The Secret To Tender Chicken Breast Meat
When you cook chicken breast meat, you will want to ensure that the meat is not overcooked or dry and tough. Having an end result of succulent, juicy breast meat is not all that difficult if the chicken is cooked correctly. Chicken breast meat is lean and has less fat than any other part of the chicken as long as the skin is removed so it is probably the best and healthiest part too. Employing simple cooking and marinating techniques would be able to render the lean chicken breast meat into something delicious and tender.
Say, you have a family recipe for chicken recipe but you are trying it out for the first time. However, you left it on the stove for too long and your chicken ended up practically dry and stringy. There was nothing wrong with the recipe but the duration of the cooking time. Chicken breast meat must not be overcooked or else it will dry out and neither should it be uncooked or else it’d be too raw for anyone’s taste!
There are several ways to prepare the breast meat. You could stir fry it or roast it or bake it for a healthier option. Or if you don’t mind the extra calories, or fat, you could deep fry it too. However you want to prepare it, you must always remember to add some flavors to it with a great marinade from your recipe. If you really want some tender chicken breast meat, tenderize it. Although you can always get a bottle of tenderizer, often used for steaks, but you could always go natural and avoid the commercial stuff. Try marinating the chicken pvernight with apple juice and you will get the same effect.
Otherwise, if you are thinking of deep-frying it for some crunchy chicken treats, then using buttermilk is as good a tenderizer as any for tender, soft and juicy meat. The next trick is when you cook the chicken. If you are baking or grilling it, you will have to be careful to ensure the temperature is not set too high so as not to overcook the chicken. It is best to keep it at medium to medium high instead of at high temperature. Also, do set the cooking time at a shorter time-frame instead of longer. If it is not completely cooked, you can always pop it back into the oven for another round of baking but if it is overcooked, it will be too late.
Now, if you plan to try you hand at stir-fried chicken, it is always best to slice the chicken meat into small, thin pieces so that the meat cooks easily and thoroughly. It will also save you time and spare you from overcooking it. A stir fry chicken recipe I can share with you is ‘Stir-Fried Mushrooms Chicken’. First, you season the chicken with some soy sauce and pepper. Then, you sautee some garlic till fragrant. Add sliced brown mushrooms and stir-fry for about a minute or so. Then you throw in the chicken pieces and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Make sure the heat is maintained at medium low. Once the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked and you can remove from heat immediately.
It may seem that cooking chicken breast meat is difficult but it is great for dieters as it is low in fat and high in proteins. It can be prepared for lunch or dinner and it is pretty versatile as it can be prepared in many different ways. As long as you learn the correct techniques in locking in the moisture and keeping it tender, chicken breast meat is a great low fat choice of protein.