I used to love fried chicken and I remember the day that my kids and I ordered a bucket of fried chicken. That didn’t happen very often, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Since it seemed somewhat greasy, we decided to pull off the skin. When we saw the globs of yellow fat under the skin, the kids grimaced and said, “yuck”!

We didn’t eat much of it, and have never ordered fried chicken since then…

But chicken really is nutritious and is such a good source of protein. Chicken is packed with minerals like calcium, selenium and phosphorus. Selenium helps to prevent infections and reduce the chances of arthritis. We all know that calcium helps with bone health, and phosphorus supports the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. But it is probably best to avoid high-fat frying.

Chicken allows creative cooking because it plays well with so many other flavors and cuisines: our own American regional cuisines as well as International cuisines on other continents.

Orange juice and lemon juice are the basic building blocks for this marinade/dressing. Olive oil provides smoothness, while mustard and Worcestershire sauce provide spice and bite. Fresh or dried herbs round out the flavor profile.

This particular dish has a simple but fresh flavor that allows it to be used many ways. It can be served hot as the star of the platter or used for make ahead cold dishes. Sometimes I cook multiple chicken breasts and freeze them for future meals such as sandwiches or salad. This citrus dressing can also be used with fish, but the fish should only sit in the marinade for about 1/2 hour. The acidic juices will start curing–cooking–the fish if left too long. The marinade can also serve as a salad dressing. Stir it well, then pour some into a pitcher to top a fresh green salad.

in summertime, I like to broil or grill this marinated chicken early in the day and refrigerate. Then I slice it and place on top of a great big salad and drizzle more dressing overtop for a cool and refreshing dinner.

CITRUS CHICKEN MARINADE

1/2 Cup orange juice
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 Cup olive oil
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Teaspoon dried oregano or one Tablespoon fresh oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts Salad greens and vegetables of choice

Mix orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a large glass measuring cup. Whisk in the oil, then add the herbs, salt and pepper.

Pour half of the marinade over the chicken; cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Drain and discard marinade; grill or broil chicken breast about 5-6 minutes per side (165 degrees F). Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice and place on top of salad. Serve reserved dressing to drizzle over top.