Recipe: Versatile Baked Chicken

no more rubber-chicken dishes

Some years ago, I watched a famed chef say she hated chicken because she found it boring, it did not have too much flavor and well - it was too 'blah'.

I was sad, because it is one reliable protein we eat so often in my house, and I find it frightfully versatile.

Also, because I realized that a professional's take on such an easy grocery staple actually reflected the limited knowledge of spices and flavors - and also about converting and adapting a basic meat into multiple delicious eats!

Fast-forward, a few months ago, a friend and I had a conversation about how tiresome it becomes to cook each and every night, especially with two full-time jobs, an infant and kids who may not like to eat everything. Although I empathized, she thought I was kidding. Another dear friend jokingly said to me that since I was a chef, I should have no trouble whipping up fancy meals… we probably eat fancy meals all the time.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Believe me, there are plenty of days when we have left-overs, re-imagine a dish or an ingredient and of-course, the sometimes dreaded “guess what I found” (or life-saver, depends what it is).

Having a work-from-home situation does not relieve me of cooking fatigue, boredom or the flat out wanting cereal for dinner on some nights. On a typical day, there are only a few times when I am not at my desk and working: housekeeping / showering / gardening, at meal-times, during carpool / chauffeuring or when I am asleep. Or when I am cooking.

For most people, cooking is motivated by three reasons –

(a) because we need to eat

(b) if we are trying out a new recipe or

I used to cook as a stress-buster, not anymore and my ridiculous life is not unlike my friends.

But, we eat home cooked meals at every meal, except for a weekly lunch eat-out while we are running errands, or on a special occasion. Every minute I am in front of the stove is important. It has to be a multi-tasking adventure and if my counter space falls short, that is a good thing.

I don't want you to need a new cookbook every time you want to cook . . . I want you to enjoy cooking - with your loved ones!! But I do insist you find the best possible meat you can, so your efforts are rewarded in the long run.

To keep ahead of my madness, I make this oven baked chicken practically every week. It is perhaps the most versatile component of my kitchen. It requires minimal prep. and is so incredibly useful, you will be making it in bulk quantities. I am sure you will enjoy making this wonderfully easy dish… and find many more reasons to have enjoyable, home-cooked weeknight meals.

Versatile Baked Chicken

Ingredients

Marinade

1/8 cup cooking oil

½ tbsp ginger paste

½ tbsp garlic paste

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper powder, to taste

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, optional

½ tsp garam masala, optional

½ cup unflavored yogurt (Greek yogurt is best)

Salt, to taste

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 lb uncooked chicken breast, trimmed into bite sized pieces

Method

Mix in all the ingredients of the marinade. Toss the chicken pieces into the marinade and let it marinate for 20 minutes.

If using a skin-on whole chicken, score the skin to make room for the marinade to seep through. Scale up the marinade, and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours or more, preferably overnight. Be sure to cover the entire chicken in the marinade tucking the spices under the skin wherever it is scored.

Grease a baking pan.

If using chicken breasts, transfer the chicken with the yogurt and marinade to the baking pan in a single layer and bake at 400’F for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Transfer into a separate container and store in the fridge until ready to use. Save any liquid (it comes from the yogurt) for a stock-like addition to soups.

If using a whole chicken, cook until done and the juices run clear. Cut up into desired pieces and store in fridge. Use as needed.