boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Help please.

[delaney]

I absolutely hate overcooked chicken, and that's what I get every single time I try to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts. The only alternative to throwing them out is to grind it up for chicken salad, but still, it's so dry I have to practically saturate it with mayo before it's palatable.

Pleeeeease tell me how to get these things throroughly cooked, but still tender and juicy. I want to try a lower fat version of low carb for a while, and chicken and fish are the only lean proteins I like. Don't like lean beef, probably because I can't cook those right either, and I don't like pork any way it's cooked. Thank you for helping.

[NotoSugar]

Chicken needs to be cooked slowly so it doesn't get dry. You can marinate chicken in Italian dressing and then bake or cook in a slow cooker. I like to grill on a low flame too.

[LauraFL]

delaney how are you cooking the chicken breast and beef? I use my George Foreman grill, spray the chicken breast with Pam, sprinkle with Fajita seasoning, spray the grill and grill for a few minutes turning once. They are always tender and juicy. You only have to cook them a few minutes on 360 degrees. You can get a grill pan and do the same thing.

For mild fish I like to douse in Italian dressing and cook in a 400 degree oven until it flakes. It only takes a few minutes. There are easy fast ways to cook lean protein. No need to make it complicated.

[delaney]

I've been cooking them in the oven, about 30 minutes or so at 350.

They're awful. I don't know why I bother.

I have a George Foreman grill also, and I guess I just cook everything too darn long! We're talking REALLY AWFUL!

[LauraFL]

Do you still have your little instruction booklet that came with the grill? (I keep all my cookbooks and such in a big kitchen drawer.) Anyway I think it says in there to cook it 8 minutes total, but it really depends on the thickness of the breast. I usually cut it open and check to make sure all the pinkness is gone. If you do it that way they don't dry out. Good luck!

[momov2boys]

Crockpot all day on low, in whatever seasonings you like (salsa, tomato sauce...)
I usually do this once a week and have shredded chicken with my salads for lunch

[twyx]

Soaking them in a brine is probably the best idea. I'm not sure of the proportions, but it's just salt and water. You can probably Google it, or maybe one of the chefs here knows how. I just dump some in and never measure it! It doesn't take long and the chicken is always juicy.

[magnamater]

Ah the famous/infamous cola chicken debate: this is a "barbecued taste."

I put into the crock, with some liquid smoke, chili powder, garlic, half a splenda sweetened cola and "some" low carb catsup. And this is for a huge amount of chicken breasts--14 I think, last time. (use less cola for less breasts, this can get soupy, and you want a sauce--I tilt the lid at the end to cook down the liquid--I turn the heat back up)

Cook on high if you have it for at least an hour, then down to low, and shred the breasts when you've cooked them for forever with a fork.

Oh, and use a crock pot liner, not because this is messy, but because I'm lazy, and love the new liners!!!! No wash up!! (except for lid of crock)

[boss lady]

I've found boneless skinless chicken breast only need about 20 mintues to cook. Even doing them in the crockpot, even starting out frozen, all day is too long. (maybe my days are longer? lol). I think about 4-5 hours in the crockpot would be fine too.

[magnamater]

Boss lady is right about the time. . .I didn't add that! Especially using High at the beginning and end. . .

I was not leaving the day I did the cola chicken, and I fiddled with the pot off and on. . .sorry if that makes it too hard for some of you. (my chicken was fork shredding tender in about 4 hours. . .) (and I started with fresh breasts. . .not frozen)

Next time I'm going to go for a white chili recipe with the frozen breasts. . .will post when I do that. . .maybe next weekend.

[Charski]

Boneless skinless chix breasts dry out very fast especially depending on what size and how thick they are!

I agree with brining - I use 1/4 cup salt to 4 cups water - mix til the salt is dissolved, then submerge the chicken in it and brine 2 to 6 hours.

Rinse them off, then I like to pansaute them in some olive oil and butter to which a little minced garlic has been added and heated up - put the breasts in, saute til browned a bit, turn over and cook til done, but really, it doesn't take long!

I do the "poke test" - I poke the meat in the thickest part, if it still feels soft it's not done - if it resists then it's time to test it.

An instant read thermometer is a great tool for this purpose too!

Char

[delaney]

Wow! Good ideas. And only 8 min. in the George Foreman??!! I really should have saved the cookbook. I wonder if I can download it off the internet? I'll have to look.

Heard good things about the cola chicken too


Thank you

[LauraFL]

Originally Posted by magnamater

Ah the famous/infamous cola chicken debate: this is a "barbecued taste."

I put into the crock, with some liquid smoke, chili powder, garlic, half a splenda sweetened cola and "some" low carb catsup. And this is for a huge amount of chicken breasts--14 I think, last time. (use less cola for less breasts, this can get soupy, and you want a sauce--I tilt the lid at the end to cook down the liquid--I turn the heat back up)

Cook on high if you have it for at least an hour, then down to low, and shred the breasts when you've cooked them for forever with a fork.

WOW this sounds good!! How much low carb catsup would you say? I bought some off-brand low carb catsup and it was AWFUL, but I *think* I remember seeing in here that Heinz will be bringing one to, (or be returning one to) the market soon.

Oh, and use a crock pot liner, not because this is messy, but because I'm lazy, and love the new liners!!!! No wash up!! (except for lid of crock)

How long have these been out? I just saw a commercial for them yesterday!

[magnamater]

Oh, for the huge batch I made--14 breasts--I used about half a bottle! Sorry, I just pour and go. . .by what looks right! I did like this better with less cola and some other spices--garlic, chili powder, and liquid smoke.

I have been seeing the commercial for about a month. . .and decided they were worth investigating. I think they are so worth it!!!! Oh, yeah, I throw mine in the dishwasher, but it's so big, takes up so much room, and I still scrub first. . .

[Strawberry]

This Linda Sue recipe is really good - it uses boneless, skinless chicken

http://users3.ev1.net/%7Efontlady/am...e_chicken.html

[Cindy P]

I wrap my chicken breasts in some bacon and then season whatever I want on them wrap them up in aluminum foil and bake on 325 or 20 minutes. I found my breasts were better tasting when they were cooked with a little butter or fat (from the bacon).