What's your method for tender chicken breasts?

kl8ton

DialSquare said:

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!

No worries.  I just want my BGE points account to remain in good standing. 

buzd504

1)  Take your chicken breasts and throw them in the garbage.

2)  Get some chicken thighs and cook them to 170 or so.

Delicious.

KiterTodd

Oh yeah @buzd504!  I prefer buying boneless-skinless chicken thighs as they seem to hold a lot of marinade and come out awesome on the grill!  

Cooking them skinless also seems to cook off any of the unpleasant looking bits that turn some people off from thighs. BUT, they have high enough fat content around the meat that they stay moist and flavorful cooking without skin.  Fantastic.

fishlessman

fried boneless thighs make for some great sandwiches

DoubleEgger

To piggy back on the quality comments above, look for air chilled chicken. 

GATraveller

billt01 said:

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..

Chick-fil-A?

OshawaDave

AlbertaEgger said:

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... 

 That would be overcooked.

I marinade both bone-in and boneless in Italian salad dressing or roasted red pepper dressing. Anything with oil and vinegar will work. I cook direct 375 or so. turning several times until done. I agree with others; buy good chicken. I get mine at Costco and have been happy.

poster

jak7028 said:

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.   

BS has so many different meanings on this site

SciAggie

How to cook BS chicken breasts on the BS and keep it from tasting like BS?

Legume

Smear with a heavy amount of pesto (don’t bother with homemade, use the big jar from Costco) and let marinate in that for at least a few hours, then grill to a reasonable temp.  Beautiful stuff, but even better with boneless thighs because of the nooks and crannies, not just the fat content.  Maybe slit a breast and rub in?

billt01

GATraveller said:

billt01 said:

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..

Chick-fil-A?

erra body likes some Chick-Fil-a

GrillSgt

I agree, source is the place to start. I like to sear bone in skin on breasts in butter, spooning some over, (ghee would be perfect) until you get a nice deep brown. Then braise covered with white wine that has had 4-5 cloves of smashed garlic and a couple of sprigs of thyme or rosemary. When I use this for a quick soup I take it off at 150 or so, 160 if it’s my dinner. If the wife is making chicken salad I go raised indirect s&p 350 with a chunk of pecan. I also like to toast some pecans on the side sometimes.

PS if I’m making soup I use the braising liquid also. 

Paul B.

Someone on another thread recommended.searing quickly right over the coals super hot and then throwin ?  Them in the bag and sous vide them.  I am trying that next just trying to figure out what else to cook so I don' blast the egg just for two minutes of searing....

jak7028

SciAggie said:

How to cook BS chicken breasts on the BS and keep it from tasting like BS?

As long as you know a lot about BS your BS breasts wont taste like BS 

Hungry Joe

Speaking of source for chicken, has anyone here used the Costco organic chickens? I picked up a couple and cooked them in halved. The texture was definitely different, and better in my opinion but SWMBO and her mother didn't seem to notice any difference except for color. All the meat was whiter. They cost about twice as much as the normal chicken but I liked them enough that I may continue to buy them. They had a cleaner taste to me. I thought the texture was better also. Hard to explain after only eating them once.

I'm basically asking because these are the first organic chicken I ever bought.

OshawaDave

Hungry Joe said:

Speaking of source for chicken, has anyone here used the Costco organic chickens? I picked up a couple and cooked them in halved. The texture was definitely different, and better in my opinion but SWMBO and her mother didn't seem to notice any difference except for color. All the meat was whiter. They cost about twice as much as the normal chicken but I liked them enough that I may continue to buy them. They had a cleaner taste to me. I thought the texture was better also. Hard to explain after only eating them once.

I'm basically asking because these are the first organic chicken I ever bought.

I buy Costco Organic chicken wings and they are very good. I've never bought other organic chicken from Costco........I'd guess it's good though.

I believe Costco's regular chicken is Lillydale brand (at least in Canada)

Eoin

I never had tough chicken off the Egg, just pay attention to the finish temp and it works fine.

Rascal

I bake them in the Breville Smart Ov*n!!~~

Atl_Buckeye

tjv said:

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

This looks amazing! Recipe??