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New York Times
03-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
7 Ways to Take Cucumber Salad From Summer Side to Star
Its juicy crunch cuts through the smoky char of so many of the season's mains, but these tips let it shine in its own right. Refreshing, savory cucumbers are an excellent centerpiece in all kinds of salad combinations. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Published July 3, 2025 Updated July 3, 2025 What's a good side for barbecue ribs? Hot dogs? Cajun shrimp boil? Bulgogi? Tonkatsu? Tandoori chicken? The answer — for these or any summer main — is a cucumber salad. That's because cucumbers are a cooling counterpart for hot food and hot weather. Their juicy crunch cuts through char, spice and richness, and mixing them into a salad doesn't take much time or even any cooking. But there are just a few tricks to ensure they're utterly refreshing. Here are seven ways to take your cucumber salads to new, more exciting heights. Melissa Clark salts the cucumbers in this avocado-shrimp salad. Doing so draws out the cucumbers' moisture, intensifying their essence. Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Cucumbers' high water content — about 95 percent — makes them hydrating. But it has a downside: It can turn dressings or sauces into puddles. Sprinkling cucumbers in a colander with a big pinch of salt draws out their liquid, leaving them crunchier, sweeter and more concentrated in flavor. Top cucumbers with an ice pack to push out their liquid as they chill for a perfect foil to hot, seared halloumi and crispy croutons. | Recipe: Cucumber-Tomato Salad With Seared Halloumi and Olive Oil Croutons Draining cucumbers makes them especially snappy, and a great textural complement to shrimp. | Recipe: Smashed Cucumber, Avocado and Shrimp Salad Salted cucumbers don't risk diluting a velvety peanut sauce that's bold with soy sauce and raw garlic. | Recipe: Cucumber Salad With Roasted Peanuts and Chile Running the tines of a fork along cucumbers exposes their flesh, so they can soak up more sauce while maintaining their structure. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Peeling cucumbers in alternating strips keeps them from getting mushy, while the exposed area can soak up seasonings. It's a win-win. Dressing striped cucumbers with vinegar, red onion and dill gives them the flavor of a pickle and the crispness of a salad. | Recipe: Cucumber Salad Peel the Persian cucumbers in stripes here, and the salad will keep for up to two days in your refrigerator. | Recipe: Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad) Instead of using a peeler, you can run the tines of a fork along the cucumber's skin to create thin channels for a spicy lime dressing to drip into. | Recipe: Tomato Salad With Cucumber and Ginger The craggy edges of smashed cucumbers easily soak up sauces and seasonings. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Smashing cucumbers with the side of a knife or a rolling pin is a classic technique throughout Asia. It's not only fun, but it also makes for a better end product, as the craggy surfaces better soak up more dressing than smooth, slick and slippery slices. Take a cue from the many cucumber salads throughout China, and dress rough-edged pieces with soy sauce, rice or black vinegar, garlic and sesame oil. | Recipe: Chinese Smashed Cucumbers With Sesame Oil and Garlic Kimchi brine quickly soaks into smashed cucumbers, lending funk and flavor. | Recipe: Smacked Cucumber 'Quick Kimchi' While you're crushing cucumbers, smash some raw green beans. After salting and draining, they'll be crisp-tender — not at all fibrous, waxy or stringy. | Recipe: Classic Chicken Schnitzel With Smashed Cucumbers Tart, juicy pomegranate seeds are an excellent complement to fresh cucumbers. Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Even though they aren't always treated like one, cucumbers are a fruit, so pair them with brighter, tangier and sweeter fruits. Cucumbers' subtle savoriness and not-so-subtle crunch accentuate plush summer plums, cherries, peaches, melons and more. Incorporating cucumber into the classic Mediterranean watermelon-feta salad heightens the dish's sweet-savoriness. | Recipe: Cucumber, Melon and Watermelon Salad Tart pomegranate seeds play well with tiny pieces of cucumber. | Recipe: Cucumber Pomegranate Salad Temper the intense flavors of peaches and a gochujang dressing with cucumbers and mozzarella. | Recipe: Peach, Cucumber and Mozzarella Salad With Gochujang Vinaigrette Tomato and cucumbers play well together, with cucumbers tempering tomatoes' tang. Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling) Tomatoes and cucumbers, a summertime power couple, have been cooling us off forever in dishes including Greek salad, Persian shirazi or Indian kachumber. Their strength is in their complementary attributes: Tomatoes' acidity brightens the cucumbers, while the cucumbers tone down tomatoes' sharper edges. Balance the caramelized char of seared cucumbers, corn and shrimp with fat wedges of fresh tomato. | Recipe: Spicy Shrimp With Blistered Cucumbers, Corn and Tomato Here, the sweet-tart juices of cucumbers, tomatoes and lime marinate raw fish. | Recipe: Ceviche Olives, capers and feta add briny pops and heft to a salad of raw tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. | Recipe: Greek Salad Buttermilk and yogurt add a silky texture and tart flavor to mellow cucumbers. Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. For a salad that's soft and luxurious rather than all crunch, add something creamy. That might be a dressing rich with buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream or coconut milk; a milky cheese like burrata or ricotta; or slivers of silken tofu or avocado. These chile oil-dressed cucumbers might be too spicy on their own but not when swiped through an herby yogurt. | Recipe: Spicy Cucumbers With Yogurt, Lemon and Herbs Buttermilk, yogurt and lemon come together in the tangy dressing that coats this salad. | Recipe: Creamy Cucumber Salad When cucumbers pair up with avocados, little else is needed. | Recipe: Cucumber-Avocado Salad Chopped parsley finishes this black-eyed pea salad with cucumbers and tomatoes. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Soft-stemmed herbs like cilantro, parsley and dill are exactly what laid-back cucumbers need — bursts of summer-fresh flavor — so add them by the fistful. When it comes to adding greens, skip lettuce in favor of a punchier mix, like cucumbers, cranberries and roughly chopped dill. | Recipe: Roasted Salmon With Dill and Cucumber Salad In this make-ahead, cook-out-ready salad, finely chopped parsley softens into the vinaigrette so there's no worry of wilting. | Recipe: Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers) Make a salad version of sabzi khordan, the abundant platter of fresh herbs, radishes, walnuts and feta found at many Persian meals. | Recipe: Herb and Radish Salad With Feta and Walnuts Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
New York Times
16-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
100 Easy Summer Recipes for Right Now
Because worrying about dinner should be the last thing on your mind. Mayo makes this oven-seared salmon deliciously crispy at the edges. Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Published June 16, 2025 Updated June 16, 2025 Summer is when I most miss being a kid. The uncomplicated, unhurried delight of it all: waking up late with no plans, spending the day barefoot, eating strawberries hot from the garden and grilled cheese sandwiches made of butter-drenched bread and melty American cheese, then yes, drinking water straight from the garden hose. These days, my summers are hardly indistinguishable from the rest of the year — busy, over-scheduled, gone in a snap — with the exception of more sunshine and excellent produce. And there is, as always, the matter of what to eat three times a day (double that if you have kids). So, to help, we put together a collection of 100 of our easiest, dreamiest summer recipes — salads, desserts, easy dinners, grilling and no-cook meals — that will make you and your loved ones happy, but leave plenty of time for you to do more important things like absolutely nothing. One-pot ratatouille pasta brings summer flavors to a weeknight meal. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. One-Pot Ratatouille Pasta Thirty minutes, one-pot and packed with summer's best produce. Cold Noodles With Zucchini A salty-sweet mixture of maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce and garlic coats stir-fried zucchini and silky ramen. Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts Rice is simmered in coconut milk, then the leftover milk forms a sauce with lime and peanut butter. Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp To maintain their snap, zucchini, corn and shrimp are cooked quickly, then paired with pasta, basil and mint. Hello, summer. Rotisserie chicken shaves time off this garlic-scallion chicken sandwich recipe. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Garlic-Scallion Chicken Sandwiches Rotisserie chicken leads this perfect picnic sandwich, where scallions, garlic and vinegar-soaked currants are supporting players. Oven-Seared Salmon With Corn and Tomatoes Crispy oven-seared salmon (thanks to mayo) lays on a jumble of raw summer corn, tomatoes and scallions. Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp) Sautéed with garlic, olive oil and hot pepper, these shrimp deserve to be served with the crustiest bread. Likama Roasted Salmon With Cabbage Salad Ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin and coriander, a combination typically used to season meat, coats salmon. Okra and tomatoes add oomph to these roasted shrimp. Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Greg Lofts. Roasted Shrimp With Okra and Tomatoes High heat softens okra and sweetens tomatoes, while shrimp, seasoned with smoked paprika and oregano, make it a meal. Sheet-Pan Chicken and Tomatoes With Balsamic Tahini The broiler does the heavy lifting here, while the two-ingredient balsamic tahini makes it all shine. Cumin Green Beans and Mushrooms Plenty of cumin (five teaspoons!) highlights the beans' sweetness and mushrooms' earthiness. Salmon With Freshly Grated Tomatoes and Butter A five-ingredient dinner of fresh, tangy tomato sauce with buttery salmon. Lemongrass lends its flavor to the marinade in this tofu stir-fry. Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui. Lemongrass Tofu and Broccoli A simple but bold lemongrass marinade doubles as a stir-fry sauce. Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Using both breasts and thighs creates a juicy and textured tangle of feathery chicken. Chicken Pesto Meatballs So, so smart. Combine pesto — store-bought or homemade — with ground chicken (or turkey), then bake until golden. Zucchini Pasta With Tuna and Chile Paste Pantry cooking at its best. Just add a zucchini from the garden. These lettuce cups are cooling on a hot day. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Ground Turkey, Shiitake and Cashew Lettuce Cups A salad and stir-fry in one. Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta This spanakopita-inspired pasta is packed with spinach, feta, dill and mint. Spanakorizo With Jammy Eggs A daffodil-yolked jammy egg tops this much-loved Greek dish. Miso-Chile Asparagus With Tofu A sticky sauce of miso, mirin, rice vinegar and a good hit of chile coats tofu and asparagus, which is broiled until glossy and glazed. This minty, spicy cucumber salad comes together in minutes. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Spicy Cucumbers With Mint, Scallions and Crushed Peanuts This spicy, just-this-side-of-sweet salad will save you on sweltering days. Tortellini Pasta Salad Your favorite Italian deli sandwich, now in salad form. Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce For a gorgeous, low-effort summer meal, add dumplings to a nutty cucumber salad. Yogurt fills in for mayo in this chicken salad. Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Grilled Chicken Salad This fresh, modern take on the classic mayo-based salad is made with tangy yogurt, turmeric, coriander, everything bagel seasoning and cilantro. Tomato and Peach Salad With Berkoukes A delightfully chewy North African semolina pasta is the base of this herby salad. Zucchini Salad With Bread Crumbs What to do with all that zucchini? Toss it in an anchovy-Dijon dressing, then top it with capery breadcrumbs. This salad makes the most of summer tomatoes. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Tomato Salad Find the best and brightest tomatoes, then dress them with shallot, lemon juice, olive oil and fragrant basil leaves. Charred Corn and Chickpea Salad With Lime Crema An easy version of Mexican crema, spiked with lime and garlic, dresses this summery salad. Maroulosalata (Green Salad With Feta and Dill) Shredded romaine, fresh dill, crumbled feta and sliced scallions dressed with olive oil and lemon. Simply wonderful. Carrot and Orange Salad Somewhere between a salad and a cold soup, this popular Moroccan dish, tinged with cinnamon, will refresh all season long. Grated and fried halloumi adds crunch to this Little Gem salad. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Little Gem Salad With Crispy Halloumi Grate halloumi, fry it until crisp, then add pistachios and fennel seeds for an ideal crunchy finish for tender Little Gems. Tomato and Cottage Cheese Salad In this loose riff on Caprese salad, tomato slices are topped with cottage cheese, then sprinkled with everything bagel blend. Snap Pea, Tofu and Herb Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce 'Delicious vegan summer main!' one reader wrote. Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad A maple-ginger dressing binds this smoky-sweet salad, which gets its creaminess from the white beans. The pesto in this salad works well over beans, too. Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad Skip the Parmesan, and instead, blend together lemon, capers and lots of nuts (pistachio, almond or pine) for an umami-rich pesto. Peach, Cucumber and Mozzarella Salad With Gochujang Vinaigrette One reader called the dressing 'a revelation.' Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers) Marinating everything in the lime-parsley dressing for at least two hours encourages the flavors play together. This salmon salad brings a sparkle of color to the table. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad Lime, cumin, scallions and jalapeño boldly dress a delicate salad of watercress and avocado, topped with fall-apart salmon. Chicken Gyro Chopped Salad 'This was amazing!' one reader wrote. Extra-Green Pasta Salad Sometimes it's easy being green. Serve this cobbler warm or at room temperature. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Easy Buttermilk Peach Cobbler Nestle juicy peach wedges into a buttermilk-browned butter batter, then bake until golden-edged and bubbly. Panna Cotta Looks and sounds fancy, but it takes only 20 minutes to make. Easy Chocolate Cake Sour cream adds plushness and tang to this straightforward cake, worthy of every summer birthday celebration. This pie goes out to the coconut lovers. Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Creamy Coconut-Lemon Pie What's better than a coconut-graham cracker crust(!)? Filling it with a lemon-coconut custard topped with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut. Mango Labaniyad (Creamy Custard) Finish this creamy Somali dessert with mangoes, bananas, melons, strawberries or grapes. Chewy Brownie Cookies A brownie and a cookie walked into a bar. … Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies 'This recipe is a historical event,' one reader wrote. Erect a statue. A streusel-style crumble tops this plum beauty. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Plum-Almond Crumble Ruby red plums star in this gorgeous, much-easier-than-pie crumble. Cream Cheese Brownies They're perfect as-is, or swirl in a few spoonfuls of jam or Nutella before baking. Kalakand This shortcut version of the soft, chewy South Asian no-bake dessert uses condensed milk and grated paneer. There's no mixer required for this olive oil cake. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. One-Bowl Lemon and Olive Oil Cake A little melted white chocolate added to the batter creates a rich, torte-like texture in this mixerless cake. Blueberry Spoon Cake Macerated blueberries drenched in sugar, lemon zest and juice are poured over cornmeal batter, then baked in this easy gluten-free dessert. Malva Pudding In this South African dessert, tender vanilla sponge cake is drenched in sweetened cream. Stovetop Berry Crisp A small-batch any-berry crisp for when the mood strikes. These chocolate chip cookies happen to be gluten-free. Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies It's a miracle in cookie form: six ingredients (no butter, no flour and no leaveners) and ready in 30 minutes. Nectarines in Lime Syrup Chilled, just-ripe nectarines swimming in lime syrup are an easy, elegant end to any summer meal. Microwave Nutella Pudding Cake When you need chocolate cake, but it's too hot to turn on the oven. Pick your favorite combination of summer berries for this yogurt parfait. Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Berries and Cream Macerated berries top a combination of yogurt and whipped cream for a light yet lush dessert. Raspberry-Almond Clafoutis 'Made this per the recipe was a huge hit, not too sweet and good for those gluten-free folks too!' wrote one reader. 'Will definitely make again.' Cookie Butter Blondies Speculoos cookie butter, shredded coconut and brown butter elevate the modest blondie. Pickle juice works its magic on these pork chops. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Grilled Pork Chops With Dill Pickle Butter Lemonade, soup, margaritas. Pickles are having a moment. Add them to butter, then slather it over chops. Grilled Steak With Tomatoes, Basil and Cheddar A salad of tomatoes, Cheddar and basil is a perfect finish to gorgeously grilled steak. Grilled Harissa Shrimp Toss with harissa, honey, lemon juice and olive oil for a grilled shrimp that has it all. Shawarma-Spiced Grilled Chicken With Tahini-Yogurt Sauce 'A winner in our house,' one reader wrote. 'My husband says it tastes like his favorite halal cart.' The grill makes this panzanella something special. Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Grilled Corn Panzanella The classic tomato bread salad, but with cucumbers and corn. Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts Flavorful Dijon and fatty mayonnaise keep boneless breasts from drying out on the grill. Grilled Hot Dogs Pro tip: Arrange the hot dogs parallel to the grates for perfectly cooked, juicy dogs. Grilled Chicken Thighs and Corn With Lime-Basil Butter Charred corn and boneless thighs are slicked with melted lime-basil butter. Grilled shrimp conjure the flavors of a beach vacation, no dock required. Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Old Bay Grilled Shrimp A little baking soda keeps the shrimp snappy. Soba Salad With Grilled Mushrooms and Tofu Noodles, grilled mushrooms and tofu, raw vegetables and maple-miso dressing mingle happily. Grilled Hasselback Kielbasa With Jalapeño Honey Slicing kielbasa so it looks a little like a skinny accordion creates nooks to nestle the jalapeño honey. Stuffed Pepper Tacos A taco encuerado (or 'naked taco') is a simple, but perfect thing. These grits are produce-packed dinner without the fuss. Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Corn Grits With Charred Peppers and Broccoli Fire-kissed broccoli and peppers take cheesy, nubbly corn grits to another level. Grilled Chicken Thighs With Tomatoes A tangy Dijon vinaigrette dresses charred tomatoes, and marinated thighs that have been crisped to perfection. Harissa-Grilled Steak With Juicy Tomatoes You've heard of yogurt-marinated chicken, but here, a harissa-yogurt mixture is used for steak, giving it an enviable dark brown crust. Grilled Salmon Perfect, every time. Roasted peanuts, coconut milk and red curry paste do the heavy lifting in this satay sauce. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chicken Satay A Thai classic, chicken thighs are marinated in heady tamarind paste, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric, then grilled on skewers. Grilled Eggplant, Herby Lentils and Turmeric Tahini Gorgeous, earthy vegetarian grilling. Mayo-Grilled Broccoli Yes, mayo. It sticks to the florets, insulating them, so the interior stays tender and sweet, while the exterior chars. Grilled Tahini-Honey Chicken Thighs 'One of the absolutely favorite dinners I've ever made,' one reader wrote. The charcuterie board is a summer staple. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Charcuterie Board If you build it, they will come. Prosciutto and Melon Salad Mozzarella and arugula round out this colorful salad. Smoked Mackerel, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich Like a BLT, but with hunks of briny smoked mackerel in lieu of bacon. Chilled Avocado Soup Avocado, yogurt, lime, cilantro, olive oil and a few slices of jalapeño are blended together for a creamy and bright soup. These tostadas are a no-cook lunch or dinner. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Spicy Tuna and Avocado Tostadas Top crunchy tostadas with a sort-of-guacamole tuna salad situation. Tzatziki Chickpea Salad This riff on the beloved Greek dip adds chickpeas for a hearty side or a happy desk lunch. Chilled Tofu With Gochujang Sauce Soft, yielding silken tofu is drizzled with a sweet-spicy-salty gochujang-vinegar sauce. Chicken Galbi Noodle Salad 'I've made this recipe pretty much once a week ever since first coming across it,' one reader wrote. Ginger gives a kick to these green smoothies. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth. Green Smoothie The secret ingredient is … vanilla extract. Spicy Tuna Salad With Crispy Rice Combine canned tuna with sriracha and mayo, then serve it over crisped rice for a delightfully textured dish. Pimento Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches For next-level tomato sandwiches, swap in pimento cheese for run-of-the-mill mayo. Fresh Tomato and Yogurt Dip Grate a single gloriously ripe red tomato over a bowl of full-fat Greek yogurt. You're welcome. Focaccia lets the summer cook utilize the bits and bobs left in the fridge. Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Loaded Focaccia Squishy focaccia is piled with clouds of ricotta and whatever toppings you like. Sardine and Egg Sandwich This mash-up sandwich of hard-boiled eggs and sardines offers a one-two protein punch. Dill Pickle Tzatziki Chopped dill pickles add tang and crunch to creamy-cool tzaziki. Easy Chicken Salad Celery and pecans give this breezy chicken salad (made with rotisserie chicken!) crunch. Antipasto is a quick and satisfying make-ahead meal. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Antipasto Salad Everything you love about an antipasto platter — tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, cheese and salami — in a serves-a-crowd salad. Mango Salsa For a delightful contrast in textures, use one riper mango and one less ripe mango. Waldorf Salad Grapes, apples, pecans, fresh parsley and mayo make for a surprisingly refreshing classic salad. White Bean Dip With Cumin-Chile Oil This velvety dip is seasoned with cumin, lemon zest and chile flakes, then drizzled with warm cumin oil. Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
New York Times
02-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
7 Ways to Take Chicken Breasts From Boring to Brilliant
You don't need to do very much to get the most succulent, tender meat. A chicken breast can be a beautiful, exciting thing with the right recipes and techniques. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Published May 2, 2025 Updated May 2, 2025 Fans of boneless, skinless chicken breasts love their leanness, quick cook time and mild flavor. But dissenters call that leanness a downside, making them quick to overcook, verging on dry and too mild — as in bland. Both have a point: Breasts lack the fat of thighs, so they won't deliver as hearty a flavor or as hefty an insurance policy against rubberiness. But their quirks can be assets. Cook chicken breasts the right way and be rewarded with satisfying, juicy, fast and possibly caramel-crisp meat that might even sway dark-meat supporters. Here are seven ways to make chicken breasts better than the last time you made them (or how you had them growing up, next to mushy cafeteria-tray peas and carrots). Carolina Gelen's miso-maple sheet-pan chicken with brussels sprouts. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chicken breasts are irregularly shaped, which means they're also easy to irregularly cook. By the time the round, thicker end is ready, the thin, tapered point might be tough. Avoid this problem by cutting the breasts into cubes or slices of roughly the same size so they all cook at the same rate. More sides mean more surface area to coat in a glaze: Cover cubed chicken in miso and maple for lots of caramelized edges. | Recipe: Miso-Maple Sheet-Pan Chicken With Brussels Sprouts For charred, thoroughly spiced chicken fajitas without the grill, slice the breast, coat it in a chile-lime mixture and roast it at a high temperature. | Recipe: Chicken Fajitas By the time the outsides of the small cubes are opaque, the insides will also be cooked through. | Recipe: Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Eric Kim's dry-brined chicken breasts. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. An unadorned chicken breast can still be succulent: The secret is salt. A half-hour before dinner, sprinkle the breasts with salt, or submerge them in a saltwater solution. These processes, known as dry or wet brining, alter the protein structure to help the meat hold onto moisture for a more tender result. A salt brine keeps the juiciness already in meat from sizzling away during cooking, but adding spices gives it a better chance of flavoring the meat. | Recipe: Dry-Brined Chicken Breasts In the oven, away from your watchful eye, chicken breasts can easily overcook. Safeguard them with wet brining, which plumps the meat with more liquid and compensates for any that may evaporate. | Recipe: Baked Chicken Breasts Add yogurt to a saltwater brine. The lactic acid helps with moisture retention and imparts a touch of tang. | Recipe: Chicken Breasts With Miso-Garlic Sauce Jennifer Steinhauer's weeknight lemon chicken breasts with herbs. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. A lot of recipes recommend marinating chicken breasts before cooking, but then there's the gnarly process of shaking the chicken to get rid of the liquid, patting it dry and placing it in hot oil to sear — where the still-kind-of-wet chicken just mostly splatters. And the flavorful marinade goes down the drain. Instead, marinate the chicken, then put the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. The liquid will protect the chicken from toughening and will reduce into a sauce for the chicken. (Fully boiling marinades for a few minutes will kill any bacteria.) On the stovetop, a marinade of orange juice, sazón and garlic can become a sticky, paprika-red glaze. | Recipe: Sazón Chicken Breasts This chicken's bath of olive oil, lemon and white wine becomes a punchy pan sauce. | Recipe: Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts For a speedy green masala chicken, marinate the breasts in store-bought chutneys and pastes, then pour the chicken and liquid into a skillet of softened onions and garlic. | Recipe: Green Masala Chicken Kia Damon's blackened chicken breasts. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. A lot of chicken breast recipes will tell you to flip the meat halfway through cooking, but that can result in pale outsides and potentially dry insides. Instead, cook the chicken most of the way on the first side. The bottom will be pale, but nobody will notice when the tops are so nicely bronzed and crisp. This recipe prioritizes searing on the first side so a mix of Cajun-style spices can truly blacken before the chicken toughens. | Recipe: Blackened Chicken Breasts This recipe trades high-heat stir-frying for browning a single layer of cubed chicken until a caramelized crust forms. | Recipe: Easy Kung Pao Chicken Searing chicken breasts on mostly one side creates ample browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Then, when apple cider is poured in, the bits dislodge and add a savory depth to the resulting pan sauce. | Recipe: Apple Cider Chicken With Apples and Parsnips Kenji López-Alt's mayo-marinated chicken with chimichurri. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Kenji López-Alt changed the chicken game when he recommended coating breasts in mayonnaise instead of oil before cooking them. Mayo carries flavor, doesn't drip, encourages browning and prevents any flavorings — like herbs or chopped garlic — from burning. Here, Kenji mixes herbs into mayonnaise before coating the chicken, so they sizzle but don't scorch. | Recipe: Mayo-Marinated Chicken With Chimichurri For an easier time on the grill, coat chicken in Dijonnaise: The mayonnaise insulates and prevents sticking, and the mustard tenderizes and caramelizes. | Recipe: Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts For crispy, breaded chicken cutlets with fewer dishes and mess, replace the flour and egg dredges with mayonnaise. | Recipe: Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Ali Slagle's rosemary-paprika chicken and fries. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are often cheaper than boneless, skinless counterparts, even though they come with extras. The bone and skin protect the delicate meat from high heat, and when simmered, can turn water into homemade chicken broth. When roasted or seared, the bones evenly distribute that heat across the meat, and the skin crisps. It's hard to say no to crispy chicken skin. Our best chicken salad starts with slipping bone-in, skin-on breasts into hot water, then turning off the heat. This gradual poaching method results in plush meat and a few pints of chicken stock for future you. | Recipe: Best Chicken Salad For crispy-skinned meat and chicken fat-glossed fries all on one sheet pan, coat bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with a lemony paprika mayonnaise (see Tip No. 5), then roast them skin-side-down most of the time (see Tip No. 4) alongside potatoes. | Recipe: Rosemary-Paprika Chicken and Fries For Taiwanese instant ramen with more homemade flavor, all it takes is simmering bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with water, ginger and rice cooking wine. | Recipe: Sesame-Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup Yewande Komolafe's muhammara chicken sandwiches. Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. In her Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter, Emily Weinstein wrote that chicken breasts' 'mildness can be an asset: Think of white meat as a plush mattress you can blanket with interesting flavors and textures.' Sauces make good blankets, and can cover potential dryness and blandness. Add texture to poached-chicken sandwiches with muhammara, an earthy spread of roasted red peppers, walnuts and lemon. | Recipe: Muhammara Chicken Sandwiches A grilled chicken breast in pita will be pretty dry, but adding a briny-fresh sauce of yogurt, olives, cucumbers and herbs solves that — and in a more exciting way than just having a glass of water. | Recipe: Grilled Chicken Pita With Yogurt Sauce and Arugula Poaching chicken breasts on top of rice gently cooks the meat so it's silky-soft. Add verve with a sauce studded with raw chopped scallions, jalapeño and ginger. | Recipe: Chicken and Rice With Scallion-Ginger Sauce Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
New York Times
18-02-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
10 Ways to Turn Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken Into a Healthy Dinner
10 Ways to Turn Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken Into a Healthy Dinner Last night, a hot bird saved my life. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. If you're reading this, it may already be too late: The day's done, you're zapped. Why not put a bird on it — that is, a char-kissed, ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken? Put your trust in this staple, and you can have spring salads, sandwiches, soups and suppers that are easy, delicious and even healthy. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. A lime-garlic dressing electrifies Sam Sifton's endlessly riffable no-recipe recipe for a simple salad of rotisserie chicken, arugula, cilantro and scallions. But if arugula isn't on hand, most greens will work — and an avocado takes them over the top. Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Salad With Greens and Herbs David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. Sarah DiGregorio's quick recipe gets its deep roasted flavor from one ingenious sleight-of-pan: broiling jalapeños, tomatoes, garlic and onions to a crisp. Slip in the chicken after the broth boils, along with frozen corn or hominy, that lightly chewy kernel typically found in pozole. Finally, skip Coco Chanel's advice, and add an extra accessory. Crushed chips, sliced jalapeños and a dollop of Greek yogurt are all delicious adornments. Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. This elemental pasta brings together rotisserie chicken, chopped greens and pasta (make it whole-grain if you like) with a silky sauce that invites tailoring: The cream is optional, and you can use olive oil in place of butter. Christian Reynoso reminds us of one cardinal rotisserie rule: Season the meat as you would anything else (here, with salt and pepper). Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken and Greens Pasta Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Pappas. Eric Kim's paean to the very '90s Chinese chicken salad is tangier, crunchier and more adaptable than you remember. Dial up different flavors by adding extra herbs, sliced almonds, julienned carrots or mandarin slices. Recipe: Crispy Wonton Chicken Salad Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Yes, chili can be light and healthy — and quick, when aided by a handy rotisserie chicken. Lidey Heuck's recipe unites a creamy white bean base with canned green chiles, pops of corn and morsels of chicken for an everyday, easy-listening kind of chili. Make a moment of it with a toppings bar of cilantro, tortilla chips and fresh chiles. Recipe: White Chicken Chili Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Can a sandwich dare to be dinner? It can if it's Lidey Heuck's chicken salad sandwich, glammed up with avocado and green goddess dressing. Spike it with crushed chips and serve with a simple salad for a springtime vibe. Recipe: Green Goddess Chicken Salad Sandwiches Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. Rotisserie chicken effectively halves the cooking time for this soothing lentil soup from Andy Baraghani — but you'll want to add a rich chicken broth to compensate. Don't skip the lemony yogurt, and do pile on chopped herbs sky-high. Recipe: Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Blanched snap peas, shredded chicken and one addictive sesame dressing come together in this light salad by Hana Asbrink. Commit to using Kewpie for the dressing, then commit the dressing to memory. Recipe: Sesame Snap Pea Chicken Salad Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui Crisp cucumbers meet crunchy peanuts, and nutty sweetness meets numbing spice in Sue Li's irresistible salad. It's wonderful as is, but it's also a welcome home for that tender rotisserie chicken. (Don't fret about the sauce — there's plenty.) This salad tastes great with age, though, on Day 2 or 3, it never hurts to add a fresh cuke to liven things up. Recipe: Cucumber Salad With Roasted Peanuts and Chile Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. The soul wants what it wants, and when it wants chicken noodle soup, it can have it any night of the week. Such is the promise of Ali Slagle's comforting classic, all egg noodles, carrots and herbs. Use the best stock you can find. And the day after, turn your fallen bird into Jacques Pépin's chicken stock, completing the circle. Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.
