Making chicken tasty... (again)

XLNC1981
XLNC1981 Posts: 114 Member
edited December 23 in Food and Nutrition
Anybody care to share any quick and easy ways they make their chicken taste good...

I think part of the consistency for me is eating tasty grub... but sometimes I’m just out of ideas when it comes to my preferred lean meat and I get bored of the same marinades.

Whether with salad or veg or rice, let me know what you do.

I’m willing to try alternatives 4 sure 👍🏽

Thanks in advance
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Replies

  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Roast/grill with olive oil, salt, pepper and...lemon, rosemary, thyme, garlic, chile powder or cayenne.

    Put it in a quesadilla with lots of veggies. Try different cheeses for different flavors.

    You can use it in stir fry or cook it as taco meat. You can include in soups and stews like green chile chicken or homemade chicken noodle soup. You can make your own chicken pot pies at home.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I dry rub it with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes (I use thighs). Nice and juicy.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    I coat mine in a mix of coconut flakes, parmesan cheese and oats and then bake them. (You can do without the parm, but then the mix doesn't brown properly and it just doesn't seem as appealing to me...)
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    Adobo

    Soy sauce, lil white vinegar and bay leaf.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I almost exclusively make boneless, skinless thighs instead of breasts. Super tender and juicy a d just a hair more calories.
  • XLNC1981
    XLNC1981 Posts: 114 Member
    Lots to go off here guys, I like it! Will try something new at the weekend. I’m inspired.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 849 Member
    Chicken wings minus all that breading and fying. Use 1 to 2 T. of Baking Powder, and whatever seasonings you like put in bag. Throw the chicken wings, and or parts in. Bake at 250 for 30 min, then at 450 for 40 min. They come out golden brown. Baking Powder basically no calories.

    Chicken breasts, heat oven to 450. Use Olive oil, (not extra light) or butter, or Ghee and spread on chicken, also use fresh herbs, and other spices and bake breasts 15 or so minutes. I just tried this week. Could not believe how juicy it turned out, not try at all. Was suprised about the setting of 450, which is the point high hot oven less time.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    There is no shortage of chicken recipes. Just let your fingers do the walking

    FWIW, for taste, roasted is best to me but also poach whole chickens chop them up Chinese style and serve w/seasoned salt or a mixture of salt, oil & minced scalliobs OR just shred the meat after piaching for use in soups, salads, tacos, sandwiches (or whatever).

    In either case, I use the poaching water for broth to make soups and other things.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I cut up chicken breasts in thick short strips, season as you like, and then wrap each one in very thinly sliced bacon. Brown in a non-stick pan on med low heat. When nice and brown, serve alone or with sauce of choice.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    #1 way to make lean chicken taste the best. Don't overcook. Pull it out when it reaches 160 degree F not 165. Let it sit for 5-7 min before cutting. Also, flatten breast with meat hammer or cut it in half horizontally to get an even cooking temp..... as far as spices go, I love the mccormick's rotisserie chicken spice or just salt/pepper/garlic and fresh lemon.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,003 Member
    My favourite use for leftover roast chicken is an easy salad. Chopped chicken, chopped avocado, a jar of commercial salsa, chopped coriander. Have it in a soft tortilla. Another favourite way to use leftover roast chicken is in avgolemono soup.
    https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/avgolemono_soup/
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I put a pound of boneless skinless breasts and a pound of boneless, skinless thighs in a crock pot with a jar of salsa and let it cook while I am at work. It shreds easily with a fork and is very versatile: on a salad with greek yogurt and salsa, in a tortilla as tacos, enchilladas, nachos or even just plain with a side of rice and veggies. I agree with @fitoverfortymom , thighs are definitely better than breasts, but mixing the two works as well.
  • ellie117
    ellie117 Posts: 293 Member
    Harissa spice blend, then either bake or cook in a pan. Delish.
  • gemiller87
    gemiller87 Posts: 135 Member
    A little more calories than plain chicken but I like to grill boneless chicken breast with just a light dusting of chef paul blackened magic fish seasoning or old bay, cook some bacon and drain off all of the grease, lay the bacon on top of the grilled chicken breast, cover with some shredded cheddar or colby jack and then oven bake for 5-10min and serve with broccoli. It's one of my families favorite healthier meal choices.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    In my opinion nothing helps over-cooked white meat chicken. For me this means only preparing enough for one meal and being really careful to cook it properly. Reheated chicken is always too dry so if I have leftover chicken meat I plan to eat it cold like make it into a chicken salad.

  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    No matter what I'm making with chicken, I always use thighs, not breasts. They are far more flavorful and very hard to overcook. I can't remember the last time I used chicken breasts for anything.
  • XLNC1981
    XLNC1981 Posts: 114 Member
    Gotta say thanks 2 u all for the ideas! Deffo going to give the thighs a go as usually buy breast in bulk. Might put a pic up once I’ve given one of these suggestions a whirl. Really appreciated.
  • Go_Deskercise
    Go_Deskercise Posts: 1,630 Member
    Chicken Quesadillas - Chicken, cheese, sauce of your choosing, tortillas. I usually make a burrito size and then cut like a pizza. My husband and I get 4 slices each and I make spanish style rice. Yum!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm eating chicken marsala at the moment.

    I also rarely if ever use chicken breast...if I do, it's typically from a whole roasted chicken. I use thighs for the most part for grilling and other cooking. Chicken breast dry out too easily, and they are pretty flavorless.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Chicken thighs are great in the slow cooker, especially this time of year when it's cold where I am and soups and stews are nice.

    My chicken cacciatore recipe is not linkable, but this is a good start: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246305/chicken-cacciatore-in-a-slow-cooker/ with some changes:
    1. Definitely use thighs instead of breast. I've used bone-in, skin-on, but I find the deboning and skinning at the end to be inconvenient so just use boneless now.
    2. I would saute the onions first.
    3. If you like wine, add some. I'd use 0.5 - 1 C red for that recipe. You can use less, more, or white :)
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    I almost exclusively make boneless, skinless thighs instead of breasts. Super tender and juicy a d just a hair more calories.

    Me too. Dried chicken breast gets old really quickly.

  • pancakerunner
    pancakerunner Posts: 6,137 Member
    Four words: skin on chicken thighs.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I have switched over to almost exclusively using thighs instead of breasts. They just have a lot more flavor.

    Favorite marinade:
    equal parts brown sugar, soy sauce and pineapple juice (better with fresh and then throw the squeezed chunks of pineapple in the marinade as well) then throw in some some garlic, ginger, ketchup and sriracha. I'm not good at recipes, I just eyeball those. I prefer to cook them in my cast iron skillet.

  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I've made chicken, tortellini, and spinach soup in the slow cooker, and as well chicken and gnocchi soup.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,899 Member
    One of our favorite chicken dishes is tacos.

    Boneless skinless chicken thighs coated with my homemade taco seasoning, then tossed on a hot gas grill. Yum.

    I also make white chicken chili (breasts for that), and balsamic thighs (marinated in Newman's own light balsamic, then grilled and fresh mozarella melted on top).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    While I do prefer thighs in the slow cooker, we like grilled chicken tenders (I use a variety of marinades, sometimes as simple as salad dressing with a little extra oil to prevent sticking), and I often use breast in Asian stir fries and always use breast in chicken fajitas.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Rub chicken / chicken pieces with curry powder. Half way through roasting add vegetables of your choice. Voila!
  • XLNC1981
    XLNC1981 Posts: 114 Member
    Am feeling the flavours... kinda looking for to meal prepping come Sunday. Always been a breast man but I’m going to be all over the thighs thanks 2 some of you lot! 😜
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    just_Tomek wrote: »
    Honestly.... with sooo many recipes and cooking methods, I dont understand how people still manage to overcook their chicken breast??!?!

    With so many recipes and cooking methods I completely understand how people manage to overcook their chicken breast. Many recipes completely disregard how overcooked the chicken breast will end up. They count on sauces and liquid offset the dryness (it does not work).
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