basics to create several recipes for delicious _ and casual - summer dining. We used a vinaigrette as a marinade. And because the Roma (plum) tomatoes looked especially worthy at the market, we decided to prepare bruschetta as a side dish. Bruschetta is usually served on top of garlic toasts, but we omitted the bread and spooned the bruschetta, fragrant with fresh basil and a judicious amount of garlic and olive oil, over the hot chicken. A couple of steamed broccoli crowns to accompany the dish and dinner, chicken bruschetta, is complete. We also liked the idea of using the grilled chicken breast in a sandwich. Fresh basil is widely available, making it an easy task to prepare Pesto. We mixed the dry ingredients with some bottled mayonnaise, rather than go through the task of slowly adding olive oil. We slathered some fresh, crusty Italian bread with the Pesto Mayonnaise and topped it with a grilled chicken breast. That would have been sufficient, but it was a real winner when we also included some sliced tomatoes, avocado and a couple of strips of crispy bacon over the chicken. Any basic vinaigrette will work for grilled chicken breasts. To prove that, we changed a few ingredients here and there: lemon juice and peel for the vinegar, oregano for the basil, and also added some garlic. This dish, accompanied by steamed asparagus and orzo, is tasty for dinner, but you can also use it in a Greek-style salad, together with greens, feta cheese, anchovies, olives and tomatoes. L.A. Times-Washington Post
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