Chicken Breast

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Corn bread and a black bean, green onion and red bell pepper salad with lime vinaigrette are good barbecue side dishes. End with lemon bar cookies from the bakery.

Terrines — molded preparations of meat, fish, or vegetables — are wonderfully rich and dense. This chicken variation, with a fraction of the calories and fat of a traditional terrine, draws its structure and moistness from aspic and its lively seasonings from China. To accompany it, try Japanese soba noodles — their springy texture contrasts with the terrine's smooth gel and tender chicken — and fast-cooked snow peas , for crunch.

An easy herbed cream sauce accents sautéed chicken breasts.

Cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and lots of fresh mint accent the salad. Offer chilled beer or a fruity white wine alongside.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Complement the chicken with Aromatic Yellow Rice and haricots verts or other green beans, and offer a crisp Riesling or cold Asian beer to drink. Finish the meal simply with a platter of tropical fruit.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Not only is the yogurt marinade an excellent tenderizer, but it imparts a nice, mild tang as well. Begin marinating the chicken one day in advance.

Spoon some of the sauce over noodles that have been tossed with Parmesan cheese; serve with a salad of balsamic-dressed mesclun and with crusty bread. Almond cookies and grapes are a simple finale.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Like many recipes, Cobb salad evolved as a solution to a rather mundane problem. In the late 1920s, Bob Cobb, manager of the original Brown Derby in Hollywood, California, was becoming tired of his daily meals, which consisted mostly of hamburgers and hot dogs. Then one day he chopped up an avocado, along with lettuce, tomato, and bacon, added some salad dressing, and had the result for dinner. A few days later he elaborated on his creation, adding other ingredients he had picked up on his way to the restaurant: chicken breast, chives, egg, watercress, and a wedge of Roquefort. This salad became a staple at the Brown Derby and, eventually, an American classic.

Serve with: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc • saffron-scented couscous • glazed baby carrots • mint-chocolate mousse

Serve these patties over <epi:recipelink id="106530"">gingered noodle salad</epi:recipelink>.

Tamarind paste, from a pod with a sweet-tangy pulp, is common in Hawaiian cooking.