Anyone have tips for cooking chicken?

[Exit]

I realize there's an entire internet out there full of tips and recipes but I usually get overwhelmed when I start looking, so I'm hoping someone else can point me in the right direction.

 

Chicken is a pretty large part of my dieting but I do a terrible job cooking it. Last time I took one out of the freezer, defrosted it, threw it on a little counter top grill, and after 2 bites it was in the trash because it was like eating a rotten football.

 

The trick is keeping it close to "plain" though, I don't want to sauce it up with a bunch of stuff loading with sugar or HFCS or have to eat it with 2lbs of melted cheese. Not looking for recipes so much as how to get the chicken itself to just come out decently.

 

What are the best ways to keep it moist and not end up with a terrible unpleasant texture? I'm not just talking about seasoning but actual cooking method itself, should I bake, broil, boil, poach, microwave, slow cooker, etc?

[Enema]

I like to cut the chicken into little cubes, like half an inch square, and fry it.

 

I also season it with cajun or morroccan spices.

 

Don't be afraid of frying. Fat is good for you and should be a large part of your diet. Vegetable oils are not good however, you should try to use lard or coconut oil.

[todreaminblue]

I realize there's an entire internet out there full of tips and recipes but I usually get overwhelmed when I start looking, so I'm hoping someone else can point me in the right direction.

 

Chicken is a pretty large part of my dieting but I do a terrible job cooking it. Last time I took one out of the freezer, defrosted it, threw it on a little counter top grill, and after 2 bites it was in the trash because it was like eating a rotten football.

 

The trick is keeping it close to "plain" though, I don't want to sauce it up with a bunch of stuff loading with sugar or HFCS or have to eat it with 2lbs of melted cheese. Not looking for recipes so much as how to get the chicken itself to just come out decently.

 

What are the best ways to keep it moist and not end up with a terrible unpleasant texture? I'm not just talking about seasoning but actual cooking method itself, should I bake, broil, boil, poach, microwave, slow cooker, etc?

 

Plain chicken is actually pretty bland in taste is it unskinned chicken? is it thighs breast whole chicken wings what part of the chicken are you trying to cook?skinned or unskinned

[january2011]

I like to either boil it or fry it.

 

If I boil it in water until the flesh separates easily, I then shred it and separate into food bags - I use the shredded chicken in salads or stir fry. The stock can be used for something else.

 

If I fry it, I usually marinate it first (olive oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce, honey or whatever sauces I have) then fry it. This tastes great with rice.

 

You could also try barbecuing it after you've marinated it in a satay sauce (Google for recipes) - my SO did this and he said it tasted great.

 

As dreaminblue wrote, it is pretty bland on its own, so you need to add some kind of flavour to it to make it taste good. And marinating it beforehand can help with the moistness as well as imparting some flavour.

[tman666]

The absolute best way I've found to do chicken is to brine it for 8 hours and then smoke it with hickory or cherry wood at about 300 degrees F for 3-3.5 hrs.

 

For for every day cooking, grilling (on a real grill, not a George Foreman) is usually my preferred method. Next up would be pan grilled/fried; baking after that.

[USMCHokie]

For for every day cooking, grilling (on a real grill, not a George Foreman) is usually my preferred method. Next up would be pan grilled/fried; baking after that.

 

Yep, get a real grill. I grill it fresh every evening, and I tend to err on the side of less cooked...

 

And don't freeze the meat. But that is just personal preference.

[reboot]

Lightly salt the chicken, season it with lemon pepper (both sides, not too heavy). Bake it at 350 for 30 minutes, rub it down with butter (or margarine for lower calories), bake another 30 minutes, flip it and rub it with butter again, and bake another 30 minutes (for a total of 1 1/2 hours). You can do 25/25/25 if you want it cooked slightly less (but you want to make sure your chicken is well cooked).

 

Simple, easy and it will come out moist and pretty tasty.

 

I agree about never freezing. It just never tastes the same after you freeze it.

[xxoo]

Two methods for the chicken breasts sold on the bone:

 

1. Barefoot Contessa baked style (leave the skin on during the cooking process to keep it moist. You can remove it after, if you choose).

 

2. Remove skin, and put chicken breasts in the crock pot with salt and any seasonings you want (I add a BUNCH of sweet paprika). Slow cook for a few hours, then pull them out to remove bones. Add shredded meat back to the crock pot to simmer. This is so delicious in a wrap, with lots of veggies, guacamole, etc.

 

Alternatively, bake a whole chicken. It is really easy to do, if you have the time. Rub the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper, and bake at 350 for about 2 hours. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, lemons, oranges, etc for extra flavor.

[xxoo]

The absolute best way I've found to do chicken is to brine it for 8 hours and then smoke it with hickory or cherry wood at about 300 degrees F for 3-3.5 hrs.

 

This is the best, by far! So good, and fool proof.

[zengirl]

OP, I advise spices and not freezing, if you want plain chicken to come out well. Fresh chicken, if you can get it, will always be better. Are we dealing with bone in or out? I typically buy boneless chicken breasts, if not getting a whole chicken. The spices and freshness are the only real factors in taste -- and not over or under cooking, but that's hard to explain in writing.

 

I use a lot of different spices. One of my favorites at the moment is Zhatar, but that may be overpowering for you. I use a lot of blends from the local specialty spice store, but the ones I can think of that absolutely will go well on chicken are things like oregano/rosemary/sage, etc, or alternatively very spicy, like jerk seasoning. You say you want to avoid sauces, though, and I don't know if that's for caloric or taste reasons. Are there any spices you like the taste of? Spices generally don't raise the calorie content but do enhance taste.

 

I also do my own 'shake and bake' with spices and panko a lot. Panko isn't bad for you, but that is adding carbs, if you're trying to stay away from that. I very lightly coat it in Panko crumbs + whatever spices, usually hot ones, and put it in the oven at 375 for about 30 minutes.

 

Other than that, generally pan fry/saute it. Just the breasts don't tend to bake well uncovered, IME, unless heavily marinated/sauced. Hard to say how long that takes, as I have to be standing there, and generally eyeball it. There are other times I let it cook in sauces, etc, but you seem to be looking for strictly chicken recipes.

 

I've not used the counter-top grills, but real grilled chicken is good too. The trick is usually keeping it moist enough --- either by marinating it beforehand or by saucing it as it cooks, but the "sauce" could be a lemon-juice and herb mixture if we're looking for low calorie and the caloric increase of a marinade is minimal. I tend to marinade meat anyway --- it really does improve the taste!

 

Here's a really basic one:

Marinade for Chicken Recipe - Allrecipes.com

 

Without knowing your preferred flavors, it's hard to find ones you'd particularly like!

 

Alternatively, bake a whole chicken. It is really easy to do, if you have the time. Rub the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper, and bake at 350 for about 2 hours. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, lemons, oranges, etc for extra flavor.

 

I do this a lot. Celery and lemons in the cavity, generally. Then you can use the leftovers (we always have at least another meal's worth) in LOTS of different types of meals.

[Exit]

Thanks for all the tips everyone sorry I left out a few details. I was mainly talking about purchasing boneless skinless chicken breast that is usually already frozen at the store. And yeah grilling on an actual grill is the one way that it always tends to turn out good I was just looking for ways to do it indoors at all times of year.

 

Maybe I should look in to buying fresh and not frozen and cook it when I get home, since I do believe part of the problem is the freezing and thawing process messes with the texture. I'll have to judge by price, usually the cheapest thing is a big bag of skinless chicken breasts that are already frozen rock solid at the store. I was talking about this with a friend today and they told me they thought they heard buying bone-in chicken will cook up better and get a better result.

 

Thanks for the replies I'll have some researching to do.

[UpwardForward]

Thanks for all the tips everyone sorry I left out a few details. I was mainly talking about purchasing boneless skinless chicken breast that is usually already frozen at the store. And yeah grilling on an actual grill is the one way that it always tends to turn out good I was just looking for ways to do it indoors at all times of year.

 

Maybe I should look in to buying fresh and not frozen and cook it when I get home, since I do believe part of the problem is the freezing and thawing process messes with the texture. I'll have to judge by price, usually the cheapest thing is a big bag of skinless chicken breasts that are already frozen rock solid at the store. I was talking about this with a friend today and they told me they thought they heard buying bone-in chicken will cook up better and get a better result.

 

Thanks for the replies I'll have some researching to do.

 

I like to purchase the long economy pkg of boneless skinless chicken breasts. They were probably orig partially frozen, but when I purchase they appear to be fresh.

 

Your friend is correct, if you purchase chicken breast - on bone w skin, you do get a much nicer result i.e. moister fresher, etc.

 

So you'll have to perhaps google best oven methods. I have tried it every which way - fast cooking / slow cooking etc. But best results are always w the bone in chicken breasts w skin. And it doesn't take long to remove skin and meat from bone - after roasting.

 

Have you ever had the market's rotisserie chicken. The flavor/seasoning is wonderful.

 

I found a like recipe, but quantities are not with me at this time. Ingredients are as follows: Kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, paprika. (I think that's all of them).

 

If you are interested in quantities, I will have it for you on here -tomorrow morning.

Edited June 29, 2012 by UpwardForward

[threebyfate]

Want easy? Marinade chicken breast overnight in Italian salad dressing then bake in 325 degree oven on lightly oiled pan until juices run clear. One breast might take 20 - 30 minutes depending on thickness. Poke with fork after 20 minutes to check.

 

The secret to chicken breast is not to overcook. It tastes terrible.

[Feelin Frisky]

When I'm dieting I try to get it out of my mind that it needs to be all delicious. So, I may boil a bunch of cutlets and use them as needed--one night chopping some up and heating it up with some Louisiana wing sauce which is salty but not high in fat or sugar. A little barbecue sauce works another night. I also make chicken salad using a food processor so that it comes out very soft to eat and doesn't have that "shredded" consistency. Boneless chicken breasts are my stand-by fast meal. You can add them to stir fried veggies since they've been cooked already.

[zengirl]

Thanks for all the tips everyone sorry I left out a few details. I was mainly talking about purchasing boneless skinless chicken breast that is usually already frozen at the store. And yeah grilling on an actual grill is the one way that it always tends to turn out good I was just looking for ways to do it indoors at all times of year.

 

Maybe I should look in to buying fresh and not frozen and cook it when I get home, since I do believe part of the problem is the freezing and thawing process messes with the texture. I'll have to judge by price, usually the cheapest thing is a big bag of skinless chicken breasts that are already frozen rock solid at the store. I was talking about this with a friend today and they told me they thought they heard buying bone-in chicken will cook up better and get a better result.

 

Thanks for the replies I'll have some researching to do.

 

Bone-in, skin on will have more flavor. Boneless, skinless will still taste fine if fresh and cooked right. The best bet with the cheaper frozen ones is to thaw in fridge AND marinate the **** out of them afterwards. But yes, freezing, especially the value frozen packs, messes with the texture.

[EasyHeart]

The cooking experts will tell you that boneless chicken breasts should only be used in recipes with lots of liquids, like soups, stews or curries. One of my favorite quick meals is curry made with chicken breast cubes, coconut milk, spinach and red peppers (and curry spices, of course). Cube the chicken breast, saute the chicken in a little oil or butter, then mix it up and let it cook long enough to let the flavors mix. Add the spinach during the last 5 minutes, so it doesn't cook to death.

 

Boneless breasts are also good for stir fries. Cube the chicken and stir fry it in a little oil. Take it out, stir fry your veggies, then add the chicken back in to blend the flavors. Quick and easy.

 

I like to roast whole chickens, too. Like zengirl said, any meat with the bone in it is going to cook up more moist than boneless meats. A little salt & pepper and olive oil, stick it in the oven and eat it.

 

When I'm feeling more ambitious, I like spices on my chicken. One little trick I learned with regular chicken (whole or pieces) is to put the spices in between the skin and the meat. Make a slurry with your spices and a little olive oil in a bowl, and then stuff the slurry underneath the skin of your chicken. That way the spices cook into the meat, not just the skin. It makes a big difference!

[Madman81]

A few tips I've learned:

 

1. If you're trying to avoid excessively "saucy" or goopy, use a spice rub. Really jacks up the flavour.

 

2. Buy free range chicken. I'd been a bit skeptical, but my girlfriend (who's a big fan of free range meat) and I roasted a whole free range chicken on the barbecue (light one side of the BBQ, put the chicken on the UNLIT side, and roast for about 1.5 hours at a pretty low setting) recently, and damned if it wasn't tasty and moist.

 

3. If you're buying chicken pieces, seriously consider buying thighs, rather than breasts. Yeah, yeah, I know they have more fat, but the extra amount of fat is pretty small. And they're far more moist and flavourful. Well worth the trade-off in my opinion. Plus they're great if you're entertaining.

[anne1707]

I can't help it. Every time I see this thread title, I read it as "Anyone have tips for cooking children?"

 

 

As for cooking chicken. An easy favourite in our house is to dice the chicken, stir fry it, add some mushrooms, garlic etc if you like then add pesto sauce. Serve with pasta once cooked.

[tman666]

I can't help it. Every time I see this thread title, I read it as "Anyone have tips for cooking children?"

 

 

As for cooking chicken. An easy favourite in our house is to dice the chicken, stir fry it, add some mushrooms, garlic etc if you like then add pesto sauce. Serve with pasta once cooked.

 

Wow, just... no way.

 

Your chicken recipe looks awfully similar to one of my favorite recipes for baked children. The only difference in my recipe is that I usually pair it with a tomato bruschetta instead of pesto sauce. How ironic is that???

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA I love irony.

[Exit]

I like to purchase the long economy pkg of boneless skinless chicken breasts. They were probably orig partially frozen, but when I purchase they appear to be fresh.

 

Your friend is correct, if you purchase chicken breast - on bone w skin, you do get a much nicer result i.e. moister fresher, etc.

 

Have you ever had the market's rotisserie chicken. The flavor/seasoning is wonderful.

 

Thanks for your tips. Yeah I think at the very least I will start buying the "fresh" chicken at the store that isn't frozen. I'll have to take a look at pieces that still have the bones or skin as I have never purchased that in my life but if the result will turn out better then so be it. And yeah a few times I have just picked up a rotisserie chicken to save myself the trouble and that does work too.

 

Want easy? Marinade chicken breast overnight in Italian salad dressing then bake in 325 degree oven on lightly oiled pan until juices run clear. One breast might take 20 - 30 minutes depending on thickness. Poke with fork after 20 minutes to check.

 

The secret to chicken breast is not to overcook. It tastes terrible.

 

Thanks for the tip. I had been purchasing prepacked "Italian" flavored chicken breasts and figured that marinating myself with Italian dressing would probably turn out the same. I will have to try that. Yeah I'm definitely guilty of overcooking thanks to being raised in a family totally paranoid about kitchen safety, I understand poultry is one of the most dangerous things bacteria wise and you do have to be careful by my paranoid family has taught me to cook everything to 90000 degrees.

 

I can't help it. Every time I see this thread title, I read it as "Anyone have tips for cooking children?"

 

Is cooking children easier? I'm willing to try anything here.

 

 

 

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I think what I'm discovering as I read along is that I'm just incredibly lazy in the kitchen and don't want to make a big effort! Reading anything that sounds like more than one or two steps is a big turn off for me lol. I do have some new ideas though, I will look into buying the different cuts that still have the bone or skin, I'll try to not buy frozen, I'll give a few marinade ideas a try, and we'll go from there.

 

I think the ultimate answer for me is I need a girlfriend who likes to cook...

[UpwardForward]

Thanks for your tips. Yeah I think at the very least I will start buying the "fresh" chicken at the store that isn't frozen. I'll have to take a look at pieces that still have the bones or skin as I have never purchased that in my life but if the result will turn out better then so be it. And yeah a few times I have just picked up a rotisserie chicken to save myself the trouble and that does work too.

 

Here's the seasoning recipe (similar to that of the seasoned market rotisserie chicken).

 

I have been using this on chicken and turkey, since: 1 scant TBSP Kosher Salt; 2 Tsp Paprika; 1 Tsp Onion Powder; 1 Tsp dried Thyme; 1 Tsp White Pepper; 3/4 Tsp Garlic Powder; 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper.

 

Orig recipe was for whole stuffed chickens (basting often), but it can be used for the parts as well. Recipe enough for two chickens.