Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio), Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd, Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

Basic recipes that are anything but boring. [Log In]( [America's Test Kitchen]( [FIND RECIPES]( [START FREE WEB TRIAL]( Notes from the Test Kitchen [Back to Basics]( September 15, 2017 Back to Basics While challenging recipes are exciting and fun to try, there’s nothing quite like your go-to staple recipes for comfort and ease (especially on days that are the complete opposite of comfortable and easy). Today we have three recipes that fall into this category. [Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)]( is as simple and delicious as it gets, requiring only a few ingredients. Our [Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd]( uses the oven, so everyone can eat at the same time. And in our [Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts]( recipe, we use a Chinese technique called velveting to turn out chicken that’s flavorful, moist, and tender. We always include [in-depth articles on basic cooking skills]( in [Cook’s Illustrated]( magazine, and every issue of [Cook’s Country]( includes recipe cards for 30-minute meals. If cookbooks are more your style, we highly recommend [100 Recipes: The Absolute Best Ways to Make the True Essentials](. [Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)]( [Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)]( [Pasta with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)]( is simple, traditional Italian comfort food that comes together in a flash. A combination of cooked and raw garlic makes the dish shout with flavor. A strategic amount of extra-virgin olive oil along with cooking water coats the spaghetti well. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes and parsley adds the finishing touch. [View Recipe]( [Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd]( [Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd]( [Cooking hot grilled cheese sandwiches for a crowd]( doesn’t have to be difficult. We let the baking sheet preheat in the oven to help achieve ultimate crispiness. While cheddar cheese is full of flavor, it doesn’t melt as readily as other cheeses. When we combined it with easy-melting Monterey Jack in our tests, we found the perfect combination of flavor and texture. Shredding the cheeses also helps them melt faster. [View Recipe]( [Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts]( [Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts]( For flavorful, moist, and tender chicken, we gently parcook boneless, skinless breasts in the oven and then sear them on the stovetop. Salting the chicken breasts helps keep them moist, as does cooking them covered in the oven. To get a crisp, even crust on the chicken and to keep the meat moist and tender, we turn to a Chinese technique called velveting, dipping the partially cooked chicken in a protective coating of oil and cornstarch. [View Recipe]( [Receive both Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country. Get twice as many foolproof recipes, honest product reviews, and invaluable quick tips for less than half the price of an annual subscription to either magazine. Order yours now for just $24.95]( Recommended Equipment for These Recipes [All-Clad Stainless 4-Qt Sauce Pan]( Cleanup: ★★★   Durability: ★★★   Ease of Use: ★★★   Performance: ★★★   Saucepans are important vessels that you’ll use to prepare everything from soups and sauces to pasta and grains to custards and puddings. Our longtime winner from All-Clad excels with uniform, steady heating and good visibility inside the saucepan to monitor browning. Its cup-shaped stay-cool handle is easy to grip, and a helper handle provides another grabbing point when the saucepan is full. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( [Nordic Ware Baker’s Half Sheet]( Baking: ★★★   Warping: ★★½   Handling: ★★★   Roasting: ★★★   Rack Compatibility: ★★★   Make crispy, well-browned grilled cheese sandwiches for a crowd on this top-rated baking sheet from Nordic Ware. Everything prepared in this sturdy, warp-resistant sheet cooks appropriately and evenly. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( [All-Clad 12-Inch Stainless Steel Fry Pan with Lid]( Durability: ★★★   Performance: ★★★   Saute Speed: ★★★   User‑Friendliness: ★★★   A traditional skillet is an essential piece of equipment, especially when pan-searing meats. With ample cooking surface for sautéing eight chicken pieces without crowding; a steady, even heat for excellent browning; low, flaring sides for good evaporation; and good balance, this pan from All-Clad offers everything we want in a 12-inch skillet. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( News and Events [Essential Knife Set. 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