Topic: How do i get chicken really really soft?

[Curry United]

you have probably heard this question a million times!! lol

i have tried boiling the chicken, marinating, cooking on high heat and simmering for anything up to an hour or so.

but the chicken never seems a soft as a i get in BIRs.

if there anything i am missing?

thanks

[976bar]

you have probably heard this question a million times!! lol

i have tried boiling the chicken, marinating, cooking on high heat and simmering for anything up to an hour or so.

but the chicken never seems a soft as a i get in BIRs.

if there anything i am missing?

thanks

One thing you can try is keeping the chunks really large, as they tend to shrivel up and dry a little if too small when cooking

Also don't overcook the chicken, remember it still cooks for a while longer when removed from the heat, so if it is just a little pinkish when removed it will still continue cooking.

Also leaving Chicken in lemon juice for around 15 minutes will tenderise it as well.

[PaulP]

I find this tricky too. I've tried pre-cooking but lately I've just been adding raw chicken breast to the hot curry sauce and letting simmer for about 12-15 minutes and although not BIR (too slow for a TA) it still tastes ok this way.

[Panpot]

Forgive me once agin but the precooked chicken recipe form The Ashoka is perfect. PP

[PaulP]

Thanks for the reminder PP I'll get around to the Ashoka pre-cooked recipe one day!

[Cory Ander]

I have to say that precooking chicken (to make it "soft") is something I really can't relate to (if you chose to use chicken breasts, anyway). 

I think that precooking chicken, using chicken breasts (though BIRs probably don't use chicken breast), is unnecessary and saves very little time in the cooking process. 

Frying it, and then cooking it with the curry, for 5 - 10 mins, or so, seems to result in a pretty acceptable "softness" to me ("flavour", however, might be a different question!).

The same is not true of other meats (e.g. lamb and beef) where a long, slow, cook is desirable to soften the meat (for the cheaper cuts anyway).

[Curry United]

CA,

Do you fry the chicken then add it to your base?

[PaulP]

Pre-frying the chicken just enough to seal in the juices is a known cooking technique but you would want to fry just enough to seal it.

[Cory Ander]

Pre-frying the chicken just enough to seal in the juices is a known cooking technique but you would want to fry just enough to seal it.

I agree. The same is true of other meats (e.g. lamb and beef) but, with these, I personally would, thereafter, slow cook them to make them "soft".

[Cory Ander]

Do you fry the chicken then add it to your base?

No, with chicken breast, I might marinate it first, then fry it (only enough to "seal" it) at the beginning of cooking a curry, then add the remaining ingredients (including the base) and cook it until done throughout (i.e. about 5 - 10 mins for 1 inch cubes of chicken breast)