Would a chicken by any other name still taste...good? (Israeli Spice Chicken)

Okay, so maybe I'm no Shakespeare, but I have been piling up the chicken recipes around here, haven't I? I went from overwhelming you with desserts to overwhelming you with chicken in all sorts of guises, and of course, today will be no different. If you're wondering whether or not I sometimes get bored of all of this poultry in my kitchen, the answer would be yes and no. I like to think that I dress it up enough and give it different spices to wear so that each meal is still distinct, but whenever I sit down and think about it, as I'm apt to do as I blog, I do feel like I'm in a little bit of a rut. But I promise, this is the last chicken rotation for a little while. I'll bet you can't wait to see what my next stock of recipes has in store, huh?

With that introduction, please don't discount this chicken recipe. I batch cooked this early on in the semester and froze it in both full piece and shredded forms, and have been loving it in many different dishes all month long. It's called an Israeli Spice Chicken, but really, this is a tame spice rub. It looks vibrant and intense, and it makes the whole house smell like falafel (so says my roommate), but it isn't some overwhelming flavor that anyone with more sensitive taste buds will have a problem with. It has a bold flavor - this is no delicate and dainty chicken - and it's a little smoky, which is a nice change of pace.

Israeli Spice Chicken, courtesy of Rachael Ray & Foodnetwork.com
Yield: 4 servings (though I got, I think, 6 out of it)
The Ingredients - The Spice Rub
1 1/2 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground coriander*
1/2 - 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (omitted, come on now!)
The Ingredients - Everything Else
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied or halved
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

The Method
1. Combine all of the ingredients for the spice rub, mixing well to incorporate. Place into a sealable jar and store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. I didn't want to have much left over, and I can't remember if I cut back or not, but I didn't have too much extra regardless.
2. Place the chicken in a shallow dish and just barely coat it with the oil. Rub the chicken liberally on both sides with 4 Tbsp. of the spice rub (the recipe only calls to make about 4 or 4 1/2 Tbsp, anyway), and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
3. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, or saute on the stovetop for roughly 8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.

*Note: I don't keep coriander around, mostly because recipes that I make call for it so infrequently that, cooking the way that I do, I can't justify buying it. So, I substituted some parsley, knowing full well that it's not an ideal switch. If you try this with coriander, you'll have to let me know how it tastes.

I enjoyed one serving of chicken with some bulgur and tomato slices. The bland, clean flavor of the bulgur complemented the chicken well, and the tomato offered a sweet, fresh angle to the dish. It was very simple, but good, and is subdued enough to work in many chicken dishes you can think up. Add it to a warmed tortilla or pita, stick it in a casserole, serve it on top of a salad - you name it!

So, there you have it - my final chicken recipe. For now. You can bet there will be more, and maybe even in the fairly near future, but for now, I think we all need a break.