Top 10: Recipes for Chicken Breasts

Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in Yountville, California uses panko bread crumbs to give chicken a crunchy crust. "Pounding chicken breasts to a uniform thickness cuts down on cooking time," he says.

Andres Barrera briefly marinates chicken in herbs and cumin before skewering and grilling it; then he serves it with a cool chickpea puree and fiery harissa. His harissa is a knockout, scented with toasted and ground cumin seeds, coriander and caraway seeds, but jarred harissa also works.

Grilling guru Steven Raichlen rubs the chicken breasts with a blend of North African spices that, when cooked on the grill, forms a crispy crust that is full of what Raichlen calls "gutsy in-your-face flavors."

Armand Arnal uses ingredients from his restaurant's enormous organic garden to create seasonal Provençal dishes like this salad of chicken tossed with pine nuts and lemon-marinated zucchini.

The classic chicken salad can be bolstered with any number of seasonings, from curry powder or mustard to harissa. To turn these two-bite snacks into mini sandwiches, cut the brioche rolls in half, mound the chicken salad, tomato and bacon inside, and secure with a toothpick.

Cashews contain oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that makes olive oil so heart-healthy. This chicken-cashew stir-fry is a lighter take on a dish that Stéphane Vivier orders at Rin's Thai in Sonoma, California. Its Asian flavors come from a bright mix of fish sauce, oyster sauce and basil—and just a little oil.

Chicken breast adds plenty of protein but not much fat to this version of ajiaco, a cilantro-scented chicken soup that's virtually Colombia's national dish. Stirring in fiber-rich brown rice turns the soup into a satisfying one-dish meal.

Hero sandwiches at the sub shop are usually served on untoasted rolls, but we prefer to brush the bread with olive oil and run it under the broiler for a minute or two. If you like, put a slice of mozzarella on the top half of each before broiling.

Chicken cutlets always benefit from a little flavor boost—in this case, a simple, piquant pan sauce that combines salty olives, tangy capers and sweet currants.

This satisfying chicken dish from Justin Chapple calls for just five ingredients. One of them is chai tea, which is mixed into a paste with oil and spread under the chicken skin to flavor the meat as it roasts.