When I was a kid, my mom served chicken once a week. Somehow, a 3 1/2 pound bird fed our family of seven. We enjoyed our portions, skin and all, and scraped the roasting pan clean to spoon delicious juices over potatoes.

Today, the National Chicken Council tells us that the U.S. buys more chicken for the center of the plate than any other food. Chicken’s popularity keeps increasing. A June 2024 agriculture statistic estimates that each person in the U.S. consumes 100 pounds of chicken a year. Think about that number, nearly 2 pounds a week!

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts prove the most popular choice. Too bad so much of it tastes bland and feels dry and chewy. Instead of cooking those lean cuts to death in the dry heat of the oven, let’s add moisture and browning. And let’s do it FAST.

To that end, take those thick chicken breasts and split them into thinner portions, aka cutlets or paillards. Some stores sell thin chicken cutlets, but it’s not a difficult technique to master. Set a boneless skinless breast on the cutting board and using a very sharp knife slice the breast horizontally in half. Keep your eyes on your work so you only slice the chicken. Separate the two halves and when they are thicker than 1/4 or 1/3 inch, use a meat pounder to flatten the pieces a bit.

Season the cutlets on all sides with salt and pepper in advance of cooking so the meat absorbs the flavors. Then, use a good amount of heat to sear them until nicely browned. This just takes 5 minutes, people!

So be ready with all the rest of dinner — have the water boiling for the angel hair pasta, for example, have the table set and the salad made. If serving with a sauce, and I recommend that you do, have it made and held warm before searing the chicken.

Swift-cooking tomato sauces prove the perfect pairing for quick-cooking chicken.

Bottled sauce is fine, but when company’s coming or the family celebrates, assemble a Veracruz-style tomato sauce packed with olives, sweet red peppers and zesty jalapeno.

Serve the chicken and sauce with pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. When I crave the satisfaction of pasta, but am short on time, angel hair pasta solves the dilemma. This super skinny noodle cooks in mere minutes. Be careful not to overcook it. Zucchini noodles, from the freezer or produce case, cook quickly, too.

Serve this speedy chicken for a weeknight family dinner or break out the nice plates and impress your company. Add a green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled queso fresco or feta.

This dinner is worthy of dessert. Take it easy on yourself and scoop mango sorbet and vanilla ice cream into small bowls. Pass hot caramel or chocolate sauce. You deserve a treat.

Chicken Cutlets with Olive and Pepper Tomato Sauce

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Note: Purchase chicken cutlets when they are available or make your own by splitting a chicken breast horizontally in half.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8 chicken cutlets

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bottled red bell pepper, rinsed, diced

1/2 cup sliced pitted olives, such as green, Kalamata or a combination

3 to 4 tablespoons drained sliced pickled jalapenos

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup tomato jalapeno salsa or a mild tomato salsa

Grated rind of 1/2 lemon, optional

8 ounces angel hair pasta

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

1. Put one chicken breast on a cutting board and use a very sharp slicing knife to cut horizontally in half, making two cutlets. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of each half and pound lightly to flatten to 1/4 thickness. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining chicken.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in red pepper, olives, jalapenos; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and salsa; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lemon rind and season with salt to taste. Remove from heat; keep warm.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and chicken in a single uncrowded layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook over medium-high without turning, until brown, about 3 minutes. Flip to brown second side, about 2 minutes Remove from heat to a platter. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

4. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta in water according to package directions, about 2 minutes. Drain.

5. Stir chopped cilantro into sauce. Serve chicken over pasta topped generously with sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2024 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.