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By Root 732 0

pounding the chicken breasts until they are very thin, you guarantee a quick cooking time. And what better way to release a little aggression after a rough day at the office than a few minutes of whacking on something that will only taste better for it?

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned

2 large shallots, minced

½ cup chicken broth (page 127)

4 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

1 Remove any fat from the chicken, rinse, and pat dry. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breast halves between sheets of plastic wrap to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour until lightly coated.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. If the chicken will not fit in a single layer in the skillet, fry in two batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil.

3 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet and heat through. Add the Brussels sprouts, carrots, and shallots, and sauté until partly tender, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and continue cooking until the vegetables are completely tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Add the vinegar; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

4 Divide the vegetables among four plates. Top with the chicken and serve.

Kitchen Note: If you don’t have a meat mallet, try pounding the chicken with a heavy skillet. It really works!

Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Stir-Fry

Serves 4–6

Brussels sprouts are a natural for stir-fries; they blend well with all the usual stir-fry flavorings.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into matchsticks

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced (remove and discard the stems)

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons peanut, sunflower, or canola oil

1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, or quartered if large

1 (7-ounce) can water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Hot cooked rice, for serving

1 Combine the chicken and mushrooms in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the rice wine, and the oyster sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

2 Heat a large wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl in the hot wok. Add the chicken and mushroom mixture and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape the mixture from the wok and keep warm.

3 Wipe out the wok. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. Add the Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until lightly seared. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice wine, tossing to mix. Cover and steam until the Brussels sprouts are barely tender, about 3 minutes.

4 Return the chicken mixture and sauce to the wok, along with the water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 2 minutes longer to finish cooking the Brussels sprouts and heat everything through. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Serve at once over hot rice.

Kitchen Note: Cutting chicken into matchsticks is easiest if the chicken is partially frozen, so put it in the freezer an hour or so before you begin cooking.

Spicy Black Bean Brussels Sprouts and Chicken Stir-Fry

Serves 4

All of the ingredients in this spicy stir-fry are readily found wherever Chinese foods are sold. It is a vibrantly flavored way to enjoy Brussels sprouts.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into matchsticks

1 (1½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3