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Started By
Message
Baked Chicken Breast Dishes : Help Needed : Tough & Dry: Improve?
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:44 pm
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:44 pm
Wife makes a ton of dishes w chicken breasts, typically buying these:
She has become cognisant that alot of the dishes offer us dry/not tender pieces of chicken.
I would like to know opinions of how to arrive at a better final product (overcooking does not seem to be the issue, but I guess is possible).
-Sometimes she freezes the chicken thaws before she cooks them, but says she oftens has same problem if she brings it home from the store and cooks it fresh
-I have snuck in an overnight salt/peppercorn water brine before, unsure if this helped?
-Is that a lower quality chicken product? I am admittedly a red meat snob, but know little about chicken grades
-We have considered going to boneless thighs, but that wont work all the time
-Most of these dishes are cooked at 350... And majority are in sauces
What can we do to yeild juicier chicken breast dishes?
Ive reached end of my rope w these baked chicken dishes and tough, dry chicken.
She has become cognisant that alot of the dishes offer us dry/not tender pieces of chicken.
I would like to know opinions of how to arrive at a better final product (overcooking does not seem to be the issue, but I guess is possible).
-Sometimes she freezes the chicken thaws before she cooks them, but says she oftens has same problem if she brings it home from the store and cooks it fresh
-I have snuck in an overnight salt/peppercorn water brine before, unsure if this helped?
-Is that a lower quality chicken product? I am admittedly a red meat snob, but know little about chicken grades
-We have considered going to boneless thighs, but that wont work all the time
-Most of these dishes are cooked at 350... And majority are in sauces
What can we do to yeild juicier chicken breast dishes?
Ive reached end of my rope w these baked chicken dishes and tough, dry chicken.
This post was edited on 12/8/15 at 7:07 am
20
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:46 pm to bossflossjr
Dont bake them. Cook them in a skillet with a bit of oil.
This post was edited on 12/7/15 at 5:47 pm
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:46 pm to bossflossjr
Use boneless thighs instead. More flavor. Try stuffing them.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:47 pm to Cosmo
Or grill them at around 325, 12 minutes on each side. Then add them to the dish.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:48 pm to colorchangintiger
I grill often as well, closer to 400, 10 min each side, never dry
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:50 pm to bossflossjr
1) Brine?
2) Brine.
3) Brine!
4) Probe type meat thermometer you can leave in the thickest part of the meat during baking. The USDA says to cook to 165F, but that's based on almost every chicken pathogen being instakilled at 165F. In reality, cooking the chicken to a lower temperature for a longer period of time will provide the same killing and pathogen reduction without the risk of overcooking, but you have to make sure you get it hot enough and long enough to be safe to eat. To be super safe, the USDA errs on the side of ultra-caution and just recommends the temperature at which instakill happens, so time is no longer a factor. Anyway, set the thermometer's alarm to your desired temperature and when the thermometer alarm goes off, the chicken comes out. No, I don't care if the outside doesn't look brown enough, it comes out. If you want it more browned the next time, turn the oven up a little higher, but the chicken ALWAYS comes out when the thermometer beeps if you want to avoid overcooking.
2) Brine.
3) Brine!
4) Probe type meat thermometer you can leave in the thickest part of the meat during baking. The USDA says to cook to 165F, but that's based on almost every chicken pathogen being instakilled at 165F. In reality, cooking the chicken to a lower temperature for a longer period of time will provide the same killing and pathogen reduction without the risk of overcooking, but you have to make sure you get it hot enough and long enough to be safe to eat. To be super safe, the USDA errs on the side of ultra-caution and just recommends the temperature at which instakill happens, so time is no longer a factor. Anyway, set the thermometer's alarm to your desired temperature and when the thermometer alarm goes off, the chicken comes out. No, I don't care if the outside doesn't look brown enough, it comes out. If you want it more browned the next time, turn the oven up a little higher, but the chicken ALWAYS comes out when the thermometer beeps if you want to avoid overcooking.
This post was edited on 12/7/15 at 6:05 pm
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:51 pm to bossflossjr
Sounds like she is over cooking them.
Also, your chickens are vegetarians. Chickens are omnivores. That may be another problem.
Also, your chickens are vegetarians. Chickens are omnivores. That may be another problem.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 5:58 pm to bossflossjr
at least youre buying all natural, hormone and steroid free chicken 
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:00 pm to bossflossjr
quote:
Improve
uppity all day
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:01 pm to bossflossjr
Learned a trick from a few Italian restaurants in NYC. Marinate the chicken breasts in pineapple juice for a day before cooking. The acid starts breaking it down and tender and juicy as all get out.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:09 pm to BigAppleTiger
High temp,short time, 400 until just 160 degrees then tent and rest
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:09 pm to bossflossjr
Google thekitchn.com moist and tender chicken breasts. Very simple and really good.
I would link it but I'm on my phone.
I would link it but I'm on my phone.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:12 pm to bossflossjr
every so often i'll get a chicken breast that has a strange chewy, spongy texture in the thick part of the breast. i'll cook all the breasts in the pack the same way, and they'll all be fine except for one. you can tell immediately when you bite in that it's different from the rest. i don't know if this is what you're describing, but i've never run into this problem with dark meat.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:39 pm to bossflossjr
why keep cooking them at 350 if you don't like the results? I don't like baked boneless skinless breasts, they always end up dry IMHO. Stop already with the sauce and 350 casserole style madness.
Boneless, skinless breasts need hot n quick cooking to stay juicy....try pounding them to an even thickness, then cooking in a skillet. Heat your desired sauce on the side, spoon over the cooked breasts once on the plate. Or cut into bite sized chunks and quickly saute, then spoon on your sauce and keep cooking just long enough to warm it. If your oven has a decent broiler, that's another cooking method to consider.
Or, if you want baked, switch to bone in thighs. Harder to overcook, and definitely more succulent in texture.
Boneless, skinless breasts need hot n quick cooking to stay juicy....try pounding them to an even thickness, then cooking in a skillet. Heat your desired sauce on the side, spoon over the cooked breasts once on the plate. Or cut into bite sized chunks and quickly saute, then spoon on your sauce and keep cooking just long enough to warm it. If your oven has a decent broiler, that's another cooking method to consider.
Or, if you want baked, switch to bone in thighs. Harder to overcook, and definitely more succulent in texture.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:45 pm to bossflossjr
My opinion is that boneless skinless chicken breasts suck but I'm OK with bone in and skin on. I brine them like any standard chicken brine(water, salt, brown sugar) for an hour or 2 but add some garlic powder, black pepper, fish sauce/soy to make it more savory. I wash them before I grill and add a light coat of olive oil to the skin then lightly season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill for about 20 minutes at 425 or so, check with a thermometer for a safe temp.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:47 pm to bossflossjr
I season, then brown them on each side in a hot skillet. I put them on a bed of sliced raw onion rings (to keep them from burning on the bottom) and bake for about 25-30 minutes at 350F. Let them rest a few minutes, and slice against the grain.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:51 pm to bossflossjr
quote:
Dont bake them. Cook them in a skillet with a bit of oil.
Some recipes require wrapping and cannot be prepared this way
quote:
Use boneless thighs instead. More flavor. Try stuffing them.
Went thru this, sometimes it's ok.. Breasts required periodically and healthier
quote:
Or grill them at around 325, 12 minutes on each side. Then add them to the dish.
Same issues as browning in a skillet.....can't prepare most of her dishes this way
quote:
uppity all day
Touche' ... Not as uppity as urs tho.
quote:
Learned a trick from a few Italian restaurants in NYC. Marinate the chicken breasts in pineapple juice for a day before cooking. The acid starts breaking it down and tender and juicy as all get out.
Possible if it doesn't have a taste of pineapple. Don't see why any citrus is better than others, but does dictate the flavor profile
quote:
why keep cooking them at 350 if you don't like the results? I don't like baked boneless skinless breasts, they always end up dry IMHO. Stop already with the sauce and 350 casserole style madness.
I agree, but they are recipies my wife likes to cook and doesn't require a lot of effort. She doesn't enjoy prep/cooking like we do.... And I am trying to help.
quote:
Boneless, skinless breasts need hot n quick cooking to stay juicy....try pounding them to an even thickness, then cooking in a skillet. Heat your desired sauce on the side, spoon over the cooked breasts once on the plate. Or cut into bite sized chunks and quickly saute, then spoon on your sauce and keep cooking just long enough to warm it. If your oven has a decent broiler, that's another cooking method to consider.
This really may have to be the route we go for dishes that do not require a specific form of the breast.
I am aware that hot & fast grilling would be optimal...or even skillet cooking in oil.... But that is not a feasible option on a busy evening w some of her recipies.
You have all given us some things to consider. I will likely send her to this thread. Thanks all, as always.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 6:53 pm to Canard Noir
quote:
My opinion is that boneless skinless chicken breasts suck but I'm OK with bone in and skin on.
Same here
Posted on 12/7/15 at 7:04 pm to bossflossjr
Pound them thin and marinate in lemon juice and kosher/sea salt. Throw straight on a hot grill about three minutes per side. As good as it gets.
Posted on 12/7/15 at 7:09 pm to bossflossjr
quote:
We have considered going to boneless thighs, but that wont work all the time
Why not? I'm pretty sure the difference in nutrition is minuscule, and pretty much anything you make with breasts can be done with thighs..
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