Chicken Breast

get the heb pre-marinated/seasoned ones.

then, grill it, but don't overcook it, which is hard with chicken.
 
Six-Spice Encrusted Breast of Chicken
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 boneless chicken breasts
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons Pure Cane Syrup
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* For the spice rub
* 3 tablespoons curry powder
* 3 tablespoons ground cumin
* 2 tablespoons allspice
* 3 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons powdered ginger
* 2 tablespoons Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning

METHOD:
Mix all the spices together well. Add oil, cane syrup and balsamic vinegar. Prior to sautéing or grilling, rub the chicken breast well with the spice rub. Sauté (using a non-stick frying pan for best results) or grill for 7 to 10 minutes on each side.

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Chicken Sauce Piquante
PREP TIME: 1 1/2 Hours
SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

* 6 chicken breasts
* 1 1/2 cups oil
* 1 cup flour
* 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
* 1 cup chopped onions
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
* 2 tbsps diced garlic
* 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
* 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes
* 1 quart chicken stock
* 2 tbsps sugar
* 1 tsp salt
* black pepper
* cayenne pepper
* 1/2 tsp oregano
* 2 tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
* 1/2 cup sliced green onions
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley

METHOD:
In a heavy bottom dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts using salt and peppers and sauté until golden brown. Remove from oil and keep warm. Add flour to pot and, using a wire whisk, stir until dark brown roux is achieved. Add tomato paste and continue to stir 5-6 minutes or until the sauce is a nice brown color. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Blend well into the roux mixture, bring to a rolling boil and reduce to simmer. Add chicken, sugar, salt and peppers. Blend well. Add oregano and Worcestershire. Allow to simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Finish with green onions and parsley. Serve over a plate of steamed white rice.

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Low Fat Chicken Pasta
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

* 1 pound linguine, cooked
* 2 cups grilled chicken breast, sliced
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 (6-ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts
* ½ cup diced onion
* 1 tbsp minced garlic
* ¾ cup julienned red bell pepper
* ¾ cup julienned yellow bell pepper
* 1 cup sliced mushroom
* 1 tbsp chopped oregano
* 2 tsps chopped thyme
* 2 cups fat-free half and half
* ¼ cup fat-free sour cream
* ½ cup reduced fat, grated Parmesan cheese
* salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add liquid from artichoke hearts. Chop artichokes into bite-sized pieces and reserve for later. Bring liquid to a simmer and add onions, garlic and bell peppers. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add artichoke hearts, mushrooms, oregano and thyme and sauté for 2-3 additional minutes. Add half and half, bring to a simmer then reduce slightly. Remove from heat and add sour cream and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss mixture with hot cooked pasta and garnish with more Parmesan cheese and a sprig of oregano.

CPU
 
Yes, brining is the trick to get moist chicken breasts. Here's a terrific recipe. You can sub breasts for the whole chicken.

Grilled Chicken Alla Diavola

Before building the fire, make sure that the grill is cleaned of residual ash from previous use; if left in the bottom, residual ash catches fat drippings and causes flare-ups that can singe the chicken. For this recipe, we prefer the even, slower heat generated by charcoal briquettes over faster-burning hardwood charcoal.

Serves 3 to 4

Chicken and Brine
2 medium heads garlic
3 bay leaves , crumbled
1/2 cup table salt
1 whole chicken , butterflied and pounded (see illustrations below)

Garlic-Pepper Oil
4 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
vegetable oil for grill grate
1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving


1. TO BRINE THE CHICKEN: Combine garlic heads, bay leaves, and salt in gallon-size zipper-lock bag; press out air and seal bag. Using rubber mallet or meat pounder, pound mixture until garlic cloves are crushed; transfer mixture to large container or stockpot and stir in 2 quarts cold water until salt is dissolved. Immerse chicken in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 2 hours.

2. FOR THE GARLIC-PEPPER OIL: While chicken is brining, heat garlic, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oil in small saucepan over medium heat until garlic is fragrant and sizzling and mixture registers about 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Measure 2 tablespoons garlic-pepper oil into 2 small bowls and set aside.

3. TO FLAVOR THE CHICKEN: Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Apply 2 tablespoons infused oil beneath skin.

4. TO GRILL THE CHICKEN: Ignite about 6 quarts (1 large chimney, or about 6 pounds) charcoal briquettes and burn until covered with thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill and bank half of coals on either side of grill, leaving midsection of grill free of coals. Position grill grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip small wad paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill grate. Position chicken skin-side down on grill grate over area with no coals; cover grill and fully open lid vents.

5. Cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Carve, then drizzle carved chicken with remaining infused oil and serve with lemon wedges.
 
Brining helps, but I've found that keeping the heat between medium and medium-high (say, 375 F or so) and resisting the temptation to flip them any more than once does the trick. Wait a little longer than you might think for that flip, too, say 6 minutes. Another 4 minutes or so should finish them off.

Use a meat thermometer and don't go past 165 F, either.
 
If you're not going to use the chicken for a while, place it in some warmed seasoned chicken stock (restaurant secret).
 
Good tip on the thermometer. Only cook it as much as you need to.

Also, when you take it off the heat, LET IT SIT FOR 5 MINUTES. The food tv people say that that lets the juices redistribute before you cut into it.

My mother in law puts big chunks of onion on top of the chicken while cooking, which seems to help.
 
I started marinating chicken breasts in about 1 or 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 Tblsp olive oil and fresh oregano, garlic and basil. I also baste them. My wife used to constantly ***** about the breasts being too dry but once I started doing this, she has had to find something else to ***** about.
 
I started cooking most of my chicken breasts in my smoker with a drip pan filled with beer or apple juice with some dry spices mixed in.

If you only have 2hrs or so smoke around 300F flipping the meat once halfway through. The longer you have you can lower the temp towards 275F. You really cant mess it up.

Definately get a different taste than grilling, but they come out very moist and realy take in the smoke flavor.
 
Boneless/skinless chicken breasts may be the hardest protein to cook well - in my opinion. I have brined them and marinated them - but if you go too long - they will get dry. Go too short, and you get chicken tartar (ugh).

I don't even try to grill them any more; I think a sear on a SS pan and then a braise in the oven (covering the SS pan) is the best way to cook them. I marinate the breasts (which serves to brine them as well). Add some oil to the pan on high. Sear the breasts for three minutes a side (so you get some good flavor on the pan). Take it off the heat, put in a little chicken stock or some of the marinade, cover the pan and throw it in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. Take the chicken out of the pan (tent) and then make a pan sauce (white wine to deglaze, then reduce with some butter at the end).

For the grill, I only use skin on/bone in chicken breasts. They are much easier to cook and there is a lot more flavor in my opinion. Of course, the flavor comes from the fat - so there is a trade off.
 
For grilling, pan frying, and saute-ing(sp?):

Pound that ****! Pound it flat. 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. When you cook chicken breasts there is a fat side and a skinny side and it is about impossible to get them evenly cooked. You overcook the skinny end, and undercood the fat end.

Pound it flat, cook it fast.
 
I always let the chicken marinade in italian dressing for a few hours, throw it on the smoker at about 325, and cook until desired temp, 165 or so as noted. I turn once and sauce at the end (if desired). I always end up with great, moist grilled chicke breast.
 
One overlooked key here is to make sure the chicken breast is fresh and has not been frozen. I'd recommend going to HEB or Central Market, as their meat department is far better than Kroger or Randall's, and buying your chicken breast straight from the butcher. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the difference.
 
I eat ~ 1 of those bags of frozen breasts a week. Never had a problem cooking them - probably the easiest meat I grill actually.

I marinate them in equal parts Good Seasons Italian Dressing (I usually add some brown mustard to mine also) and Allegro marinade (the orange label stuff). Grill til done.
 
On a thread from a while back, someone mentioned Stubb's Rub (using it on pork loin roast). We used it tonight on bonelss, skinless chicken breasts, topping it with the also mentioned Kozlowski Farms chipotle sauce. (We used Apricot Mango for the chicken) It was quite tasty and juicy. Grill as mentioned above for about 10 min (Losthubby does 3 min/3 min/2 min/2 min each side) Then let it sit for about 5 min, before serving. I put the chipotle sauce on at this point.

We also use the following marinade often:

1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup lime juice (fresh if you feel like a bit of work, otherwise bottled works too)
1/2 cup EVOO
1 pkg Ital dressing mix

Put the marinade mix in a ziplock and mix it well. Put chicken breasts in the baggie (this does 4-6 breasts) and marinade at least 2 hours. I usually do it overnight. Grill as uaual. Then serve with one of the chipotle sauces, or a peach mango salsa. Mmmm. Very juicy.
 
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