Help me cook these chicken breasts
April 11, 2024 12:55 PM Subscribe
When I was married, I helped my wife in the kitchen quite a bit. That was more than a decade ago, and a lot of what I learned didn't stick. I'm coming to you because I can't see myself e-mailing her about how to cook sliced chicken breast on the stovetop.
I want to mix the sliced chicken breasts into spaghetti, diced tomatoes, and olives. IIRC, my ex would slice the chicken breasts crossways into strips. She may have put some olive oil in the skillet (she often did with lots of things), but I'm not sure. Then she cooked the meat until it was properly heated.
This seems pretty simple and straightforward, but cooking really isn't my thing. I want to know if you think I'm missing something or doing something wrong.
I want to mix the sliced chicken breasts into spaghetti, diced tomatoes, and olives. IIRC, my ex would slice the chicken breasts crossways into strips. She may have put some olive oil in the skillet (she often did with lots of things), but I'm not sure. Then she cooked the meat until it was properly heated.
This seems pretty simple and straightforward, but cooking really isn't my thing. I want to know if you think I'm missing something or doing something wrong.
Best answer: Yes, good advice above. You’ll want some oil in the pan. First heat up the pan; then add the oil (you can guess at this - just maybe a spoonful?) and wait for it to heat up; tilt the pan so that the oil mostly spreads/dribbles across the surface of the pan; then add the precut chicken. Personally I would use a medium or medium-low heat (maybe like 40%?). The chicken will cook fast if it’s already cut. Try to cut the pieces to relatively even thickness. It should take less than 12 minutes total.
Once the chicken is in the hot oil, if it’s spitting oil at you very angrily or if the oil is smoking, it’s too hot. Take the pan off the heat for about a minute, turn the heat down, then continue cooking. A little oil spatter is ok; use a little less oil next time.
posted by samthemander at 1:24 PM on April 11 [2 favorites]
Once the chicken is in the hot oil, if it’s spitting oil at you very angrily or if the oil is smoking, it’s too hot. Take the pan off the heat for about a minute, turn the heat down, then continue cooking. A little oil spatter is ok; use a little less oil next time.
posted by samthemander at 1:24 PM on April 11 [2 favorites]
I can relate to feeling weirdly committed to doing a certain thing the way someone who used to be in your life did it, and then feeling kind of lost because you don't know how to replicate their method of doing the thing. I'm that way about paperwork and mail and receipts and stuff: I feel like I'm internally programmed to think of my ex's way as the "correct" way to organize all that, but damned if I know how to replicate his system.
But I'm figuring out my own (different) way to handle everyday paperwork without getting overwhelmed, and I promise you that you can figure out your own (different) way to cook that chicken.
In a way I kind of envy you because it's much easier to find simple, easy to follow YouTube videos of sliced chicken breast recipes than it is to find simple, easy to follow YouTube videos of how to organize everyday paperwork into a process that works for me. Go forth and YouTube your culinary desires, OP! You got this!
posted by MiraK at 3:15 PM on April 11 [4 favorites]
But I'm figuring out my own (different) way to handle everyday paperwork without getting overwhelmed, and I promise you that you can figure out your own (different) way to cook that chicken.
In a way I kind of envy you because it's much easier to find simple, easy to follow YouTube videos of sliced chicken breast recipes than it is to find simple, easy to follow YouTube videos of how to organize everyday paperwork into a process that works for me. Go forth and YouTube your culinary desires, OP! You got this!
posted by MiraK at 3:15 PM on April 11 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Let's talk about pan searing.
You have two options:
1. Get the pan real hot like almost all recipes advise, add oil (it should be smoking), add the seasoned chicken breasts, cook on medium on each side until cooked through (165 degrees in the center or higher) and well browned/crisped, remove from pan, and clean your whole kitchen floor to ceiling, particularly the parts of your range and countertop now spattered with oil & high surfaces where the smoke formed a yellowish oily layer
OR
2. Warm pan to being hot but not too hot (some even have heat indicators on the pan that change color), add a bit of oil, add the seasoned chicken breasts, cover with a splatter screen, cook on medium-low heat on both sides until cooked through/165 degrees, don't worry about browning (you'll get a little), serve after cooking, and afterward clean nothing but the pan and the screen
My position on this after many years of attempting this kind of cooking at home is that it is delicious & that I will pay to order it takeout and let the restaurant worry about their commercial kitchen & never subject myself to post-meal oil cleaning in a home kitchen again.
The technical reasons are fascinating but also makes this answer a lot longer.
I recommend considering a medium-temperature pan frying adaptation for any recipe that tells you to sear meats (or smoke oils) on a pan at home.
I mentioned chicken needs to be cooked to 165 degrees. You'll know when it's white/well-done all the way through. But I suggest buying a pen-like thermometer to do the temperature monitoring. In the meantime, you can check by cutting the meat. It's a home meal, you're not serving the King of Denmark. You can serve meat with slice marks.
It also doesn't hurt to brine chicken before cooking it like this. But save that as a Googling/prep project for later.
posted by brianvan at 3:35 PM on April 11 [3 favorites]
You have two options:
1. Get the pan real hot like almost all recipes advise, add oil (it should be smoking), add the seasoned chicken breasts, cook on medium on each side until cooked through (165 degrees in the center or higher) and well browned/crisped, remove from pan, and clean your whole kitchen floor to ceiling, particularly the parts of your range and countertop now spattered with oil & high surfaces where the smoke formed a yellowish oily layer
OR
2. Warm pan to being hot but not too hot (some even have heat indicators on the pan that change color), add a bit of oil, add the seasoned chicken breasts, cover with a splatter screen, cook on medium-low heat on both sides until cooked through/165 degrees, don't worry about browning (you'll get a little), serve after cooking, and afterward clean nothing but the pan and the screen
My position on this after many years of attempting this kind of cooking at home is that it is delicious & that I will pay to order it takeout and let the restaurant worry about their commercial kitchen & never subject myself to post-meal oil cleaning in a home kitchen again.
The technical reasons are fascinating but also makes this answer a lot longer.
I recommend considering a medium-temperature pan frying adaptation for any recipe that tells you to sear meats (or smoke oils) on a pan at home.
I mentioned chicken needs to be cooked to 165 degrees. You'll know when it's white/well-done all the way through. But I suggest buying a pen-like thermometer to do the temperature monitoring. In the meantime, you can check by cutting the meat. It's a home meal, you're not serving the King of Denmark. You can serve meat with slice marks.
It also doesn't hurt to brine chicken before cooking it like this. But save that as a Googling/prep project for later.
posted by brianvan at 3:35 PM on April 11 [3 favorites]
YouTube is absolutely full of awesome cooking tutorials. As basic as “how do I hold a knife” and going all the way to “how to I make Michelin quality beef Wellington” and beyond. Whenever I want to cook something I watch 2-3 people make it and then do something similar.
I suggest searching for something like “simple cooked chicken breast” etc … and then any time you find a channel you like, subscribe to them so the algorithm can give you more similar channels.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:09 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]
I suggest searching for something like “simple cooked chicken breast” etc … and then any time you find a channel you like, subscribe to them so the algorithm can give you more similar channels.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:09 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]
I bet you'd like Chef John from Food Wishes. He explains things very well and is funny but also easy to understand.
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:09 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:09 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]
I highly recommend looking into "velveting" on YouTube, even if what you're making isn't stir-fry. The thing about chicken breast is that it's very lean, so it's very prone to overcooking, and overcooking gives it a dry, rubbery texture. So if you're frying it like this, you have to stop when it's just done (perhaps even slightly underdone, since it will continue to cook for a while after being taken off the heat, but I don't like to risk actual undercooking with chicken).
There isn't a single way to velvet; it's a term given to a range of similar techniques used to tenderise and protect the meat (any similar lean cut), and give it a more juicy texture when it's cooked. I use the baking soda method. If you add too much baking soda, it may make the meat gritty or soapy, so some people leave it on for a few minutes and rinse, and some people don't like it at all and use one of the other techniques (egg whites, or just starch and water).
This may seem like an unnecessarily fussy preparation step, but as a frequent home stir-fry enjoyer I can tell you that this is a major, dramatic upgrade and absolutely worth it (and if the baking soda works for you, it doesn't even require much extra prep).
Also, regardless of how you prepare the chicken, be sure to slice it against the grain, not along the grain.
Bonus: if you would like to fry whole chicken breasts and slice them afterwards, I highly recommend an overnight milk marinade. Milk contains enzymes which tenderise meat (I know that buttermilk is generally recommended, because of the acidity, but I've been doing this with normal milk for decades, and it works just fine!). You put the breasts in tupperware with whatever spices you want (I consider raw crushed garlic a must, and usually also add a bit of salt, some herbs like thyme and rosemary, black pepper, paprika, maybe bay leaf), then pour in enough milk to cover the meat, then put it in the fridge overnight. The next day you can pan-fry or oven-grill the whole breasts (you can batter them, but cooking them as-is also works). They will not dry out, and will be juicy and flavoured with the seasonings you added all the way through. They can be sliced up and used in other dishes.
posted by confluency at 2:05 AM on April 12
There isn't a single way to velvet; it's a term given to a range of similar techniques used to tenderise and protect the meat (any similar lean cut), and give it a more juicy texture when it's cooked. I use the baking soda method. If you add too much baking soda, it may make the meat gritty or soapy, so some people leave it on for a few minutes and rinse, and some people don't like it at all and use one of the other techniques (egg whites, or just starch and water).
This may seem like an unnecessarily fussy preparation step, but as a frequent home stir-fry enjoyer I can tell you that this is a major, dramatic upgrade and absolutely worth it (and if the baking soda works for you, it doesn't even require much extra prep).
Also, regardless of how you prepare the chicken, be sure to slice it against the grain, not along the grain.
Bonus: if you would like to fry whole chicken breasts and slice them afterwards, I highly recommend an overnight milk marinade. Milk contains enzymes which tenderise meat (I know that buttermilk is generally recommended, because of the acidity, but I've been doing this with normal milk for decades, and it works just fine!). You put the breasts in tupperware with whatever spices you want (I consider raw crushed garlic a must, and usually also add a bit of salt, some herbs like thyme and rosemary, black pepper, paprika, maybe bay leaf), then pour in enough milk to cover the meat, then put it in the fridge overnight. The next day you can pan-fry or oven-grill the whole breasts (you can batter them, but cooking them as-is also works). They will not dry out, and will be juicy and flavoured with the seasonings you added all the way through. They can be sliced up and used in other dishes.
posted by confluency at 2:05 AM on April 12
Another YouTube recommendation: the magnificent Sohla El-Waylly has a cooking 101 channel, and this is the chicken video.
I am a really experienced home cook, and I almost never sear chicken breasts whole because I feel they often get dry and bland and anyway it is an extra step I don't need. If I'm making sandwiches I'll buy a rotisserie chicken.
For your pasta, I'd start by setting the water to boil, and then find a pan, preferably one with deep sides or a bit larger than you might expect. This is to avoid spillage later.
Take out the chicken breast and cut it into strips crosswise, wash your hands and season them with salt and pepper. Let them be on the board, unless you only have one board. If so, remove them to a plate or bowl and wash and dry your board and the knife.
Cut your tomatoes into dice/chunks/boats as you like them. Season them lightly with salt.
Take out the olive container and put as many olives as you want on the board along side the tomatoes with a spoon.
When the water boils, add salt, put in the pasta (80 grams pr portion) and bring it back to the boil. Cook according to the instructions. There is usually a time-bracket on the package: if it says 10-12 minutes, set the timer to 10.
Now put 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on your pan, and bring to medium heat. Throw in your strips of chicken and stir till they are cooked (not pink) on all sides, but only just so. Add in the tomatoes and olives and stir again. Season with a bit more pepper. Pour 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the pan and let simmer.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, add it to the pan, and stir vigorously until the "sauce" sticks to the pasta and there is just a little liquid.
Plate and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of grated cheese. Bon Appetit.
This can be enhanced with herbs and spices.
Add in chili flakes and finely minced garlic after frying the chicken but before adding the tomatoes and olives.
Add in a bit of dried oregano after the tomatoes and olives but before the pasta water.
Add fresh basil at the very last, just before plating.
You can do all of the above or just one bit. I prefer frozen minced garlic to jarred or powder, but YMMV.
posted by mumimor at 6:21 AM on April 12
I am a really experienced home cook, and I almost never sear chicken breasts whole because I feel they often get dry and bland and anyway it is an extra step I don't need. If I'm making sandwiches I'll buy a rotisserie chicken.
For your pasta, I'd start by setting the water to boil, and then find a pan, preferably one with deep sides or a bit larger than you might expect. This is to avoid spillage later.
Take out the chicken breast and cut it into strips crosswise, wash your hands and season them with salt and pepper. Let them be on the board, unless you only have one board. If so, remove them to a plate or bowl and wash and dry your board and the knife.
Cut your tomatoes into dice/chunks/boats as you like them. Season them lightly with salt.
Take out the olive container and put as many olives as you want on the board along side the tomatoes with a spoon.
When the water boils, add salt, put in the pasta (80 grams pr portion) and bring it back to the boil. Cook according to the instructions. There is usually a time-bracket on the package: if it says 10-12 minutes, set the timer to 10.
Now put 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on your pan, and bring to medium heat. Throw in your strips of chicken and stir till they are cooked (not pink) on all sides, but only just so. Add in the tomatoes and olives and stir again. Season with a bit more pepper. Pour 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the pan and let simmer.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, add it to the pan, and stir vigorously until the "sauce" sticks to the pasta and there is just a little liquid.
Plate and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of grated cheese. Bon Appetit.
This can be enhanced with herbs and spices.
Add in chili flakes and finely minced garlic after frying the chicken but before adding the tomatoes and olives.
Add in a bit of dried oregano after the tomatoes and olives but before the pasta water.
Add fresh basil at the very last, just before plating.
You can do all of the above or just one bit. I prefer frozen minced garlic to jarred or powder, but YMMV.
posted by mumimor at 6:21 AM on April 12
My favorite low-mess and low-touch method comes from The Kitchn where you just ensure a uniform size for the chicken breast (flatten it out or buy thin-cut) and add some salt/pepper, brown for a minute, cover on low for ten minutes, then heat off and remain covered for an additional ten minutes.
Much less splatter than the traditional pan-frying method, but there's always some splatter.
posted by spbb at 8:20 AM on April 12
Much less splatter than the traditional pan-frying method, but there's always some splatter.
posted by spbb at 8:20 AM on April 12
You might want to switch to (boneless) chicken thighs which are much more flavorful and don’t turn to sawdust like easy-to-overcook breast. If you dislike dark meat, marinate in ReaLemon juice for a couple hours first.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:01 AM on April 12 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:01 AM on April 12 [1 favorite]
mumimor's recipe and technique looks wonderful above. Adding some of the water the pasta cooked in is a handy way of helping the pasta and other ingredients to "bind" into a more sauce-like consistency - an Italian chef I once knew introduced me to this technique, which is so simple it gobsmacked me. You would add this after you've poured the drained spaghetti into the skillet with the chicken/veggies. The starch in the cooking water will form a mild slurry in your skillet as it slowly evaporates as you finish the dish. So don't throw all the cooking water down the drain! Hold back about 1/2 to a full cup, depending on how much pasta you are cooking. For one portion you might need only 1/4 cup.
I now routinely add pasta cooking water to every stovetop pasta sauce and it adds depth of texture and a lovely smoothness to the dish.
posted by citygirl at 9:59 AM on April 12 [1 favorite]
I now routinely add pasta cooking water to every stovetop pasta sauce and it adds depth of texture and a lovely smoothness to the dish.
posted by citygirl at 9:59 AM on April 12 [1 favorite]
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posted by TORunner at 1:01 PM on April 11 [3 favorites]