Best way for juicy Chicken?

[Deadly Sushi]

I have 15 pounds of chicken breast (boneless) in my freezer and I wondering what is the BEST way for nice juicy tender chicken. Boil? Roast? Grill? Fry? Or a combination of them? :unsure:

[chowhound]

I always go for the simple answer, Don't overcook them!
:smile:

[BamsBBQ]

i brine my poulty... always keeps it moist

and dont overcook it is the best way to keep it moist.lmao:sorry:

[Deadly Sushi]

i brine my poulty... always keeps it moist

and dont overcook it is the best way to keep it moist.lmao:sorry:



Hmmmmm..... you have a simple brine recipe?

[BamsBBQ]

Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine

1 1/2 Gal Water
1/2 C Salt
1/2 C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice
2 tsp Celery Seed

heat until slightly boiling...let cool b4 you immerse your poultry in it... this is for whole birds so u have to be careful how long u brine single pieces

Slaughterhouse Poultry Injection

1/2 Pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Celery Seed
2 TBS melted Butter
2 C Apple Cider

Slaughterhouse Spritz

8 oz Apple Cider
6 oz Water
4 oz Whiskey
2 oz Cider Vinegar

[Deadly Sushi]

Bam you ROCK!!!!!!!! Thanks! I just printed them out :clap:

[Keltin]

I wouldn’t boil them! Chicken breasts don’t need that kind of treatment, and boiling can dry them out. Fast cooking is a great way to keep them moist and juicy. Grilling is a great option. Also pan-grilling is good, just use a covered pan. Frying is also excellent. Just don’t overcook them as everyone else says. Use a thermometer and pull them when they are 160F (temp where pathogens are killed) and then let them rest. Due to residual heat, they will climb to at least 165 (enough to kill Bird Flu), and perhaps even to 170. Because of this, you may want to pull them at 155 and let them rest.

I use a Styrofoam cooler to rest all my meats, and it holds heat exceptionally well…..and it’s cheap.

I personally cook them on the “feel” method. Push down on them, and if they are soft and “jiggly” they need to cook more. Once they begin to firm up to the touch, they’re done. It takes a little practice, so you might want to start by measuring the temp and also press the meat to learn how it should feel at different temps.

[Deadly Sushi]

I had a friend that microwaved his chicken breast 1st and then grilled it. I never quite understood that. Thanks for the tip Keltin! :tiphat:

[simplicity]

After making tough chicken breasts for years I learned to pound them to even out the thick and thinner parts of the breast. I brine mine and only cook on a charcoal grill, On my grill, that's about 7 minutes per side. They are always, always moist and tender.

Good luck.

[Jeff G.]

I have never had a problem grilling them. Just don't have the grill too hot and use a meat thermometer.

[bowlingshirt]

I had a friend that microwaved his chicken breast 1st and then grilled it. I never quite understood that.

If you cook chicken breasts quickly (ie grill), you may have a problem with burning the outside before the inside gets cooked, esp. if you got some big fatties. My guess is that he's pre-cooking them to avoid this :confused: I prefer to pound them out flat myself.

[PanchoHambre]

When you "Brine" how long? I marinate often but never brine

[High Cheese]

For real juicy breast meat I poach them in a chunky tomato sauce thinned out with white wine and chicken stock. I add capers, onions, garlic, etc to the pan and let everything simmer. When the chicken is done, I removen them from the pan, let rest and reduce the sauce to serve with the chicken. Poaching/braising offers a large window of doneness so you don't have to be hovering over the stove all the time.

Just a note, you want to start all your spices and fragrances first: onion, garlic, bay leaf, capers, olive oil. Then deglaze with the stock, add the tomato (I use whole canned that I chop up myself) maybe add some diced tomato. Then add the wine. You want a thin mixture but not watery. When it comes to a simmer add the chicken and cover until done, turning once 1/2 way through the cooking process.

[BamsBBQ]

When you "Brine" how long? I marinate often but never brine

http://bbq.about.com/cs/barbecuetips/a/aa112000b.htm


Brine meats for about 1 hour per pound in the refrigerator. It is important that the whole thing be kept cold. The specific amount of time will vary of course. Lighter meats like poultry or seafood do not need to be brined as long as denser meats like pork tenderloins. Use the following chart to give you an idea of how long to brine. Remember that the longer you brine the stronger the flavor will be. If you over brine you could end up with some very salt and strong meat.

Once the meat is properly brined remove it. You do not need to rinse unless you were using a high salt concentration in the brine or if there is a layer of visible salt on the surface. Otherwise you can take cuts of meat straight to the grill, smoker, or oven. Whole poultry is the exception however. To get a crispy, brown skin, whole birds should be removed from the brine, wrapped in foil or plastic and put in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 12 hours.

Brine Times
Shrimp 30 Minutes
Whole Chicken (4 to 5 pounds) 4 to 5 hours
Turkey (12 to 14 pounds) 12 hours
Pork Tenderloin (whole) 12 hours
Cornish Hens 1 to 2 hours

One thing to remember when putting together a brine, is the chemical state of the liquid. By adding a acidic liquid like citrus juices or vinegar you will make the brine acidic. This will tenderize meat but if it is too strong it can turn the meat to mush. If you do plan on using this kind of brine, reduce the brining time accordingly.

[Mama]

I like to soak my chicken in buttermilk overnight. I think it makes them really juicy.

[leolady]

I use a plain salt brine when I don't want added flavors.

[RNE228]

I have 15 pounds of chicken breast (boneless) in my freezer and I wondering what is the BEST way for nice juicy tender chicken. Boil? Roast? Grill? Fry? Or a combination of them? :unsure:

1 whole cut up fryer
1-2 heads garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1-2 Thai chili pepper

Use a skillet that can be covered

Brown chicken in skillet.
While chicken browns, break up head of garlic, clean, and chop coarsely
Mix honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
Once chicken is browned, add garlic and honey/soy/vinegar mixture. Add Thai chili to taste.
Bring to a low simmer. Cover and simmer till chicken is cooked through.

Serve over brown or wild rice

Recipe work well with pork too.
http://www.netcookingtalk.com/forums/images/misc/progress.gif

[VeraBlue]

Flour, egg and then flour.
Then saute them in a bit of fat, just enough to brown them.
Are you preparing them all for one meal or just a few at a time?

If all the sauteed breasts will fit in the pan at once....
After you saute, remove the chicken, drain out the fat, deglaze the pan with sherry. Add heavy cream and a bit of chicken stock. Return the chicken, being careful not to layer them upon each other. Cover the pan and simmer the chicken in the liquid for about 20 minutes.

Serve over polenta, spooning the sauce on top of the chicken, garnish with fresh parsley and sauteed mushrooms.

[Deadly Sushi]

For real juicy breast meat I poach them in a chunky tomato sauce thinned out with white wine and chicken stock. I add capers, onions, garlic, etc to the pan and let everything simmer. When the chicken is done, I removen them from the pan, let rest and reduce the sauce to serve with the chicken. Poaching/braising offers a large window of doneness so you don't have to be hovering over the stove all the time.

Just a note, you want to start all your spices and fragrances first: onion, garlic, bay leaf, capers, olive oil. Then deglaze with the stock, add the tomato (I use whole canned that I chop up myself) maybe add some diced tomato. Then add the wine. You want a thin mixture but not watery. When it comes to a simmer add the chicken and cover until done, turning once 1/2 way through the cooking process.

Tomorrow Im making this! I have enough CHEEE-kon to try everyones! :chef:

[PanchoHambre]

I had a recipe from cooks illustrated for "french chicken in a pot" basically poached a whole chicken in stock w/some veggies.... sacrificed crispy skin but the juiciest meat I have ever had. The key was simmer not boil. really good and the flavors really got into the chicken... I had used Fennel & some other root veggies.

[chowhound]

This sounds like the pressure cooker chicken I make once in a while. Not pretty, but very tasty. And it makes a fantastic soup.



I had a recipe from cooks illustrated for "french chicken in a pot" basically poached a whole chicken in stock w/some veggies.... sacrificed crispy skin but the juiciest meat I have ever had. The key was simmer not boil. really good and the flavors really got into the chicken... I had used Fennel & some other root veggies.

[sattie]

This (http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/cornmeal-chicken-saute/95517) is one of my favorite chicken recipes... always moist and tasty!