* Nutritional analysis for 1-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast (white meat):

* Nutritional analysis for 1-ounce boneless, skinless chicken thigh (dark meat):

Parts of chicken, with skin, either white or dark meat

Seasoning blend of your choice from the following recipes

• Preheat oven to 375°.

• Mix together the ingredients from the seasoning blend to make a paste.

• Wash chicken pieces under cold running water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Carefully pull back the skin, using the tip of a boning knife, if necessary, to loosen the membrane under the skin from the meat. Evenly rub the seasoning paste directly on the meat. Pull the skin back to cover the meat. Place a roasting rack inside a roasting pan and treat with nonstick spray. Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack so that they aren't touching. (Juices that drain from the meat and the baked “bits” that adhere to the roasting pan can be used in sauces or gravy provided you first drain off any fat.)

• Bake until the juices run clear — about 40 minutes for legs or thighs and about 50 minutes for whole chicken breasts. Reduce baking times by 10 minutes if using boneless, skin-on chicken pieces. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest on the rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Pull the skin away from the meat, using a boning knife, if necessary, to cut away the still-attached end. (The skin can usually just be torn off.) Serve immediately.

Poultry Primer

A heart-healthy menu calls for smaller meat entrées. When you plan your meals to include lots of grains, vegetables, and fruit, 3 to 4 ounces is usually a sufficient serving of meat. As a general rule, a whole chicken breast is split in half to yield 2 servings. The cooked-meat yield (minus the bones) will depend on the size of the breast, but is usually around 6 ounces per half breast, so a whole breast is sometimes enough for 4 servings. The cooked-meat yield for a chicken leg will be around 2 ounces; a thigh will yield 3 to 4 ounces, on average.