Curse you, boneless skinless chicken breasts~!! (what's the secret?)

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
41

Todd - if you pull your chicken at 165, it probably hits 175 when done resting. Try pulling at 155 next time and take its temperature 5 mins or so later…you may be surprised. Dry brining is great, but if you value juicy over flavor, wet brining for 6-24 hours will help. You can always remove from the brine and let air dry on a rack in the fridge for a few hours too for a best of both worlds.

42

pan roasting with plenty of butter/olive oil to baste with helps too

43

Stop pulling your chicken Todd!!!

44

Roast a chicken. Easier to make a juicy breast, imo and that way they can have the breasts and you can have the dark meat. Everybody’s happy.

With just breast meat, I’ll sometimes just put a dry rub on it and stick it under the broiler for 5-6 minutes a side. Of course ovens differ and it depends on the size of the breasts, but just start experimenting on time and breast weight and narrow in on a time that you can replicate everytime. Throw out the 165 degree number. Cook it until just done.

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Aside from sous vide this is also my recco, way easier to get perfect breast every time if you spatchcock and roast whole chicken. Stuff some marinade under the breast skin before cooking and even better.

46

I know I risk being hung, drawn, and quartered for this suggestion, but two good sized breasts take about 5 minutes in the microwave at 50% power. Add 30 seconds at a time until done to perfection. [wow.gif]

We always find bone-in breasts cook much better than boneless. [cheers.gif]

47

It is basically a self-steaming process. All good.

48

lemon juice is a poor marinade ingredient for lean meat.
I marinate my skinless, boneless chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic or shallots and fresh thyme
Cut them into chunks skewer and grill. Always moist

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I knew Suzanne would come through for me

50

Use only the right breast of left-handed chickens.

51

I raise chickens for a living and some of them have tougher breast meat than others, no one really knows why. The best advice for making chicken breast is to brine it and cook it low temp. 142 degrees is a good temp and if you hold it for about 15 minutes after you reached that temp internally it will be pasteurized. Low temp is so much easier now than it used to be, no reason not to be cooking this way. Get a Joule from Chefsteps.com and make your life and meals so much better. Chicken and turkey breast really make a case for having a circulator.

52

Agreed, but it’s more and more difficult to find bone in breasts outside of a butcher shop. My local groceries all only carry boneless/skinless.

53

Heaping tablespoon of ghee melted in a medium low pan until shimmering, stick the breasts on and don’t touch them again until they are golden and no longer stuck to the pan. Flip and do the same thing (making sure the pan is well lubricated (no dry spots)) for about a minute or so less. Take them out and let them sit. I usually end up with good results, the ghee doesn’t burn like butter does and adds good flavour. Probably not the most health conscious chicken ever but…

Also I usually butterfly the tender or remove it completely when I’m doing this.

54

Two things I’ve had luck with:

  1. Use the whole breast, not the thin cut. Season or marinade as desired. Cooking no more than two breasts in a small nonstick pan to increase evenness of cooking, cook at just over medium heat for 5 minutes on first side, then flip and cover the pan and cook four minutes on the other side. This seems to work very well for a fairly thick chicken breast. That and eggs are the only thing I ever do in a nonstick pan. You won’t have the same kind of fond in the pan with nonstick, but the juices will contribute to a sauce well enough. If anything this method sometimes leaves them just short of done. If they feel under to the touch I leave them in the covered pan off of heat for another minute then let them rest.

  2. Cold start poached chicken breasts. Found this on Seriouseats and it works very well. Basic idea is to start from cold and never allow the water to get over about 170 degrees.

I’ve also had good luck with dicing and frying hot for fajitas or stir-fry. It is probably dry but there is a lot of trade-off in flavor and texture and it works fairly well. Not as good as thighs, but it works.

55

Todd,

I just have to ask…maybe I missed something in this thread or others. Why no sous Vide? Once you find the perfect temp for your taste, you will always make it perfect. Do you not like Sous Vide?

56

This is a recent discovery and always a winner. Season your breasts with salt, pepper and rub with herbs of your choice. Heat frypan add a small amount of oil, sear breasts both sides so that they are brown. Turn the heat down to low -med (for us, 3/9 on Induction) Cover with tight fitting lid and cook for 15mins. Turn off and leave for another 10 mins with lid on. Incredibly tender and juicy breasts every time.