Lifestyles

It's an urban legend that Herbert Hoover promised "a chicken in every pot and a car in every backyard" during his 1928 campaign for U.S. president.

In those days, for the average family, a Sunday chicken dinner was a feast that nearly equaled Thanksgiving in its luxury.

Over the decades, though, chicken has developed as a bargain meat, with abundant supplies for consumers. You can buy it whole, cut up, in an array of specific cuts -- wings for parties, skinless boneless breasts for waist watchers, thighs for dark-meat lovers -- without busting the budget.

And Americans are quickly discovering farm-raised, free-range organic chicken, which, for a few bucks more, is said to taste like the ones that pecked around Grandpa's farm years ago.

The trend of bistro dining has brought chicken to the forefront on Pittsburgh menus, particularly when it's roasted simply in the French manner and served with pommes frites. We asked three area "bistro" chefs to choose a chicken cut and share their recipes with Trib readers.

Eric Leibering, executive chef at Boulevard Bistro in Oakmont, serves a colorful Chicken Cacciatore with saffron risotto.

Jessica Gibson, executive chef at Bistro 19 in Mount Lebanon, uses boneless and skinless chicken breasts rolled in an almond crust accented by brown sugar for Almond Chicken.

And Trevett Hooper, chef-owner of Legume Bistro in Regent Square, asked his sous chef, John Heidelmeier, to share Heidelmeier's recipe for Chicken Liver Pate.

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Almond Chicken

Executive chef Jessica Gibson of Bistro 19 in Mount Lebanon offers this warming dish, accented by a brie cream sauce, with parmesan risotto and sauteed spinach.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each

• Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

• Minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Almond Crust

• 2 cups almonds, toasted

• 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Pinch of chopped fresh parsley

Brie Cream

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup diced brie (remove rind first)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the almonds, panko, brown sugar, salt and pepper and the chopped parsley in a food processor and blend into crumbs. If the chicken breasts are especially thick, you can pound them so they won't overcook on the ends. Roll each chicken breast in the almond mixture until well-coated.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in an ovenproof skillet until hot. Add the chicken breasts and cook until one side is light brown. Flip the chicken, then transfer the skillet into the hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through. An instant-read thermometer should read 160 degrees in the thickest part of the pieces.

Meanwhile, prepare the Brie Cream: Place the garlic and wine in a skillet and cook until reduced by half. Add the mustard and cream. Slowly whisk in the brie pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the chicken with the sauce on top, sprinkled with slivered almonds and minced parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

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Chicken Cacciatore

Sweet bell peppers, fresh herbs and tomatoes perk up this comfort dish with color and flavor. Executive chef Eric Leibering of Boulevard Bistro in Oakmont serves this with Saffron Risotto; he shared that recipe, too.

• 1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up

• 2 teaspoons salt, more if needed

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more if needed

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large sweet red or yellow bell pepper, diced

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced

• 3/4 cup white wine

• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

• 3/4 cup chicken stock

• 3 tablespoons drained capers

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano or about 4 teaspoons chopped fresh

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• Saffron Risotto (recipe follows)

Season the chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then dust with flour. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy saute pan. Add the chicken and saute until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the pepper, onion and garlic to the pan and saute until the vegetables are tender. Add the wine, deglaze the pan and reduce the liquid by half. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, capers and oregano.

Return the chicken to the pan and continue to cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.

Meanwhile, make the Saffron Risotto. Keep it warm.

Adjust the chicken seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in the basil. Serve the chicken in shallow plates with the risotto.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Saffron Risotto

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons pure olive oil

• 2 cups uncooked arborio rice

• 3 pinches of saffron threads

• 7 cups warm chicken stock

• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the olive oil and rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat each grain of rice with oil. Add the saffron threads and 1 cup of the warm stock. Stir and cook rice until the liquid is absorbed.

Add the remaining stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring as the rice absorbs it, until the rice is al dente and creamy, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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Chicken Liver Pate

Chef-owner Trevett Hooper of Legume Bistro in Regent Square was happy to have his sous chef, John Heidelmeier, share this appetizer recipe, which Heidelmeier developed. Hooper says the restaurant serves the pate with toasted baguette slices, pickled vegetables and sliced crisp apples. It also is good with crackers.

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, softened

• 1 large shallot, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tart green apple, peeled, cored and chopped

• Chopped leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound chicken livers, washed

• Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons applejack, brandy, Calvados or whiskey

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream

• Salt, to taste

Melt half the butter in a saute pan. Slowly cook the shallot and garlic until golden brown. Add the apple, thyme and a generous pinch of black pepper. Add the chicken livers and cook until pink on the inside. Do not overcook, or the mousse will be grainy.

Transfer the hot mixture to a food processor. Add the lemon juice and the other half of the butter. Add the applejack. Add enough heavy cream to achieve the right consistency -- the mixture should be very thin when hot, but it will thicken as it cools. Season with salt, taking note that the flavor will be less intense when it is cold, so it should taste a little on the salty side when it is warm.

Turn into a bowl or mold, cover and refrigerate until set, for 2 to 3 hours. Let come to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftovers for as long as 3 days.

Makes 6 to 10 light hors d'oeuvres servings.

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