This week’s column was inspired by a lovely visit over lunch with my friend Sue.

After we’d had a chance to catch up on the comings and goings of our kids, parents, dental work, vacations (or lack thereof), work and spouses with a glass of wine and a delicious Caesar salad with grilled shrimp, my gal-pal heaved a sigh and said, “OK Pula (she never calls me Paula, but that’s another long story), now that I have you all to myself, I have some questions and I want some answers now.”

Uh-oh. I had no idea what was coming next. But thank goodness, her burning questions were ones I could answer:

“How the heck am I to know how much chicken to buy and cook when a recipes calls for 3 cups of cooked, chopped chicken and furthermore, while we’re on the subject of amounts, just how big is a medium onion? ”

As far as figuring out the amount of chicken to buy and cook for a recipe, the general rule of thumb is:

-One pound of raw, boneless chicken (breasts or thighs) equals about 3 cups of cooked meat.

-Three pounds of uncooked bone in chicken breasts equals about 2-1/2 to 3 cups of cooked meat.

-As for the shortcut of buying a supermarket rotisserie-cooked chicken, these birds are usually fairly small, but can vary greatly in cooked weight. You can expect in the range of about 2 to 2-3/4 cups of meat from one of these chickens.

The operative word above is “about.”

For example, I buy organic, bone-in split chicken breasts at Whole Foods and they tend to be quite large. I bone them myself (just happened to have some thawed for dinner tonight) and I just plopped two on my food scale; one weighed a little over 10 ounces and the other one was just over 11 ounces. My recommendation is to use the above amounts as a guide and if you’re off a bit, the recipe will probably still turn out just fine.

As for what constitutes a “medium” onion:

-Small onion equals 4 ounces by weight or about 1/2 cup chopped

-Medium onion equals 8 ounces, or about 1 cup chopped

-Large onion equals 12 ounces, or about 1-1/2 cups chopped

-Jumbo onion equals 16 ounces, or about 2 cups chopped

A good kitchen scale is wise investment and you can buy a decent one for around $35. It is truly a valuable tool that you should have in your pantry. (Now there’s a good idea for Sue’s birthday gift!)

Check the labels when buying chicken in your local supermarket. Look for the USDA Grade A rating and check the sell-by date to be sure it hasn’t expired. Select chicken that is creamy white to deep yellow in color, not gray or pasty looking.

Don’t be afraid to give it a sniff, too. It should smell fresh and if it smells a tad funky, it can be a sign that it has spoiled. Chicken should be stored in the coldest part of your refrigerator and in the original wrappings. It’s best to use it within two days of purchase.

For longer storage, freeze fresh poultry after wrapping tightly and putting in freezer bags or containers. Try and expel all the air from the bags and seal, label and freeze. Frozen chicken can be stored for up to 9 months in a home freezer.

All purpose chicken spice blend

• 1-1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid; shake well. Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and light. Yield: about 4-1/4 tsp.

Stuffed chicken cacciatore

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 Tbsp. chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 4 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can (14.5-oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning blend

• Hot cooked pasta

• Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap.

Divide basil leaves, dried tomatoes, and 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese evenly among chicken pieces. Fold in the side edges; roll up from bottom edge. Secure with wooden picks. Add oil in a large oven-proof skillet set over medium high heat. When hot, cook chicken rolls 4-5 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Remove from skillet; set aside.

Add onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and crushed red pepper to skillet; cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and Italian spice blend; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Return chicken to skillet, spooning some of the sauce over the chicken; sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. cheese.

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and thermometer registers 165 F. Remove picks and serve chicken over pasta with pan sauce. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Asian glazed chicken thighs

• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. chile paste (available in most supermarkets in Asian food aisle)
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 12 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 bunch green onions, diced
• 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until honey is dissolved. Pour mixture into a large zippy bag and add chicken. Seal and turn bag over several times. Refrigerate for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; transfer marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened and syrupy. Place chicken on a rack coated with non-stick spray, and place rack in a roasting pan. Baste chicken with reserved marinade; sprinkle with salt.

Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 10 minutes; baste with marinade. Bake an additional 10 minutes; basting again. (Discard remain­ing marinade.) Continue baking for 10-14 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Transfer chicken to a platter and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Yield: 6 servings.

White chicken chili

• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can (15 oz.) cream-style corn
• 1 can (7 oz.) diced mild green chiles
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1-1/4 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium high heat. When hot, add onion, yellow bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add cumin, corn, green chiles, milk and beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes. Add chicken and stir. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into 6 bowls and top each with some of the shredded Cheddar. Yield: 6 servings.

Boneless oven-fried chicken breasts

• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided use
• 1-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (or any spicier mustard)
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack over pan and spray rack with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 Tbsp. oil, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, whisking to blend. Brush both sides of chicken pieces with mustard mixture and then dredge in panko mixture. Place on prepared rack in pan and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Serve immediately. (Note: I got a late start preparing this one evening and didn’t take the time to pound chicken. It came out fine, easy peasy, just bake a little longer.)

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Hobe Sound, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.