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Runcarla and other chefs...

Peri

Veteran

I've been trying to add some baby steps to my near-nothing cooking skills and I've had some success with crispy tofu. Now I'm trying to (it's okay, you can laugh :)) learn to cook chicken strips.

I've been going with thin sliced breast rather than tenderloins because I'm freaked out by that tendon (laugh some more) and following the instructions on all the recipes I've looked at: brush on olive oil, season however, bake at 350 until they reach 165 degrees inside.

Problem: They always turn out kind of overdone. I had thought the thin slices would get to 165 fast and not get overdone but they always seem done before 165. But, no food poisoning for me, so I keep putting them back in and when they actually measure 165 they are on the tough side.

Would I have better results with regular breasts, that they could cook longer without drying out? Or should I ignore the thermometer and just go with visually done? Advice?

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14 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's a much better idea to use dark chicken meat. MUCH more tender, tasty, and succulent than dry chicken breast, IMO.

Get boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Trim them as desired, and do the same thing.

If you want to bread them - use Japanese panko instead of regular breadcrumbs. Light and fluffy

(FWIW, chicken breast is best smothered in some type of sauce, in a soup, with a burger and lots of fixings, or sliced thinly for schnitzel).

Helena

Veteran

Are you breading them, or using the strips for salads or wraps? If the latter, maybe do the whole breast and slice when cooked? Also, remember they will keep cooking a couple degrees once they are out of the oven, so you may want to pull them out when they aren't quite at 165 and let them rest a couple minutes (if you Google you will find more precise instructions for that so you don't have to worry about the food safety bit). Good luck!

Peri

Veteran

Thanks Angie! Dark does sound better in theory so I wish I liked it.

Helena, not really salad, more like chopped up in a grain bowl or with rice and some veggies, or lentils. It is my standard lunch...or trying to be. I've always bought rotisserie but I had in mind that I could make it healthier, because doesn't rotisserie cook with the fat from the skin and dark meat sinking in everywhere? Which is why it is better so far, but I want to keep trying cooking just the breast meat. Chicken is 95% of the time the only meat I eat so it might be nice to actually be able to cook it. I will try the whole breast next time.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Angie said!

Chicken breast, if cooked on its own, in my opinion, is best in some kind of poaching sauce or with a sauce, and yes, cook the breasts whole so they don't dry out so much. It will dry out if you roast.

The other option is to marinate for some hours and then BBQ or grill -- this tends to work out as well.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ah, just saw your note about not liking the darker meat. Ok. In that case, I recommend marinating before cooking. You could try an oil/ soy/lemon marinade.

LJP

Veteran

Air frying breasts cut up into bite sized pieces (and they can be breaded or not) keeps them moist and tender where baking or pan frying doesn't. At least in my opinion Great for salads, grain bowls, of with a dipping sauce.

kkards

Veteran

I also don’t like dark meat chicken, it’s just not my thing.

I was sure how you are actually cooking the chicken. In an oven? Air fryer? Because in my experience with a chicken breast it really matters. I prefer the good old fashion George Forman grill because it cooks both sides as the same time thus basically cutting the cook time in half. But that being said, in my experience the thinner the meat the faster it will cook, the faster it cooks the more room for error. I generally buy smaller breasts and cut the chicken after cooking and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. The rest time allows the chicken some residual cooking and allows it to retain more moisture.

(Another tip-take the chicken out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before you start to cook it.)

Jules

Veteran

Agree with the comments to try cooking whole breasts instead, Although not at all intuitive, meat actually increases in temp while resting. So ideally you’d take it out of the oven a few degrees below ‘fully cooked’:

https://blog.thermoworks.com/b.....conditions.

I generally prefer dark meat but do meal prep baked boneless skinless chicken breast for salads and sandwiches in my regular oven and get good results, no special equipment needed. I go with a general cooking time idea and visually done though, because IME I ended up with overcooked meat more often than not using a thermometer (which could also be off a few degrees). The size of chicken breasts can vary a lot too. It’s been a while but I believe 20 minutes at 400 was my rule of thumb for a small breast. If they are very large I cut them in half. Poaching is also a good method. It needs less cooking than you think to be done (not pink, no food poisoning) without being overcooked (stringy, dry etc).

https://www.recipetineats.com/.....iner-42157

Runcarla

Veteran

What Angie said.

When I make a recipe that calls for chicken breastI don’t fuss with a thermometer, but follow the time on the recipe. Then I poke the thing with a fork. If the juice runs clear (vs pink) it’s done!

I prefer cooking a whole chicken for a dinner (and tender breast), then stripping it down for bits and pieces for other things like chicken pot pie, chicken salad, or any recipe that calls for chicken meat. I use the bones etc. add veg, and make broth (which I freeze) for soups.

Liz

Veteran

A thin slice of chicken breast sautes quickly in a saute pan on top of the stove. I never use a thermometer for them. By the time they're browned on both sides, they're cooked through. In fact, you need to be careful not to over-brown them and dry them out.

If I bake chicken tenders, I season them and enclose them in foil packets in order to keep the steam/moisture inside so they don't dry out. I prefer them browned, which is why I generally saute.

April

Veteran

Peri, my son makes the same chicken dish at least 4 nights per week. For years now. Here's what he does.

Thin pieces of chicken - he uses tenders - straight into Dijon mustard, then into bread crumb of choice. Fry in a nonstick skillet with oil of your choice. If you're not sure when they're finished, pull one out and cut in half - if the center is still pink, you're not there yet.

Mr. A has adapted this method for himself, with the modification that he uses a blend of half mayo/half Dijon.

Peri

Veteran

Thank you all for the great advice! I hadn't thought of skillet cooking because all the directions I read said oven. I"ll try skillet next. And will try whole breast in the oven to see what happens...it makes sense that a thicker piece would continue to cook while resting, whereas the thin strips would lose heat much faster.

Runcarla, I knew you'd have great advice...I also should have known it would be aspirational at my current skill level! I'm going to work my way up to a whole chicken, some day!

judy

Veteran

Peri, if you pound the chicken breasts with a rolling pin or a meat pounder...easier than it sounds, just put it in a plastic bag...it's uniform thickness helps to cook them evenly in the skillet and they are thin enough to cook quickly enough not to dry out. Of course salt and pepper, but you can add butter or herbs or spices too, or dijon mustard and a bit of cream. So many variations. Here' s a link to break it down: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-.....hod-248169

rachylou

Veteran

I would say 1) make sure your thermometer is calibrated 2) cook at a lower temp longer and 3) take them off the burner a little before, because it’s true, the food continues to cook for a few minutes.