Playing "Chicken"

My boss’ face fades

I savagely pound the breast

An awesome feeling

One cannot have too many chicken recipes, especially those with 5 ingredients that take 15 minutes to cook. And let’s face it – when you've had a stressful day and need to work off some steam, nothing submits to a satisfying pounding quite like a chicken breast.

But we always want something imaginative to go with it — besides steamed broccoli. So we have devised a few “chicken toppers” that will turn simple, quick dinners into pleasing entrees. Stash these recipes away for company, too.

The 15-minute dinner prep starts with pounding chicken breast halves between pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap. (A rolling pin works perfectly, but if you have a meat mallet, that is even more fun to pound. It is, quite literally, hammering your meal together. Very powerful, indeed.) Lightly mash the chicken breast into an even thickness; it will end up being about 3/4-inch thick. Salt and pepper the chicken, and you are ready to cook.

Brown the chicken breasts just to sear them; they will continue cooking as you heat the chicken with the toppings in the oven.

What to top with? Here are some winning combos:

Chicken Topped with Bacon, Cheddar, and Corn (“The All-American”)

4 slices bacon

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup diced onion

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 ounces thinly sliced Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet until browned and crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve drippings in skillet.

Pound chicken between pieces of plastic wrap to even thickness.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat bacon drippings in skillet over medium high

heat; add chicken, in batches, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Add corn and onion to skillet; sauté until tender.

Place cheese slices on chicken; spoon corn mixture on top. Halve bacon strips and place on top. Bake until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Special additions: Stir diced roasted red pepper and minced basil to the corn mixture after sautéing

Chicken Topped with Provolone, Avocado, and Sprouts (“The Californian”)

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces thinly sliced Provolone cheese

1 or 2 firm, ripe avocados, peeled and sliced

Alfalfa sprouts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pound chicken between pieces of plastic wrap to even thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top chicken with cheese and avocado slices. Bake until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to serving plates; top with sprouts. Makes 4 servings.

Special additions: Layer sliced tomatoes and bacon strips on top of the cheese for a “California Club”.

Chicken Topped with Tomatoes, Feta, and Pine Nuts (“Greek-Style”)

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Greek seasoning

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes sliced

3 ounces crumbled feta cheese or sliced goat cheese

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pound chicken between pieces of plastic wrap to even thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top chicken with tomato slices, goat cheese, and pine nuts, if using. Bake until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Special additions: Sprinkle quartered Kalamata olives and chopped fresh oregano on top.

Chicken is easy.

Pound. Sear. Chop. Top. Bake. Melt. Serve.

Everybody wins!