Punch it Up!

Ann Friedland

Chimichurra Rice Bowl

Tired of turkey? Combating chicken fatigue? The truth is, it's probably not the poor bird — it's the preparation.

As Bill Mitchell, senior director of brand management for Sodexo Corporate Services explains, “Poultry provides a very versatile canvas, which can help you do so much — from different cooking methods that add perceived variety, to different toppings and finishes, to multiple ethnic treatments that take it in new and interesting directions.”

Simple Touches

To that end, Mitchell notes some simple preparation methods that can improve customer perceptions:

Of course, altering the style or type of poultry from what's typically menued can pique new interest, too.

Onsite operators often relegate duck, for instance, to catering and special events, but newly-available pulled duck meat, fully prepped and ready to use from oven-roasted duck legs, offers a quick and easy way to incorporate this value-adding ingredient into regular cafe menus — in anything from sandwiches and salads to pizzas and entrees.

At Tufts University in Medford, MA, Nutrition and Marketing Specialist Julie Lampie, RD, MBA, likes to offer a break from the more expected boneless chicken breast applications by using turkey steaks or cutlets, marinated and charbroiled for a somewhat different look and taste (check out her recipe for simple but brightly-flavored Rosemary Lemon Turkey Steaks on p. 46). Pre-seasoned turkey tips and boneless turkey breast at the carving station also provide a change of pace for students.

“You and your customers might get tired of particular presentations after a while,” she says, “but it's hard to get tired of poultry itself — it's just so mild and easily adaptable.” Lampie expects to generate some new interest later this year when she introduces a do-it-yourself Asian lettuce wrap station using either ground turkey or chicken with fish sauce, soy sauce, water chestnuts, scallions and other vegetables for add-ins.

Can't go the expensive beef route for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon at an upcoming catered event? Wrap turkey medallions in turkey bacon for a lower-fat but still high-appeal “turkey filet mignon” version.

Although white meat chicken and turkey seem to have captured the “healthy” perception, there's much to recommend about dark meat poultry, too. Thighs and legs can yield some of the most succulent and juicy meat for braised dishes, stir fries, pastas and sandwiches. Smoked or roasted and shredded dark meat also makes a viable poultry substitute for classic dishes made with beef or pork, such as Philly cheese steaks, ropa vieja, carnitas, and barbeque pulled meat sandwiches.