Most efficient way to cook chicken

Dorian1988

There are lots of recipes with chicken breast strips. Whats the most efficient/tasty/low cal way to prepare a large amount of strips that you can use in various sandwiches/salads? There's obviously boiling the meat, but do any of you prepare it differently?

concordancia

I bake them on a cookie sheet. Just sprinkle desired seasonings on and throw in the oven.

Annie_01

I marinate them and grill them 2 or 3 pounds at a time. Then I just pull them out and eat as is or chop the to use in a casserole or salad. Today I am grilling marinated Korean chicken strips for the week. Last week I did a spice rubbed strip...week before I grilled Italian chicken.

You could do this in the oven if you don't have a grill.

Dani9585

Bake them in the oven, or throw them on the grill. You can cook them in a slow cooker or pressure cooker too, but I find that I always over cook them that way.

Annie_01

I forgot to add...I also will do several whole chicken breasts in an Instant Pot. These I will cut up in to cubes and freeze to use when needed for recipes.

TrinityR05

George Foreman grill, salt & pepper, done somewhere around 8 minutes!

amgreenwell

Either crock pot so they fall apart and you can season them afterwards any way you want, or grilled, same idea.

Nightgrl1980

Sous vide! Keeps the chicken extremely moist with a perfect cook every time. Active prep time is generally minimal, but does usually need to cook in the Sous vide for about an hour, then most recipes usually recommend a quick sear after the meat has been cooked.

Sharon_C

Crock Pot. Every Sunday I dump a whole bag of chicken breasts in the Crock Pot and season them (I season them differently each week, but my favorite is some low sodium teriyaki sauce). I shred it and have a whole lot of chicken to do different things with throughout the week.

Chunkahlunkah

My usual methods are roasting or the slowcooker.

For roasting boneless skinless chicken breasts, I always marinate it first. I roast enough to last me 3 days and freeze the rest (still in its marinade). The meat comes out tasty and tender.

lemurcat12

That_Hiker_Chick wrote: »

I usually go the crock pot method. I loathe dry chicken! I dump 4-5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or 8-9 thigjs, depending on deals) in the crock pot and then cover with a marinade and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred it with a fork. I use it throughout the week for salads, burritos, sandwiches, omelets, etc. My favorite marinade is just a jar of chunky salsa! I use the leftover juice to cook other things or make a small batch of chicken tortilla soup! But I've also used balsamic dressings, raspberry vinaigrette, italian and lemon etc. Just make sure to add water/liquid to cover the meat.

This is my favorite way to do chicken breast for future use. Takes longer, but foolproof and hands off.

DX2JX2

Most efficient is sous vide (temp controlled water bath). It's super easy to cook whole chicken breasts to a perfect degree of doneness in one go and then store directly in their cooking vessels for later reheating & use. The cooking itself is fairly set it and forget it, too. If you think you don't like boneless skinless breast, then try one that's been cooked via sous vide to a perfect 140F instead of the usual 160F. It's a totally different product.

Second most efficient would be stir frying small bite-sized pieces. Depending on your comfort slicing raw chicken, you can break down 3-4 skinless boneless breasts in only 5 minutes or so including clean up and stir fry that meat in a couple of batches in another 15 minutes. Easily enough for multiple meals and pretty versatile, too.

Slow cooker would be one of the easiest methods, but it usually results in fairly dry/powdery meat when cooking boneless/skinless breasts unless you add back some fat and/or another sauce. It can work, but you kind of have to understand the end result that you'll be working with (for example, I love the slow cooker to cook chicken for enchilada since the meat will ultimately be recooked with sauce, beans, corn, and cheese before filling the tortillas).

aokoye

I'm confused as to why sous vide would be efficient unless you're talking about active cooking time (as opposed to passive). Even then it isn't anymore efficient that a crockpot/slow cooker. Sure it tastes great, but efficient it is not.

A pressure cooker is probably your best bet in terms of efficiency. Taste is down to your individual preference. I personally prefer to saute chicken breast in a pan on a medium to low temp with salt and pepper and a minimal amount of oil. Far less efficient than a pressure cooker and a lot more active time that sous vide, but it is rare that I do things, cooking wise, for efficiency's sake. That said, I prefer chicken thighs (which, I most frequently roast).

cwolfman13

I don't know why anyone would eat boiled chicken unless it's in a soup.

Throw that *kitten* on the grill with a nice marinade.

djeffreys10

Propane grill. Quick, easy, and tasty.

DX2JX2

aokoye wrote: »

I'm confused as to why sous vide would be efficient unless you're talking about active cooking time (as opposed to passive). Even then it isn't anymore efficient that a crockpot/slow cooker. Sure it tastes great, but efficient it is not.

Efficiency is a measure of 'bang for your buck' in terms of effort vs. result.

Even at a similar effort level, the quality of sous vide cooked meats is generally better than what you'll get out of a slow cooker. The end product is also more versatile.

That said, the fact that food to be cooked sous vide can be portioned into individual servings/bags before cooking and then refrigerated/frozen/reheated directly in those bags is a nice little kicker.

whhuynh90

when i used to eat meat I would soak my chicken in 2 liters of water and 1g of salt x 30min-1hr. then remove and throw in the oven. add veggies! super moist and juicy chicken!

Annie_01

I think it depends on how you are going to use your chicken afterwards. If I am eating it independently(not combined into a recipe) then I wanted it roasted, sauteed or grilled. If I shred it or dice it to combine in a casserole then the crockpot or pressure cooker is the most convenient.

Chunkahlunkah

Annie_01 wrote: »

I think it depends on how you are going to use your chicken afterwards. If I am eating it independently(not combined into a recipe) then I wanted it roasted, sauteed or grilled. If I shred it or dice it to combine in a casserole then the crockpot or pressure cooker is the most convenient.

My twin!

lemurcat12

Annie_01 wrote: »

I think it depends on how you are going to use your chicken afterwards. If I am eating it independently(not combined into a recipe) then I wanted it roasted, sauteed or grilled. If I shred it or dice it to combine in a casserole then the crockpot or pressure cooker is the most convenient.

Agreed.

For a whole chicken, I'd roast (or for bone-in, skin-on pieces, more often than not).

I don't care for boneless, skinless breast that much, so will usually use it in a preparation. If I'm eating it right away I'd normally pan fry or sautee (or grill, if possible). For later use I'd cook in seasoned liquid (probably including some stock) in a slow cooker, and I've always found that comes out really juicy and versatile, but of course I'd just use it shredded on a salad or in a taco on with some other preparation.

fitoverfortymom

I buy a very large package of chicken breasts and tenderize them and season them and cook them on the grill. I cube them up and pack them in my lunch and dip them in BBQ sauce. There's usually some leftover and hubby will use them in his salads, or I'll make chicken salad or something. I like grilling them because I don't have to add any extra oil or anything to prepare them. Pounding them down with a mallet is important so they cook through and aren't tough/dry. I get them about 3/4" thick and grill them for 6-8 minutes on each side on medium heat on a gas grill. Cooks a shitload of chicken very quickly.

iWishMyNameWasRebel

I buy the bone-in skin-on breasts, season them generously under the skin, and put them in the crock pot for the day. When they are tender and cooled, I remove the skin, de-bone them, and then shred, chop, or dice however I want and toss the meat in a container for the week. When the weather is nice, I do the same thing, but throw them on the grill until they are done - for that amazing summery smoky flavor.

aokoye

DX2JX2 wrote: »

aokoye wrote: »

I'm confused as to why sous vide would be efficient unless you're talking about active cooking time (as opposed to passive). Even then it isn't anymore efficient that a crockpot/slow cooker. Sure it tastes great, but efficient it is not.

Efficiency is a measure of 'bang for your buck' in terms of effort vs. result.

Even at a similar effort level, the quality of sous vide cooked meats is generally better than what you'll get out of a slow cooker. The end product is also more versatile.

That said, the fact that food to be cooked sous vide can be portioned into individual servings/bags before cooking and then refrigerated/frozen/reheated directly in those bags is a nice little kicker.

Yeah I think it depends on what you're looking at in terms of efficiency - active and passive cooking time, energy (as in kilowatts), etc. Cooking anything in a pressure cooker would beat sous vide hands down given the whole point of cooking most things sous vide is cooking food slowly, at a controlled temperature, and in a very closed environment (the bag you're cooking them in). A pressure also likely uses far less energy (which I was counting towards efficiency) but don't quote me on that.

Don't get me wrong, I like cooking sous vide and have been doing so for about 8 years, it's just not as quick as something like a pressure cooker in most instances.

edit: that said all of this assumes the OP has a sous vide appliance or a pressure cooker and thus could very well be a moot point.

broomjoanna2

I put mine in the crock pot- usually with broth- sometimes I pre season - ranch packet and taco seasoning maybe makes it taste like cool ranch doritos- usually just shred it after
If I bake I pour jar of picante in top
If I’m eating when it’s done and not meal prepping I brush with Cajun season and put in oven under broiler for 15 minuets flipping halfway through and dip in organic ketchup

AnvilHead

djeffreys10 wrote: »

Propane grill. Quick, easy, and tasty.

Even better yet - smoked in a kamado cooker such as a Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg, etc. The chicken stays nice and juicy, and the wood-smoked flavor is amazing. Definitely not the most efficient in terms of time, but it's the best tasting chicken I've ever eaten. I do 10-12 pounds at a time (usually a mix of breasts and thighs), put some in the refrigerator for immediate use and freeze some of it in the vacuum-seal bags.

Annie_01

This is my favorite of all!

(I don't make the cheese sauce)

https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/crispy-cheddar-chicken/641223c4-5096-4022-a5b8-583a1845bad8



I serve with these...

https://www.skinnytaste.com/garlic-cheddar-biscuits/



Then throw in some green roasted veggies.

Chunkahlunkah

@Annie - Those both look so good! Thanks for posting. I'll definitely make those soon.

Annie_01

Chunkahlunkah wrote: »

@Annie - Those both look so good! Thanks for posting. I'll definitely make those soon.

I am having that on Friday. Both recipes are quick and simple to make. I make them about every two weeks. Both are also good as leftovers.

Sunshine_And_Sand

I find baking them in a dry rub (with whatever seasoning you like) is tasty and versatile.