Good Pre-Cooked Chicken Breast

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Jimmyftw94
Jimmyftw94 Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, first off I want to say that this website has been really helpful for me so far. So a few days from now I'm going to be heading back to college and I'm not going to have time to cook my meal each and everyday. So I was thinking of prepping food ahead of time like 3-5 days and putting them in microwave safe container so I can just heat it up and eat.

I want to know what are some good pre-cooked chicken breast available in stores so I can have some convenient protein source. An example of a meal I'm planning is white rice, some steamed veggies and the chicken all in the container and ready for meal.
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Replies

  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    Jimmyftw94 wrote: »
    Hello, first off I want to say that this website has been really helpful for me so far. So a few days from now I'm going to be heading back to college and I'm not going to have time to cook my meal each and everyday. So I was thinking of prepping food ahead of time like 3-5 days and putting them in microwave safe container so I can just heat it up and eat.

    I want to know what are some good pre-cooked chicken breast available in stores so I can have some convenient protein source. An example of a meal I'm planning is white rice, some steamed veggies and the chicken all in the container and ready for meal.

    Just buy plain old, normal chicken breast. It takes a half hour to cook, only 3 minutes of which are you actually doing anything. I cook up 6 pounds of it every Sunday afternoon and the wife and I hit it all week long until it's gone.

  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    There is canned chicken breast available next to the canned tuna in basically every grocery store (assuming USA because you said "college" not uni). It's kind of shreddy (like canned tuna) rather than a single breast-shaped chicken breast, but it's quite yummy.

    1 can chicken breast, lowfat mayo, grapes, roll => boom, portable lunch.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I did this often at first, until I realized how much sodium is in the precooked kind. Trader Joes has some that is "just chicken", that is lower in sodium comparatively. If you have the time, buy a large package of chicken breast, season and broil or bake yourself. Chop this up, toss it in a gallon size zip lock and you have yourself some nice protein for the week.
  • ChronicOptimist
    ChronicOptimist Posts: 558 Member
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    I second what everyone else has said. I used to buy the pre-cooked chicken at the store, but (1) it never tasted very good and had lots of icky parts, (2) it had lots of additives that are probably not the best for you, and (3) it's SO expensive!! I now make my chicken for the week on Sunday, and either throw it in the fridge or the freezer until I need it. I use the fool proof method on the recipe below and it's always perfect!

    http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    RaspberryTickleChicken wrote: »
    Skipped the white rice ... substitute it with quinoa

    Why?
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
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    I don't know where you are, but Wegmans has a tasty grilled lemon garlic chicken breast in the prepared foods area.
  • lbride
    lbride Posts: 248 Member
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    I like the Tysons (frozen precooked chicken) in the "green" bag (not sure what it's called). They have one that's grilled chicken (no breading) and one that's lightly breaded. Both are good. Prob high in salt but for us, it works!

    Also, I really like my frozen, pre-cooked breaded chicken - more calories, yes, but keep it in the calorie amount (ie, Tyson southern breaded chicken strips or something).
  • lbride
    lbride Posts: 248 Member
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    I just googled; the grilled chicken is called "Tyson's grilled and ready chicken breast strips"
  • dawne000
    dawne000 Posts: 44 Member
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    The Tyson - Green bag chicken tastes the best! Just watch the sodium!
  • rekite2000
    rekite2000 Posts: 218 Member
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    Shredded tyson chicken is nice- just grab a handful to throw into your food. I try to make my own, but I use this a lot to add to other meals or when really busy.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
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    Just cook ahead. If you're a poor, starving college student, this is your best bet.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    If you are have Costco access, their Kirkland Foster Farms chicken breast is good.
  • cosmichvoyager
    cosmichvoyager Posts: 237 Member
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    A suggestion too: before you cook them, brine your chicken breasts! It makes them soooo much better.
    http://www.thekitchn.com/weeknight-meal-tip-try-a-quick-95560

    it adds sodium so if you are trying to avoid that for medical reasons, then don't brine but man is it an improvement and basically no work.
  • Jimmyftw94
    Jimmyftw94 Posts: 75 Member
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    sheldonklein wrote: »
    If you are have Costco access, their Kirkland Foster Farms chicken breast is good.


    I don't like Costco because they charge membership fee :/
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    I've had the Tyson (green bag) ones. They're pretty good. If you have any access to an oven (or even a crock pot/slow cooker), you can batch cook some fresh ones once a week, cut into strips or shred them, and then you can grab whatever you need throughout the week. Both of these cooking options take less than 5 minutes of prep, and largely unattended cooking.

    Pro tip: refrigerate 1/2 of them to use within 3 days or so, and freeze the rest in individual portions to use the latter part of the week to keep them from going bad.
  • marisagb02
    marisagb02 Posts: 6 Member
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    I always buy the Tyson Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Strips (green bag). For some reason tonight they seemed really salty. Is there another brand I could buy that isn't so salty or is it just because they're frozen they'll be salty no matter what?
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
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    Rotisserie chicken at most grocery stores is good. But, you’d spend less if you cooked up a bunch of chicken breasts in a slow cooker or instant Pot and portioned out.

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