The downfall of most baked chicken breast recipes is the long time in the oven that dries out the lean meat before it can fully cook through. We've solved that problem with a couple of secret weapons. The first is white wine added to the baking dish, which creates steam. (While we think it’s worth using wine, you could substitute stock or even water.) The second is a piece of parchment paper placed directly on top of the chicken to lock in the moisture during baking. The result is the best boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are plump and juicy, with a minimum of hands-on time. A bunch of parsley and lemon slices infuse the dish with fresh flavor and the seasoning is neutral enough that the chicken can be used for a variety of different meals. Serve it alongside vegetables and grains, shredded into soup, spiced up for tacos or chopped on top of salad. Feel free to switch up the herbs and citrus if you have leftovers in the fridge to use up.
When I have leftover cooked meat from a roast or a stew, or even leftover steak, I often chop it and use it to make stuffing, chili or meatballs like these boulettes ("small balls")—a staple in every French housewife's cooking repertoire. You can serve the boulettes on their own with a salad, or brush them with barbecue sauce and serve with mashed potatoes. Here, they're topped with a quick-cooking tomato sauce dotted with tangy green olives.