What's your method for tender chicken breasts?

2beast

Looking for better consistency in chicken breasts.
They can go from amazing to bland and tough.

Thanks

kl8ton

Do you have an instant read thermometer? 

2beast

Yes I do 

kl8ton

What temp are you cooking to?  

pgprescott

Cook the lowest temp you are comfortable eating (165 according to the govt) or cook BS thighs instead. 

SaltySam

Marinate in Italian dressing,Grill direct, pull at 152.  Rest for a few minutes.  Booya

YukonRon

Sous Vide.

Carolina Q

No real method. Season as desired, put 'em on the heat (egg, stovetop, weber, whatever) and take 'em off when done. Use a Thermapen.

EDIT... Oh and I usually flip multiple times.

AlbertaEgger

How are you currently doing them? I do them several ways and they always turn out good.

usually around 325 or lower.

Raised Direct, or I use the PS and do them indirect. not sure why or when I chose either or, I just do. I guess it depends if I feel like having a bit of char on them or not.

not really much help I guess, but still curious on your method. I had a friend from work the other day tell me that they just cant cook a chicken breast with out it coming out dry and chewy... sounded odd to me. We do cook a lot of chicken though.

Thermapen is a must... 

GrateEggspectations

For me, the biggest factor in tenderness of chicken breasts appears to be the supplier from whom I am purchasing. For this reason, I buy chicken breasts almost exclusively from Costco. 

Mattman3969

Pound them to 1/2”or so, season as you wish and cook hot n fast around 425 raised direct.  Pull around 150-152°.  This give me the texture I like in chicken.  I think cooking hot n fast also helps retain moisture.  

2beast

Usually pull around 155.

I'm thinking my old thermometer may be going bad.
I have been getting somewhat erratic readings,  often blaming it on various densities of the meat.

I changed the battery and still the same results.

Looks like it is time for a new thermometer.........

YukonRon

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

pgprescott

YukonRon said:

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

I am interested. As a new Anova owner myself, everything I have read is negative with regard to chicken. What are they doing wrong? Maybe better to ask, what is your process?

GregW

YukonRon said:

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

I have a Sous Vide setup, and it will without a doubt, produce tender chicken.
What I haven't been able to achieve is flavor. A quick sear at the end doesn't produce the flavor that more traditional cooking methods produce for me.

@YukonRon have you found the flavor to equal traditional methods?

Hans61

pgprescott said:

YukonRon said:

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

I am interested. As a new Anova owner myself, everything I have read is negative with regard to chicken. What are they doing wrong? Maybe better to ask, what is your process?

I’ve had some luck marinating the chicken first then doing SV at 160 for about and hour quick pan sear it’s tender and tasty

pgprescott

Hans61 said:

pgprescott said:

YukonRon said:

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

I am interested. As a new Anova owner myself, everything I have read is negative with regard to chicken. What are they doing wrong? Maybe better to ask, what is your process?

I’ve had some luck marinating the chicken first then doing SV at 160 for about and hour quick pan sear it’s tender and tasty

Thanks @Hans61. I’ll give it a whirl. 

YukonRon

GregW said:bi

YukonRon said:

Seriously, Sous Vide. You are missing out.

I have a Sous Vide setup, and it will without a doubt, produce tender chicken.
What I haven't been able to achieve is flavor. A quick sear at the end doesn't produce the flavor that more traditional cooking methods produce for me.

@YukonRon have you found the flavor to equal traditional methods?

I season it in the bag, and again when I sear.
It works very well.

etherdome

Mattman3969 said:

Pound them to 1/2”or so, season as you wish and cook hot n fast around 425 raised direct.  Pull around 150-152°.  This give me the texture I like in chicken.  I think cooking hot n fast also helps retain moisture.  

Pounding them is the key for me . I couldn’t agree more.

RRP

While you have already gotten sage advice there is one other method I used to use with frozen breasts sold at SAMS and that was to JACCARD them. Now that I buy the individually frozen breasts from COSTCO I no longer find that necessary. 

littlerascal56

I only cook the breasts with rib meat.  Pull off skin, wash up, pat dry, then rub with olive oil and Yardbird.  Cook direct at 325 until it probes 165, and they are ready to serve!  Super moist and juicy!

Hans61

@pgprescott when I did it 160 for an hour it would cut kinda like pulled chicken 

Raymont

SV 145 degrees for 2 hours is super ood. Did this last night, seasoned in bag then seared quickly. 

billt01

Marinate in buttermilk, mayonnaise, or pickle juice...

All three flavor profiles have a different direction you can go down, I.E. fried, baked, or grilled..

jak7028

I can't emphasize enough what a few others have said about quality of the chicken, but to summarize a few posts above:

1)  I have had chicken breasts from the same bag of frozen chicken breast come out great but the one cooked next to it has more of a rubbery texture.  Try to be picky and find a good source.  Chicken is cheap, pay a little more per lbs if you need to.   Its not like a Ribeye where you can pay a range of $5-$20/lbs.  A $1/lbs extra can get you much better chicken.  

2) These days most whole chickens or BS breasts are huge.  Spatchock a whole bird or pound the BS breasts flatter so they cook better and more even.  I would say 1/2" to 3/4" max would by limit on thickness for BS breasts. 

3) Cook to temp and cook it to the lowest temperature you are comfortable to safely eat either SV, direct, or indirect.  All methods can produce good chicken.

4) Unless you are on a diet, go with boneless, skinless thighs.  They cost about the same and are MUCH better.  More forgiving and much juicier.  Other than not wanting to eat meat off a bone or health reasons, I am not sure why people pick BS breasts.   

GoldenQ

I always cook them indirect at 300 and if using bone  in breasts I brine for about 2 hrs.

kl8ton

@DialSquare
why disagree with my question?  Scrolling error on your mobile device?

westernbbq

Sous vide...

DialSquare

kl8ton said:

@DialSquare
why disagree with my question?  Scrolling error on your mobile device?

Hi kl8ton, my apologies, I must have clicked it when scrolling by. My bad, friend! In fact, I agree with your question, using an instant read thermo is the best way to ensure good results on chicken. My thermapen is my best accessory! 
Cheers!

fishlessman

i have the best luck with bone in full breast cooked like a spatchcocked bird. cut in half for serving after the cook.  it runs with juice, i cant get this with the standard cut grocery store half breast

tjv

when at the store, look on the label that says.....injected with some percentage of a salt type solution, usually 8% - 12% for chicken.  this will give you a juicer product. 

Also, when grilling you may need to separate the thick end from the thin end at some point during the cook, so not to overcook the thin end. When I cut them I usually stand the pieces on end to help get the middle some heat. 



thanks for posting, reminded me to do some with AL white sauce.......good stuff.

t