chicken breasts; cooking advice.

[Numenorean]

Why? Is the world going to end? Is the chicken going to explode?

Yes.

 

[basslover1]

Okay everyone who says to "cut into them to see" JUST STOP IT!

Yeah that's the dumbest thing you can do is just randomly cut into meat to see if it's done.

It's a chicken breast, not Fillet Mignon, who cares if you gut into to check doneness.

I used to cut into my meats all the time, eventually I learned what it should look/feel like when done. I haven't touched a thermometer in years, all because I used to get a slit into meats to check doneness.

 

[DrPizza]

If you're cooking them on a George Foreman, in addition to marinades, I'll suggest the following: Cut them so that they're only half as thick. Otherwise, the outside gets overcooked before the center is done on a George Foreman grill. (Amazingly, after 1 bad experience, I concluded that the GF grill sucked for chicken breasts. It wasn't until after my son marinaded them in an Italian dressing & split their thickness in half before I realized how awesome the GF grill is for chicken.)

 

[Miramonti]

There is no rule for how long thawed chicken will last in the fridge because it always depends on their condition before they were frozen as well as the sustained fridge temp after they are thawed.

They may not last more than a day or two. The only way to tell if they are in the process of expiring or have expired is to smell them. You will know if they are too risky.

If you want a rule, simply cook them asap after thawed. Freeze them in ziplock bags based on 1 or 2 days of consumption, and remove from freezer accordingly. They will taste fresher that way and make a more enjoyable meal.

 

[Aikouka]

I've found that the easiest way for me to cook frozen chicken breasts is probably in the oven. It doesn't even require you to defrost the meat.

What I do is use a cookie pan, line it with aluminum foil, put an all-metal cooling rack on top of that, spray some cooking spray on the cooling rack, and place the chicken on top. I cook it for 35 minutes at 375F. I remove the chicken, baste the top, flip them, scrape off any lingering fat (most of the fat will drop onto the aluminum foil), and baste the bottom. Then I put them back in again for 15 minutes.

If the chicken isn't frozen, just drop the 35 minutes down to 25.

If I want to make breaded chicken, I cook it in three stages instead. The first is 25 minutes, then you bread the chicken and put it back in the same way you were cooking it. After 10 minutes, you take it out, and flip it. Then you cook it for 15 minutes.

The one thing I've noticed is that frozen chicken breast sizes sometimes really vary. I've had some ridiculously thick ones, and for breasts like that, you may want to increase the time by 5 minutes or so. If not, they seem to be too juicy inside. Some people may like this, but I don't. On that note, if you like your chicken really juicy, you may want to take some time off the "recipes" above.

EDIT:

The reason why I specified an all-metal cooling rack above is because I typically clean them using a brush meant for cleaning a grill. If you did this with one of those nicer no-stick cooling racks, you'd just strip the Teflon off. It only takes maybe a few minutes to get the cooling rack pretty clean.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I've found that the easiest way for me to cook frozen chicken breasts is probably in the oven. It doesn't even require you to defrost the meat.

There's no way you're not overcooking the outer portion if you're not thawing first.

 

[Dulanic]

Best seasoning! http://www.toddsdirt.com/

No MSG or other garbage and adds 0 calories.

 

[bignateyk]

Best seasoning! http://www.toddsdirt.com/

No MSG or other garbage and adds 0 calories.

A little bit of crack cocaine makes any seasoning better :awe:

 

[slag]

I wouldn't trust an opened raw breast in the fridge much beyond 5 days, but depending on how yours are sealed they might last a little longer.

For tasty, try chicken alfredo and chicken fajitas. Chicken alfredo is one of my favorite quick dinners -- I like it because the timing works out perfectly with angel hair pasta. Cut raw chicken into strips, then put 'em in a pan with a little oil. Put water on to boil. When the water starts boiling it's time to turn the chicken and heat the sauce (Five Brothers is good). Everything is done 4 minutes later.
Crazy good and only takes ~10 minutes start to finish.



Yeah, chicken and spinach is delicious.

You must be cooking with gas. It takes 15 minutes just to get water to boil on my stove with the lid on, and pasta should boil for between 6 and 8 minutes minimum so it isn't crunchy.

 

[zinfamous]

It's a chicken breast, not Fillet Mignon, who cares if you gut into to check doneness.

I used to cut into my meats all the time, eventually I learned what it should look/feel like when done. I haven't touched a thermometer in years, all because I used to get a slit into meats to check doneness.

because chicken is probably the worst (flavorless, moisture-retention, texture) protein out there.

cooking it well is not very easy--perhaps the most important issue being moisture. cutting open a chicken breast to check for doneness will instantly ruin it.

Believe me, I am very guilty of this.

 

[Wyndru]

I boil my chicken breasts when they are frozen. They are done when they float to the top and sit there for a few minutes.

I thought quickly bringing up the temp of chicken is dangerous?

I'm probably wrong here, I just figured I'd ask. When I worked at Pizza Hut my boss freaked out on me for using hot water to thaw the chicken, stating that it would cause someone to get sick from salmonella or something. He wanted me to soak the packages in cold water to thaw.

 

[bignateyk]

I thought quickly bringing up the temp of chicken is dangerous?

I'm probably wrong here, I just figured I'd ask. When I worked at Pizza Hut my boss freaked out on me for using hot water to thaw the chicken, stating that it would cause someone to get sick from salmonella or something.

He's not thawing, he's cooking them in boiling water. But yeah, letting raw meat soak warm water to thaw will create a nice breeding pool for bacteria.

 

[oogabooga]

because chicken is probably the worst (flavorless, moisture-retention, texture) protein out there.

cooking it well is not very easy--perhaps the most important issue being moisture. cutting open a chicken breast to check for doneness will instantly ruin it.

Believe me, I am very guilty of this.

If you're 99.9% sure and you're cutting just to get to 100% sure it's probably fine (you probably also overcooked it).

Get a thermometer. Seriously this has been the most helpful thing I did when cooking more chicken. This takes out all the guess work with the actual cooking process. I got a themrapen from a friend and it's probably the most useful thing I own other than a regular cast iron skillet.

If you cut up into smaller strips that makes cooking easier/faster as well.

For flavoring: the most important thing for me has been to mix it up. Sometimes I use the Soy Vey (Sp?) marinade that's available pretty much everywhere now. I'll use Lemon and Lime Juice with Garlic to make a white version of Pollo Asada. Othertimes, Thousand Island. I probably rotate through about 8 different ways to keep the flavor interesting.

Find a way you like cooking it. I don't have a grill which unfortunately is my favorite way of cooking and eating chicken. (temporary living situation). Instead right now I use a cast iron skillet with grill lines and it's just as good for me.

 

[Wyndru]

He's not thawing, he's cooking them in boiling water. But yeah, letting raw meat soak warm water to thaw will create a nice breeding pool for bacteria.

But it's ok to do if you are planning on cooking it after thawing it, correct?

 

[bignateyk]

But it's ok to do if you are planning on cooking it after thawing it, correct?

If you're gonna soak in warm water to thaw, at least leave them in the package to do it. I still probably wouldn't do it. The only way I thaw stuff is by putting it in the fridge a few days before I want to use it.

Microwaving it ruins it, and soaking it in warm water is a recipe for bacteria.

 

[Wyndru]

If you're gonna soak in warm water to thaw, at least leave them in the package to do it. I still probably wouldn't do it. The only way I thaw stuff is by putting it in the fridge a few days before I want to use it.

Microwaving it ruins it, and soaking it in warm water is a recipe for bacteria.

Makes sense. I usually do thaw in a zip-lock bag, or the original packaging. In a hurry I've used warm water to speed it up though.

 

[brandonb]

He's not thawing, he's cooking them in boiling water. But yeah, letting raw meat soak warm water to thaw will create a nice breeding pool for bacteria.

Right. The water is boiling, a rolling boil. Its almost the same as cooking macarooni and cheese. Boil water first until there are bubbles, then place frozen chicken into the pot until done. Takes about the same amount of time as mac and cheese (maybe a tad bit longer, 15 minutes or so, depending on the size of the cut) The chicken is not thawing for hours or sitting still in a pool of water.

Comes out like the oven roasted chicken breast at Subway fastfood stores. No crisping on the outside. Just an evenly cooked piece of chicken meat.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Makes sense. I usually do thaw in a zip-lock bag, or the original packaging. In a hurry I've used warm water to speed it up though.

Try holding the chicken under COLD running water to thaw it.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I recommend poking them while staring blankly at them. Do this until hunger forces you to eat fast food.

 

[tenthumbs]

I've always found resting the meat to be a very successful means of keeping it moist. I've found this to be true for all poultry/beef/pork. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes while you plate the side dishes and get drinks on the table. Then plate the whole breast last.

Chicken breast is fairly boring and gets worse when it's dry. I don't recommend cutting into it regardless of your experience. A probe thermometer works just fine.

 

[DominionSeraph]

You must be cooking with gas. It takes 15 minutes just to get water to boil on my stove with the lid on, and pasta should boil for between 6 and 8 minutes minimum so it isn't crunchy.

Electric glass-top which takes ~7 minutes to boil a 2qt pot.
Spaghetti takes 7-9 minutes. Angel hair only takes 4, which is why I use it for this meal.

 

[thegimp03]

I usually marinate with teriyaki sauce.

Might need to try others' suggestions though. They look tasty.

 

[Aikouka]

I'd probably avoid teriyaki marinades if I were trying to lose weight. Teriyaki has a ton of salt and sugars. I usually baste rather than marinade, and it's one of the worst bastes to use along with (Honey) BBQ sauce.

Like I mentioned in the Subway thread, if you want some flavor without tacking on extra calories, consider using things like hot sauces. Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce = 0 calories per serving; Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce = 80 calories per serving (if I remember correctly).

There's no way you're not overcooking the outer portion if you're not thawing first.

I'm not exactly an expert on what constitutes being "overcooked", but it's not like the chicken comes out with a tough skin. Also, it's not like I pulled this recipe out of thin air... it's the same timings and heat settings provided on the bag of frozen chicken. I merely added my own methods of cooking it and what times I found were the best to baste.

 

[Paul98]

Lots of good ways to make chicken great. Spices and marinade are good and easy. It's quite good when you start it on the stove as you can get some nice color, then finish in the oven, and won't take long at all. Main thing is to not over cook, you can end up with a flavorful packed with moisture piece of chicken.

If you do over cook it there are other things you can do to make it so it's still good. Such as putting it into a taco with melted cheese. adding BBQ sauce or other sauces to add moisture,...

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I recommend poking them while staring blankly at them. Do this until hunger forces you to eat fast food.

Thank you for your meaningful contribution. Obviously, you're not skilled or passionate about cooking, so maybe this isn't the right thread for you.

There are lots of simple and easy ways to get started with cooking, however, if you're interested in it. Are you familiar with Alton Brown?