An Added Punch

Because of its mild flavor, poultry pairs especially well with lively condiments like relishes and salsas.

John Leone, who worked as Bon Appetit executive chef at Master's College in Newhall, CA, before his recent switch to Dream Works Studios, gets a lot of mileage out of a Pixie tangerine relish he created to accent a citrus-marinated chicken dish (see recipe on p. 48).

“Citrus is a great way to pucker up your chicken if you've gotten stuck in a rut,” he says. “It awakens your senses, and you get the pull of the sweet and the sour, along with salty taste of the savory chicken.”

It's also a perfect way to splash in fresh color, which can tremendously improve the pale look and limited appeal of a solitary slab of white meat poultry on a plate. For easy eye-catchers to add instant allure, consider a basic poultry preparation punched up with:

• pineapple mango salsa
• ethnic pestos (try a Thai-style, with cilantro, mint, basil and peanuts)
• sweet cherry ancho vegetable relish
• mango ginger chutney
• red onion marmalade
• poblano/roasted tomato salsa
• rosemary mustard butter
• kumquat and pimiento relish
• roasted corn and bell pepper salsa
• super chunky guacamole
• fresh “ketchups” made with bananas and orange juice or avocados and tomatillos

One poultry tradition onsite operators will probably never be able to deny their customers is chicken with crunchy coatings and toppings. Even ubiquitous breaded chicken strips can be updated, though, with an oatmeal-and-flour coating, sesame-studded panko crumbs, or new dipping sauces such as a Thai peanut, Italian pesto, or cilantro-spiced hummus.

And when you're looking for something more interesting than croutons or crispy noodles to add crunch to a poultry salad, try tantalizing your customers with seasoned and toasted naan strips instead.

Cock-a-doodle-do! Isn't it time to wake up the menu with some new takes on poultry?