Topic: Tough Chicken Breast?

[Invisible Mike]

Hi All

Has anybody ever struggled to get their chicken breast nice and tender? Despite doing various pre-cooking methods I for one have struggled.

I have tried:

The slow pre-cooking method - As prescribed by the likes of curry2go etc.

Stabbing it all over with a skewer and marinading in yoghurt. (The enzymes in which supposedly break down the protein structures in the meat)

And bringing the meat up to room temperature before cooking.

And a mixture of all of the above. Some fair results but still could never achieve the same melt in the mouth chicken that you get from your TA. Then the other day I had an epiphany... The pressure cooker...

I got the chicken out of the fridge and brought it up to room temperature. I then fried off half a sliced onion, a few black and green cardamoms, some mix powder, pinch of cinnamon, cumin etc and then added the chicken. I sealed it off all over then added a good splash of boiling water from the kettle (perhaps 200ml). I then put the lid on, whacked the heat up a bit (but not full) and waited for the pressure to come up. (I don't know how modern ones work but this is an old fashioned pressure cooker) I then waited 6 or 7 minutes, took it off the heat, let the pressure off and tried a bit of the chicken. It was absolutely gorgeous and super tender!

I figured that the combination of being airtight and the savage heat would cook it so quick that it wouldn't be able/have time to dry out. BUT Only add your chicken to your curry sauce right at the end of cooking or else for some reason it does firm back up. The onions go all mushy aswell which makes a lovely sauce to add to your curry

If anybody else has experienced the same problem and have a pressure cooker knocking around then I would thoroughly recommend you try this method.

Happy Cooking

MM

[Garabi Army]

Good post MM, I have had similar problems 

Cheers,
Ken

[mickdabass]

Hi MM
I think it may be to do with the age of the hen when it was slaughtered. Old hens = tough meat. I buy most of my hen meat from Asda  and find its always ok to be fair. Probably not as cheap as some, but you usually only get what you pay for

 

Regards

Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

I find that there is enormous variation in final tenderness depending on the source of the bird. My local butcher/abbatoir supplies free-range "supreme"s (breasts) which are invariably tender (current price

[meggeth]

This is the method I use, seems to work fine for me. I only simmer the chicken for around 8 mins - it really doesnt take long to cook (tends to cook while water is heating up too) - I think it is very easy to overcook. Bear in mind that the chicken will also cook some more when you add it in your curry.

Put all the following into a pan-
For 2 KG                                For 1KG
4 green cardomons               2 green cardomons
4 bay leaves                         2 bay leaf
1 x 4 inch sticks cinnamon      

[Unclefrank]

I do, sometimes do my chicken by adding
a little turmeric, handful of chopped onions, a chefs spoon of tinned chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp mix powder any one will do and water.
This is enough for two large chicken breasts, the water should be level with the chicken when added.
I heat the water with all ingredients until you have a rolling boil then add chicken turn off heat and put on a lid wait until the chicken has gone white all over then drain and add to your desired dish, either hot or cold.
I personally wouldn't buy any meat from Asda, Tesco or any other supermarket, way too expensive and you really don't get what you pay for.
Stay with your local butcher.

[gazman1976]

if its breast i boil a kettle, cut chicken into cubes and pour boiling water over them in the pan and cook for 2 mins on high heat, job done, as i only eat madras it suits my purpose and its very tender

[Invisible Mike]

Hi MM
I think it may be to do with the age of the hen when it was slaughtered. Old hens = tough meat. I buy most of my hen meat from Asda  and find its always ok to be fair. Probably not as cheap as some, but you usually only get what you pay for

 

Regards

Mick

To be honest I have found it to be a bit chewy no matter where I buy it from. I have never really had the knack for cooking chicken. I always buy free range which is probably from a slightly slower grown/older bird which may contribute to my failure. Whatever the reason is, as far as I'm concerned the pressure cooking method is a nice little personal breakthrough which I will always use from now on.

Cheers

Mike

[spadge]

We buy our chicken from an Asian butchers and the breasts are around twice the size of the trimmed back supermarket ones.
That said if you go too large they can be tough, so yes age does make a difference.
By far the biggest problem is after its been frozen! Then your talking tough so try to avoid.
For me I pre cook in a pint of boiling water adding these ingredients

1/2tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of either curry powder, mix powder or basa

Leave on a simmer for about half hour and done.
cook in the usual way then on.
AVOID FROZEN BREAST!