Chicken

There's quite a bit of lore surrounding beer-can chicken, and for good reason. Just look at that burnished mahogany bird. The steam from the brew flavors the meat and keeps it moist. The can props the chicken up, so it roasts evenly--no scorching, no flipping, no stressing. And you get to drink some beer. We're believers.

Whole roast chickens look great on the dinner table, but they have no place at a picnic. For easy transport—and eating!—carve your bird into tidy pieces

We're seeing them all over Instagram these days, despite the summer heat. What's the deal? Cookbook author Mindy Fox knows

Nuoc cham, the Vietnamese condiment that dresses this crunchy noodle salad, is made with lime juice, fish sauce, chiles, and sugar. The addictive mix of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors is also great as a dipping sauce for grilled meats.

Sprinkle the cutting board with chopped herbs dressed with oil and citrus zest before setting the meat on top to rest. The cooked protein will absorb the herbs' aroma.

Bigger picnic? Simply roast two birds at the same time.

Putting fatback in the frying oil adds flavor, but we find it's a bit too salty to eat on its own.

Although the recipe calls for chicken, you can serve this nutrient-dense cabbage slaw with any protein you like.

Creamy without being heavy, a dollop of lemony yogurt brings the dish together.

Loosely based on Tom Kha Gai, Thai chicken soup recipe comes together in under an hour with easy to find ingredients.

Slaw doesn't go with this fried chicken sandwich, it goes on the sandwich, along with a healthy dose of spicy mayo.

Brining the chickens in buttermilk tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist. The flavorful pan juices are used to make croutons and a robust dressing for the pepper watercress and bread salad.

Using chicken thighs instead of breasts ensures juicy cutlets, and the best chicken parm recipe you'll ever make.

This weeknight chicken soup goes Greek with orzo, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh dill.

For this chicken tikka masala recipe, the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken; the garlic, ginger, and spices in the marinade infuse it with lots of flavor.

This Thai yellow curry recipe is done in no time, plus it's all in one pot for easy cleanup.

For this braised chicken recipe, balsamic vinegar adds the sweetness needed to balance the sharp flavor of red wine vinegar.

Lay the puff pastry over the skillet for a pretty look. Use any brand; the weight may vary, but either way you'll have enough to work with. The butternut squash in this recipe will change the way you make chicken pot pie from here on out.

Watch chef Geoffrey Zakarian show BA's Adam Rapoport how to pan-roast the paillard of his dreams