THIS WEDNESDAY the old NY Times food section had an interesting article: “For Moister Chicken, Tuck the flavor Inside” the facts were presented by Mark Bittman who affirmed that “..white meat of the chicken has two main drawbacks, it’s not particularly flavorful and it dries out as you cook it. Grilling helps with the first problem by contributing smoky flavor and a nicely browned exterior, but unfortunately it makes the dryness even worse.” He affirms that in marinating the chicken prior to grilling in order to give flavor and tenderness “not only does it take time, but doesn’t work” the oil in the marinate can result in flareups, but it does not contribute to the tenderness of the meat

I think that we all know the taste of overcooked, white meat of the chicken. It is hard and dry and somewhat rubbery. Summer is the time when we use the grill a lot. I think if we’re careful, with the amount of heat and time we can come up with a winner. But those cuts on the grill can be overdone in a matter of minutes. So, are some alternatives?

The following are two procedures. First, two pounding the skinless, boneless filets thinly then stuffing. Two: leaving the skin and bone on the breast to serve as a self-basting atmosphere, then stuffing it for further tenderness and flavor. See notes for even further simplification.

Olive-Stuffed

Chicken Breasts

8 oz good black olives, pitted

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed if salted, drained if brined

1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless white-meat chicken breasts, cutlets or tenders, pounded to 1/4 –inch thickness and blotted dry

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon wedges

“To pound, lay the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap then whack it with a mallet, rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy skillet. If you’re not interested in a fancy presentation, just pound the chicken until it’s moderately thin. Then fold it over the stuffing of your choice the way you would fold a tortilla over taco fillings, and secure it with a skewer.” NYT

(Olive spread or Tapenade) * Put olives, capers, garlic, thyme and lemon juice in food processor. Pulse machine once or twice, then add 1/4 cup olive oil in two or three batches, pulsing once or twice after each addition. Puree should not be too smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice or olive oil to taste, then pulse again to combine. You can make olive spread ahead of time, store in sealed container in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using

*you can purchase already made tapenade in local markets. I use the above combined ingredients as an addition to the top of pizzas, in a rice or pasta combination, or sprinkled on top of a green salad. The bought Tapenade also has a variation of one that contains feta cheese, which, of course, you can add to the above recipe for the spread “from scratch”. Pgg

Prepare charcoal or gas grill: heat should be medium and rack about 4 inches from fire. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Smear each chicken cutlet with a tablespoon or two of olive mixture, then fold in half with olive moisture on inside (leftover olive mixture can be refrigerated) secure each piece of chicken with a short skewer or toothpick. Brush chicken with olive oil.

Grill, turning once or twice until chicken is cooked through, 8-12 minutes. To check for doneness, cut into a piece with a thin-bladed knife, center should be white or slightly pink. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Grilled Chicken Breaststuffed

with Herb Butter

4 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, basil, chives or other herb

4 bone-in chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil as need

Lemon wedges for serving.

Prepare charcoal or gas grill, heat should be medium-high and rack about inches from fire; keep part of grill cool for indirect cooking. In a small bowl, use a spoon or fork to combine butter and herbs or use a mini food processor.

With sharp bladed knife cut a 2-3 inch slit in deepest part of chicken. Fill with as much herb butter as possible. Rub some under skin as well. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brush with oil.

When grill is ready, put chicken skin-side up on cool side of grill. After some fat has been rendered, turn chicken; if it flares up, move to an even cooler part of fire or turn so skin side is up again. When skin as lost its raw look and most of the fat has been rendered, after 20 minutes or so, move chicken directly over fire. Cook, turning now and then, until both sides are browned and flesh is firm and cooked through, 5-10 minutes longer. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

OK, A final thought: On a huge army picnic on a hot day in Fort Hood, Texas, I had a conversation with the Mess Sgt in charge, and asked him how he got his chicken breasts so tender. His answer was: “Ma’am, I simmer them in broth till they’re just tender, then put them in Barbeque sauce to cool, then just heat them through on the grill.” Hmmm. pgg