WAYS TO MAKE CHICKEN BREASTS BETTER
Originally published by Tramontina USA 2018
We cook, order, and eat boneless, skinless chicken breasts all the time. They’re a lean meat and easy to find in any grocery store or restaurant. But they can be rubbery, dry, and tasteless. There are ways to change that. Here are 7 tricks to make chicken breasts taste better and even totally delicious.
Cook them right.
Most people get scared and overcook chicken breasts, cooking out all the moisture and leaving them tough and dry. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Once that thermometer hits 165ºF, your chicken is safe to remove from the heat and eat.
Marinate them.
If you’re cooking chicken breasts without skin or fat, infuse them with some extra flavor and liquid to keep them tender. Choose your favorite marinade and throw them in a ziploc bag with the marinade. Marinate them overnight before grilling, baking, or searing. The difference is uncanny.
Cut them thin.
Cutting the breasts into cutlets (slicing lengthwise through the chicken breast to form two or three thinner pieces) is a great way to make sure you don’t undercook the bird. When cut thin, it cooks quicker, is less rubbery, and each bite has more browned surface area that’s come in contact with the sauce or oil. More sauce, less rubbery chicken.
Fry them.
Batter ‘em and fry ‘em. You can also brine (similar to a marinade but in a primarily salt-based liquid) them before frying for maximum juiciness. You’ll also love battered and fried cutlets. Coat them in bread crumbs instead of batter, if you like. What isn’t better fried?
Stuff them.
Slice the breasts in half, making sure not to cut all the way through. Stuff them with a mixture of cheeses and herbs, close them up, and bake them. Melty and cheesy chicken for dinner? You’ll wonder why you never did this before.
Shred them.
Boil chicken breasts in a pot of salted water until cooked all the way through (internal temperature of 165ºF). Let them cool and shred them with a fork. Shredded chicken is great for tacos, tossed in a tasty sauce, or thrown into a salad. If a chicken salad strikes your fancy, try homemade mayo, dijon mustard, celery, grapes, and toasted pecans for a classic combination. Chicken salad is also perfect for those times you accidentally overcook the chicken.
Use the right pan.
Chicken breasts don’t have a lot of fat. That means they either need a good amount of oil or the right pan to release their prone-to-stick surface. When searing chicken breasts, go with a sturdy nonstick that conducts heat well. The new Black Stone Aluminum Fry Pans are a great option.
Chicken breasts don’t have to be the lame protein you saw through at mealtime. Do yourself a favor and make something you actually want to eat. These 7 tricks can make that dream a reality.