It’s not news to most Americans that chicken is the most popular animal protein on our table. According to the National Restaurant Association (the other NRA), Americans still eat more red meat — beef, pork and lamb — than chicken, but chicken is the single most popular of the four. Annual per-capita consumption, according to the group, reached about 100 pounds per person per year in 2003.

Chicken is a favorite in other countries, too. Cuisines from Africa, the East (Middle, Near and Far), Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and South and Central America all feature chicken.

If you want to try cooking some international foods at home, chicken is a good food with which to start. It’s readily available, relatively inexpensive and recognized as an “approved” food choice by many kids, who might accept a Thai chicken dish as “dinner” when they would reject as “weird” a similar dish made with beef, pork or lamb. In fact, you can point out to your kids that they probably have sampled some “exotic” chicken dishes: chicken fajitas or enchiladas, for example, or Kung Pao chicken.

Here are chicken dishes from abroad: a satisfying Italian skillet chicken dish from the new “Bold Italian” by Manhattan celebrity chef Scott Conant (Broadway Books, 2008); a stir-fried chicken-and-rice dish from “Gourmet Thai in Minutes” by London chef Vatcharin Bhumichitr (Kyle Books, 2008) and, from West Africa, a hearty chicken-and-peanut stew, printed in “The Soul of a New Cuisine” by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley, 2006). All are extremely tasty and can be made with ingredients found in most supermarkets.



ITALIAN PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES AND GREEN OLIVES

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 (3-1/2-pound) chicken or 3-1/2-pounds bone-in chicken thighs or a combination of thighs and legs

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (optional)

10 fingerling potatoes or 3 Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

about 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth (optional)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped, pitted green olives

In a wide, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken well with salt and a lot of black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet skin-side down, and cook until the skin is well browned and crisp, at least 10 minutes. Turn the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and partially cover the pan. Cook another 15 minutes. Add the onions, garlic (if using) and potatoes, and cook about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. (To test, slice a piece of chicken; the juices should run clear.) Taste and, if desired, add the wine (the acidity of the wine will “brighten” the sauce a bit). Cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Add the olives and cook a few minutes more, just to warm them through. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Recipe slightly adapted from “Bold Italian” by Scott Conant (Broadway Books, 2008)



THAI SPICY FRIED RICE WITH CHICKEN

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3 small fresh red chili peppers, stemmed and seeded and finely sliced

4 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fish sauce (available in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or regular supermarket soy sauce)

3-1/2 cups cooked rice (preferably fragrant Thai rice)

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 scallion, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil and stir-fry the garlic until golden. Add the chili peppers and chicken and stir quickly. Add the fish sauce, sugar and soy sauce, stir and cook for a few seconds until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly. Add the onion and scallions and stir quickly to mix. Turn into a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Gourmet Thai in Minutes” by Vatcharin Bhumichitr (Kyle Books, 2008)



WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN-AND-PEANUT STEW

2 medium onions, peeled and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chili peppers, halved and seeded, stems and ribs removed (see Cook’s note)

1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

2 bay leaves

6 white peppercorns (if not available, use 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper)

4 cups water

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 4 pieces

2 cups unsalted peanuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

4 tomatoes, cut into quarters, or 2 cups roughly chopped canned tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound fresh spinach, tough stems removed (if necessary)

cooked rice, for serving

Cook’s note: Scotch bonnet chili peppers and their cousins, the habaneros, are among the hottest in the world. Wear latex gloves when handling or wash hands thoroughly after handling, and take care not to touch your eyes. If you can’t find any fresh peppers, use a hot sauce made with them. Start with a teaspoon and then season to taste.

Combine the onions, carrots, chili peppers, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken thighs and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is simmering, toast the peanuts in a small, ungreased skillet set over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Let cool, then grind 1 cup of toasted peanuts in a blender to a smooth paste. Set aside

Using tongs, remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a food processor. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the vegetables until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When it begins to simmer, add the potatoes and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the vegetable puree into the broth and bring to a boil. Add the peanut puree and the remaining cup of whole peanuts and whisk until well combined. Add the tomatoes, chicken and potatoes, and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “The Soul of a New Cuisine” by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley, 2006)

 

Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.