best way to cook chicken without getting it dry?

[Phokus]

I love eating chicken, and i buy lots of chicken breast. However, i find whenever I cook it, it comes out dry, unlike what i get at a restaurant.

What are some good ways to cook a chicken so this doesnt happen?

Thanks.

[Staberella]

Season it with a rub of some kind, spray it with a butter flavored spray or brush it with some olive oil, then get a pan nice and hot and sear it on high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Then wrap it in foil and bake it at 300 for about 20 minutes. Should be nice and juicey, the searing locks in the juices and cooking it at a low heat keeps the chicken from getting tough.

[Phokus]

hey not a bad idea thanks, i'll try that tonight... more suggestions are welcome

[The Godfatha]

Yeah cooking it in a bit of olive oil works weel as well as dipping it in some marination like some lemon juice and some herbs (lots of recipes around on the net that will add hardly any calories)

[Rocksmtu]

Get a thermometer and only cook the chicken until its 160 F. When I worked in a restaurant we would cook it fast over high heat. The meat was either seasoned with just garlic powder/salt/pepper or it was marinated. We eith used a grill or skillet.

[bphoward1]

I've been told that if you cook the breast still on the bone, and with the skin, it will hold the juices and prevent it from getting dry. Of course, you'd want to remove the skin before eating it to avoid the fats.

I don't do this myself because I'm too lazy...I'd rather eat dry chix

B

[atticus_a]

Add water to the pain, use a lip, and medium heat.

the water should be enough to make it throw the process so like a cup or so.

[peepboon]

maybe cut the chicken into smaller pieces?

[boogaard_24]

I cook frozen chicken breasts (the ones that come in a bag, Cub foods or other generic brands) on the Foreman and they turn out great. Spray the skillet with some fat free Pam, put the breast on frozen and it takes about 8 minutes - any longer and it starts to dry out. You need to cut the breast open to be sure it's cooked all the way through (shouldn't be pink).
I threw an entire bag (thawed) of these same breasts on the grill last night and they were awesome. Had the grill on low/medium and the chicken on the top rack. Threw some spices on, flipped them at 15 min for a total cooking time of 30-35 min. Moist and succulant, mmmmwhah!

[Staberella]

Have you ever considered braising it in low sodium chicken broth and a little white wine? Here's what I do, I take thick chicken breasts, don't pound them just trim them if you have to and then throw in about a cup of broth or white wine for every pound of chicken and throw in some garlic and herbs and then let it simmer on very very low heat covered for about 2 hours. Check every so often to add more liquid if needed because you don't want to burn it and you can serve it as is or shred it for wraps, sandwiches etc...

[u.demartino]

dont overcook it.

[TheVirtualTaco]

I bake my chicken in the oven. I make sure to cover the entire pan with aluminum foil. It keeps the chicken very moist.

[TheFuzz]

If you bake it in a pan, add just a little bit of water at the bottom of the pan. This will keep it from drying out.

[AnabolicEngine]

I cook frozen chicken breasts (the ones that come in a bag, Cub foods or other generic brands) on the Foreman and they turn out great. Spray the skillet with some fat free Pam, put the breast on frozen and it takes about 8 minutes - any longer and it starts to dry out. You need to cut the breast open to be sure it's cooked all the way through (shouldn't be pink).
I threw an entire bag (thawed) of these same breasts on the grill last night and they were awesome. Had the grill on low/medium and the chicken on the top rack. Threw some spices on, flipped them at 15 min for a total cooking time of 30-35 min. Moist and succulant, mmmmwhah!

how long are they good for? the whole week? or a couple days? how many breasts do you go through a day?

[Staberella]

I'm making chicken cacciatore tonight and it made me think of this thread and I figured you might want to try the recipe, so here it is:

This is for 4 servings by the way so you can freeze any leftovers.

2 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise (like a hamburger bun)
8 large mushrooms sliced
1 large red bell pepper chopped
8 cloves of garlic sliced thin
1 large onion chopped
2 teaspoons low sodium chicken boullion powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 large tomatoes peeled and chopped or a large can of chopped tomatoes

Brush the chicken with the olive oil, sear it over high heat for 5 minutes on each side until it's browned, remove from the pan and keep it to the side. Add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it and once you got all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan add the onions, peppers, garlic and mushrooms. Sautee it until the onions are clear and then add the tomatoes and chicken powder, sautee for about 10 minutes till the tomatoes are soft and put the chicken back into the pan. Add some water if the sauce is too thick, bring it all to a boil then lower the heat to low and cover and let it simmer for about an hour. Periodically spoon some sauce over the chicken and stir to make sure nothing is burning.

Enjoy.

[S...]

I steam my chicken breasts in a bamboo steamer for 10-15 minutes. It turns out quite moist.

S.

[ironstrife]

Two ways:

Boil it in water and slightly grill it on a pan.

Grill it on a pan with some dash of water and cover it.

[boogaard_24]

Anabolic -
I don't know the exact "rule of thumb" for keeping chicken refridgerated, but I think they're good for up to 5 days after they've been fully cooked. So cook a batch on Sunday/Monday and you're good for the week. I only eat 1 chicken breast per day as I try to also consume protein from other sources - fish, beef, shakes, etc...any more chicken per day and I would be even more sick of it.

[scienceteacher]

Use a grill pan. Set your stove burners to medium/high. Searing the meat will keep the juices in. I marinate mine in no-fat italian dressing. Only takes about 7-8minutes per side.

[FastStrongSmart]

i use a foreman grill and i always overcook my chickens because im parannoid about salmonella -_-

[haiz69]

Cook it with carrots, celery, and some sweet potatoes with some low sodium chicken broth, garlic, and some spices (Mrs. Dash for me!). You will be glad you did!

[joecool4579]

you could try spreading just a serving of flaxseed oil on the chicken. i do it all the time and it made a big difference. it came out nice and tender

[AnabolicEngine]

i use a foreman grill and i always overcook my chickens because im parannoid about salmonella -_-

haha, same here!