Skillet Chicken in an Italian Herb Dressing and Marinade

Skillet Chicken in an Italian Herb Dressing and Marinade shares a single blended liquid to season 1.5 lb (750 g) of poultry and dress a raw vegetable side. Slicing the meat horizontally into thinner pieces drops the required soaking stage to 20 minutes before you cook everything over medium-high heat.

The Vinaigrette

A basic vinaigrette combines oil, acid, and a few aromatics. You mix 4.5 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a little Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, black pepper, and garlic in a small lidded vessel. You seal the top tightly and shake the jar. Most non-creamy salad dressings work very well as meat marinades. You pour out 5 tablespoons of this mixture to coat the raw poultry. You save the rest of the liquid in the jar to dress the vegetables right before you eat.

You need a moderate acid for this base. The recipe uses white wine vinegar. You must avoid using ordinary white vinegar. Plain white vinegar makes the mixture taste too harsh. You can swap the white wine vinegar for several other options if you want a substitution:

• Chardonnay vinegar [li] Lemon juice [li] Rice vinegar [li] Cider vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Rice vinegar
• Chardonnay vinegar

The Chicken

You start with 1.5 lb (750 g) of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Chicken thighs contain more fat. Thighs stay juicier during a quick pan fry. You can substitute chicken breasts if you prefer white meat. You just need to watch the cooking time. If you overcook chicken breasts, the meat becomes dry.

You cut the poultry pieces in half horizontally. Thinner pieces absorb the liquid much faster than whole pieces. This cut reduces the minimum necessary marinating time so you can start cooking a lot sooner.

The recipe lists 2.5 teaspoons of a dried Italian herb mix. You can mix equal parts basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme if you do not have a pre-made blend. You put these dried herbs and the optional red chili flakes straight onto the poultry. You also add a half tablespoon of olive oil. You do not put the dried herbs into the main dressing jar. You keep the spices on the meat so the chicken and the vegetable side do not taste exactly the same.

You massage the liquid and herbs into the poultry inside a bowl or a sealable plastic pouch. The meat needs to sit for at least 20 minutes. You can let the chicken sit for 3 hours. You can also prep this step a day ahead. The meat can remain in the marinade for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Cooking and resting

You can prepare the meat on a grill or on the stove. A large nonstick frying pan needs medium-high heat and a small splash of olive oil. If you use a grill, heat the grates to medium high. You can skip brushing the grill with extra oil.

You lay the meat into the hot pan or onto the grill. The pieces need 4 to 5 minutes in a skillet or 3 to 4 minutes on a grill for each side. You should reduce the cooking time slightly if you use thinner chicken breasts. You cook the meat until the exterior develops a deep golden crust and the center is completely done.

You turn off the heat and move the cooked chicken to a plate. You cover the meat loosely with foil. The plate needs to sit untouched for 10 minutes. A short rest under loose foil helps the chicken retain its juices.

The Zucchini Salad

You serve the chicken next to a fast vegetable side. The Zucchini Salad calls for two zucchinis cut into fine rounds. Raw zucchini brings a mild taste to the plate. The raw vegetable readily takes on the taste of the dressing. You toss the zucchini slices and baby mint leaves with the reserved liquid right before you serve the meal.

You can easily substitute the zucchini if you want a different side. Any leafy greens work well with the reserved dressing. You can also use steamed vegetables in place of the raw zucchini.

You pour 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil into the jar with the remaining vinaigrette. You shake the vessel again to incorporate the oil. You toss the fresh salad with the dressing. Serve the finished chicken and salad alongside toasted bread to soak up the juices.