How can I make boneless chicken soft ?

Question

Whenever I cook boneless chicken ...it ends up gettin very hard !
Also it would be very helpful if you give be some good boneless chicken recipe !

Answer 1

You're probably just cooking it too long.

Poultry (especially the white meat) is a very delicate protein and needs less cooking time than you might imagine. Removing it from the heat (pan/oven/etc.) a little before it's completely done in the center, then letting it sit a few minutes (covered loosely with foil, etc.) will help keep it from overcooking too (its temperature will continue rising for awhile).

So the first thing is just not to cook it too long....though dark meat pieces (thighs, legs, backs) can definitely take longer cooking times.

Here are some suggested times for various types of cooking for boneless chicken breasts, as examples:

...BAKING (375 F for 17 min for a regular-thickness breast)... on a cookie sheet, etc.
…can also marinate the chicken first, or add a dry “rub”

...BAKING IN FOIL, in oven (also called baking "en papillote")...400 for approx. 25 min, or 425 F, for 30 min
--this method is great for fish too, which is another delicate protein
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=chicken+breast+%22en+papillote%22
and
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=chicken+breast+foil+recipes

...POACHING (simmering in liquid in a skillet on the stove for maybe 8-10 minutes)
... the liquid should come about halfway or more up the sides of the breasts, and the skillet should be covered... the liquid can be flavored with just about anything
--one simple flavoring is just a couple of cloves of garlic, minced or pulverized, mixed into plain water (...after cooking I thicken that liquid with Wondra flour to make it into a "gravy," adding salt and pepper)
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=chicken+breast+poach+

FRYING...as long as the pieces are coated with something (flour, egg, seasoned breadcrumbs, etc.), they can be deep fried in oil
....or they can even be "pan fried" in a little oil as long as the cooking time is kept short.
(it's also possible to "oven fry" pieces)

Dark meat chicken can also be braised or crockpot-ed using longer cook times.

The time till fully cooked will depend on the temperature as well as the thickness of the chicken pieces... some people like to "pound" some of their pieces till they're all the same thickness to avoid overcooking the thinner parts, or tucking the thinner parts under the rest of the piece, etc.
Pounding will also break down some of the fibers and make the chicken more tender (but it can still be overcooked).

Leaving the bones in while cooking (even with skin off which is very fatty) can help too. The white meat pieces don't have a lot of fat and connective tissue compared to thighs, etc. which break down and baste/moisturize the meat, especially with any long, slow cooking. All that happens when you cook it past “done” is that moisture continues to be drawn out of it and tightens up the fibers and tastes dry and hard.

Another thing that will make chicken moister is to "BRINE" it before cooking (soak in a salt-water solution, plus a sweetener such as sugar, molasses, honey, or corn syrup may be added to the solution for flavor and to improve browning).
The salt in a brine has two effects on poultry..."It dissolves protein in muscle….and the salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking. This makes the meat juicer, more tender, and improves the flavor. The low levels of salt left in the pieces enhance the other natural flavors of poultry."
...Here's one recipe for a brine:
To prepare a brine solution for poultry, add ¾ cup salt to 1 gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water. (For best flavor, use sodium chloride–regular table salt.)
Add a sweetener if desired.
Place brining solution in food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or glass container (totally submerge poultry in solution and store covered in the refrigerator), and leave for up to 8 hrs... even 30 minutes will help.
Poultry may be left in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
Remove poultry from brine. (Discard brine after use.)

MARINATING can also be good (soaking 1-6 hrs. in a mixture containing an oil and an acid, plus any flavorings you want)
... make a marinade, or buy one at the grocery (...if I buy a bottle, to save money when marinating only a few breasts, I'll freeze what I don't use from the bottle in a plastic bag for more breasts later)
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=marinade+chicken+breasts

or use a DRY RUB
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=%22dry+rub%22+chicken+breasts

P.S. You can test the final temperature of the chicken by sticking a probe or other thermometer into the meatiest part... it should be 165 degrees F.


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 2

Microwaving boneless chicken tends to make it hard and rubbery. It's easy to get better results in the oven. Marinate several chicken breasts in a half-cup soy sauce, half-cup water and quarter cup sugar. Refrigerate and turn once for 20 minutes or so. Pat dry with paper towels, and broil for 8 or so minutes on each side. Let the sugar from the marinade char a little on each side.

Another way is to pound the breasts with the side of a heavy saucer (you can put a sheet of wax paper on top so the saucer doesn't cut into the chicken)until they are thin and cook them quickly in a skillet. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add some chopped garlic and add the thin chicken pieces. Turn with a tongs when the underside is brown, then brown the other side. They'll cook quickly and be very tender.

A third way: pound thin like in recipe #2, put in the freezer for 10 minutes, rub each side with yogurt, then dip into flavored bread crumbs. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until breadcrumbs are bown and crisp.

For the tenderest chicken, you may want to try bone-in chicken breasts. Cooking meat on the bone is a process that creates more tender meat. Put a bunch of chicken breasts in a crockpot on low for 8 hours. That's it! You can add a little wine or beer, salt, pepper or garlic; or put vegetables like brocolli, carrots, onions and potatoes under the chicken. You can also cook a small whole chicken this way after rinsing the inside and outside. This is generally cheaper, and the meat will fall off the bone anyway.

Any of these recipes area also good with boneless, skinless chicken thights, which are more tender because they are dark meat. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Chicken Soft

Answer 4

O. K. here we go...There are LOTS of things to do to chicken. (I've done them all I think!) Anyway, get something heavy, that has a flat surface on it, (if you don't have a meat mallet) IF you us a drinking glass be VERY careful with it when pounding the chick, I've had a glass break on me when I was holding it! Pound the meat out starting in the middle and working your way to the edges. If you can get it at least 50% thinner, that would be a help. I like to take it to the point where it's about twice the size it was when starting. Then, pan fry it in a little olive oil/butter mix. (this raises the smoke point on the butter), Cook for 2-3 mins. per side on fairly high heat. And you're done! DO NOT ever put a lid on it when cooking it this way, that will always make it tough! I have a few killer recipes if you are interested............

Answer 5

This is true for all kinds of meat. Simply cook it quite slowly for a long time at a relatively low temperature. It may be necessary to add liquid during the cooking process, unless you want a dry kind of tandoori chicken to be the result.

Answer 6

I bake boneless, skinless chicken in a roasting pan with a cover and add can chicken brooth in the pan with it. Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, but not over the chicken breast.

Answer 7

Either poach it or bake it covered at 350 for about 70 or more minutes. Put some orange juice or water in the baking dish. For poaching place breast in water with onion, salt, pepper, garlic and any other spice you like, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer covered about 55 mins. Let cool in water before using.

Answer 8

Put it in a zip lock bag and roll it out flat with a rolling pin or a can of veggies

Answer 9

How are you cooking it? Sounds like just more liquid while cooking would help?

Answer 10

hit it very hard
lol
i've heard it works!