Make bird fly off plate with a pinch of saffron

— Sure, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is an economical and lean protein source. But it can also be boring!

What to do?

To paraphrase Emeril: Kick it up a pinch!

Any blend of seasonings will do the trick - French, Cajun or Indian-inspired, as is the case with Saffron Chicken With Fennel Seeds.

Adding exotic spices can be a great way to add flavor, color and texture. Saffron, for instance, is a deep russet-colored threadlike spice that comes from the saffron crocus. Because of the difficulty of handharvesting the threads, saffron is the world's most expensive spice. Luckily, most recipes use saffron in small amounts to add a rich, vibrant yellow-orange color and a distinctive, pungentaroma.

Saffron pairs nicely with fennel seeds. They look similar to cumin but have a slight licorice flavor.

Saffron Chicken With Fennel Seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 /2-inch pieces

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup dry white wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 /2 teaspoon saffron threads

1 /4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 cups hot cooked rice

Heat olive oil in large skillet.

Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, just until brown.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add wine, garlic, fennel seeds and saffron.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid has reduced by two-thirds.

Stir in parsley just before serving.

Serve chicken over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (with 1 /2 cup rice) contains: 324 calories (17 percent from fat), 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 66 mg cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrate, 29 g protein, 82 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

Food, Pages 52 on 10/31/2007

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