Topic: How do i get chicken really really soft?

[Mikka1]

Injecting it with water.  I suppose its possible heck I've tried some stuff over time.  :

I'm going to try cooking it with oil and onions as a pre-fry in a saucepan, take the chicken out and caramelise the rest then add those to the base at some point. The most tender is the thighs without doubt though.

Panpots oven baked method is very similar to my tikka method and works a treat too. Try it you won't be disappointed I'm sure.

[Cory Ander]

Yes, I understand (cos I've had it!) that some BIRs use relatively cheap "processed chicken" (this is why I'm sceptical/scornful when members claim that BIRs ONLY use chicken breast...inferring to me, maybe wrongly, that they use ONLY top quality chicken meat). 

I understand that this "processed chicken" contains quite a large amount of water and is probably what this guy is referring to (he will no doubt buy it like this rather than inject it with water himself).  Aside from possibly marinating it, I'd be surprised if many BIRs further treat their chicken (e.g. "velveting") to tenderise it.

Having said that, velveting is common practice in Chinese cooking (to prevent the chicken from drying out) so is well worth a go too.

[Cory Ander]

Yes, I understand (cos I've had it!) that some BIRs use relatively cheap "processed chicken" (this is why I'm sceptical/scornful when members claim that BIRs ONLY use chicken breast...inferring to me, maybe wrongly, that they use ONLY top quality chicken meat). 

PS:  I''ve had "chicken" (or other "meat") that is FARRRRR more dubious that that too!  Hence my comment about only "posh" restaurants only using chicken breast... ;D

[Razor]

Got to admit CA,  I've never had anything else but chicken breast in any BIR that I've been to.  If it was anything else but breast, surely you would notice simply by the shape and size of the piece?

Ray

[Spice-as-Nice]

Yes, I understand (cos I've had it!) that some BIRs use relatively cheap "processed chicken" (this is why I'm sceptical/scornful when members claim that BIRs ONLY use chicken breast...inferring to me, maybe wrongly, that they use ONLY top quality chicken meat). 

I understand that this "processed chicken" contains quite a large amount of water and is probably what this guy is referring to (he will no doubt buy it like this rather than inject it with water himself).  Aside from possibly marinating it, I'd be surprised if many BIRs further treat their chicken (e.g. "velveting") to tenderise it.

Having said that, velveting is common practice in Chinese cooking (to prevent the chicken from drying out) so is well worth a go too.

Hi Cory, At no point do I say BIR's velvet their chicken. If you read my prev posts on this thread ,what I was meaning was that velveting is ONE way to create a silky outer feel. Its not something I do when making a curry. It's something I have done when making chinese dishes.  I was in fact replying to the title thread.
My main point of reply was to make meat tender ..... You can soak / marinate it just in water with bicarb for a few hours.
One second point , and others here make the same observation , is ..... During the process of 'velveting' the meat is heated till its outer turns pale.
So ... not velveting , BUT, just preheating chicken very gently for less than a minute ( no coating or marinating ) then let it cool for several minutes .... then some time soon after that cook it as normal , will see you with tender chicken.
Some chefs call this cooling period "resting" . ( not the resting thats often done with stake AFTER cooking but before serving ) . This is 'resting' before the meat is cooked fully.
Of course seperate to all of the above is 'seasoning' by there and then method or by marinating prior to cooking.

I should also point out that while I have tried all these methods , most of the time I don't do any .I just buy chicken breast meat , boil it up with a little chilly ( yes boil ) slowish  ,  Then add it to my curry base as I cook in another pan .

[Cory Ander]

Hi Cory, At no point do I say BIR's velvet their chicken

OK, thanks for clarifying SaN...I naturally assumed the context was (or should be) BIR cooking, given the nature of the forum 

[chriswg]

Has anyone ever noticed that the BIR's pre-cooked chicken is usually stored in a tub or tray in a yellow, yoghurt thick sauce. When they add it to the dish that sauce is added to the curry. This isn't something I have ever seen menioned on here, yet it must impart a certain flavour to the curry.

I noticed this first at the curry lesson I had at a local BIR, but I also noticed it on the Maliks webcam videos. I doubt any of us would have the patience to pre-cook our chicken the day before and refrigerate overnight in the cooking sauce, but maybe that is how it gets the softness.

[Mikka1]

I hadn't noticed that Chris but now you mention it I do marinate all my chicken depending on the dish the day before. I always use a mixture of spice and yogurt and bake lightly in the oven. The result is like you are saying too.

Couldn't it just be juices from the meat do you think? I'll have a look at Maliks later, just gets boring without any sound from the camera.

Has anyone ever noticed that the BIR's pre-cooked chicken is usually stored in a tub or tray in a yellow, yoghurt thick sauce. When they add it to the dish that sauce is added to the curry. This isn't something I have ever seen menioned on here, yet it must impart a certain flavour to the curry.

I noticed this first at the curry lesson I had at a local BIR, but I also noticed it on the Maliks webcam videos. I doubt any of us would have the patience to pre-cook our chicken the day before and refrigerate overnight in the cooking sauce, but maybe that is how it gets the softness.

[adriandavidb]

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)
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Ditto, good results every time!

[Stephen Lindsay]

Not sure why anyone would want to eat a curry using the most cheapest and crappiest processed chicken that money can buy. I'm not saying we should all go organic but I think a half decent chicken breast should be going into our curries. We should be aiming to use decent ingredients and that starts with whatever chicken or lamb is going into our recipes.

Buy decent chicken and don't over cook it and it will be soft enough without any tweaking. If it requires tenderising it's not chicken.