Can I eat this? (I'm going to anyway.)
December 16, 2013 3:23 PM Subscribe
I marinated four chicken breasts late yesterday, the recipe says to marinate for at least half an hour, but no longer than two hours. I accidentally left two breasts in the marinade overnight in the fridge. I will be cooking them for dinner tonight regardless, but should I expect a drastically different result because of the extra 12 hours in the marinade?
The marinade is half a cup of soy sauce, two tablespoons of honey, two shakes of Chinese Five Spice seasoning, a splash of sesame oil, and the juice of a lime.
I panfried the breasts last night and they were delicious - so delicious that I had seconds, and then was too full to be bothered cooking the second batch which was my initial plan. I vaguely thought I might trying baking the remaining two tonight but now I'm wondering if they'll be too dry or will fall apart or will explode causing death and destruction for miles around or something?
I've just removed them from the marinade and put them back in the fridge, covered, on a clean plate, but as I stabbed one of them with a fork to transfer it to the plate, it was ridiculously tender for a raw chunk of chook.
PS: I've seen this question but it was for a whole chicken with skin on, so I don't know if it applies to my skinless chicken breasts.
The marinade is half a cup of soy sauce, two tablespoons of honey, two shakes of Chinese Five Spice seasoning, a splash of sesame oil, and the juice of a lime.
I panfried the breasts last night and they were delicious - so delicious that I had seconds, and then was too full to be bothered cooking the second batch which was my initial plan. I vaguely thought I might trying baking the remaining two tonight but now I'm wondering if they'll be too dry or will fall apart or will explode causing death and destruction for miles around or something?
I've just removed them from the marinade and put them back in the fridge, covered, on a clean plate, but as I stabbed one of them with a fork to transfer it to the plate, it was ridiculously tender for a raw chunk of chook.
PS: I've seen this question but it was for a whole chicken with skin on, so I don't know if it applies to my skinless chicken breasts.
Not unsafe by any means, but it just might be crazy salty.
posted by Andrhia at 3:27 PM on December 16, 2013
posted by Andrhia at 3:27 PM on December 16, 2013
Best answer: Extra marinadey. I would add more chicken.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2013
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2013
Best answer: They're going to be salty, because soaked in soy sauce. Acquire beer.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2013 [6 favorites]
Best answer: The acid in the lime will have partially "cooked" the chicken already. So I wouldn't bake them (the outside will be too tough). I'd cut them into smaller pieces and stir-fry them - really quickly and really hot - to just cook the uncooked bits.
posted by girlgenius at 3:38 PM on December 16, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by girlgenius at 3:38 PM on December 16, 2013 [13 favorites]
Best answer: Yeah, this sounds like it would be good in a stir-fry anyway, and if you add veggies it will distract from the saltiness.
posted by showbiz_liz at 3:41 PM on December 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 3:41 PM on December 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
I pulled me some pork this weekend, and while looking for a rub recipe, found this interesting article about marinades and their effects.
posted by notquitemaryann at 3:42 PM on December 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by notquitemaryann at 3:42 PM on December 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've heard the same thing as rtha, just that it changes the texture. I'm sure you can eat them no problem, but I would be leery of serving them to dinner guests, just in case.
posted by bquarters at 4:19 PM on December 16, 2013
posted by bquarters at 4:19 PM on December 16, 2013
Best answer: I'd sauté a little bit in a pan and eat it to see if you liked the texture and condition of them, but from a food safety standpoint you're fine. They may or may not be good but they are certainly edible.
posted by gauche at 7:38 PM on December 16, 2013
posted by gauche at 7:38 PM on December 16, 2013
Best answer: I've always heard that marinating too long makes chicken mushy, but I haven't noticed any difference in texture when I've done it. The idea of using it for stir fry ought to prevent any weird texture issues.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 7:40 PM on December 16, 2013
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 7:40 PM on December 16, 2013
Response by poster: Oh. My. Gawd. I have tasted heaven.
I added another breast, and rubbed them all together so they'd hopefully take on some of the excess marinade. Left them in the fridge for an hour or so, and then thinly sliced them into stir-fryable slivers.
Fried a chopped onion and part of a capsicum in olive oil (while asking the 12 year old what happpened to the rest of the capsicum and the baby carrots). Threw in the chicken, stir-fried for about 3 minutes, threw in the pre-cooked rice and a small handful of frozen vegies (to make up for the stuff the 12 year old had stolen from the fridge and eaten), stirred until it was all hot, and ate it.
And it was unbelievably good! Better than last night's chicken, because the marinade flavour seemed to spread through the rice and vegies. Wasn't too salty or too heavily flavoured, it was perfect.
My very full tummy thanks you all.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 5:01 AM on December 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
I added another breast, and rubbed them all together so they'd hopefully take on some of the excess marinade. Left them in the fridge for an hour or so, and then thinly sliced them into stir-fryable slivers.
Fried a chopped onion and part of a capsicum in olive oil (while asking the 12 year old what happpened to the rest of the capsicum and the baby carrots). Threw in the chicken, stir-fried for about 3 minutes, threw in the pre-cooked rice and a small handful of frozen vegies (to make up for the stuff the 12 year old had stolen from the fridge and eaten), stirred until it was all hot, and ate it.
And it was unbelievably good! Better than last night's chicken, because the marinade flavour seemed to spread through the rice and vegies. Wasn't too salty or too heavily flavoured, it was perfect.
My very full tummy thanks you all.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 5:01 AM on December 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: PS: I don't really mind the 12 year old pinching the vegies out of the fridge, but I just wish he'd tell me so I know to re-stock!
posted by malibustacey9999 at 5:02 AM on December 17, 2013
posted by malibustacey9999 at 5:02 AM on December 17, 2013
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posted by rtha at 3:26 PM on December 16, 2013 [2 favorites]