Chicken Help
 

Calling all chefs! (that's ALL of you). I need chicken help. We eat a LOT of chicken--just like all of you I'm sure. But I don't think I cook it very well. Right now I am stuck on boiling it, shredding it then adding flavor/sauces, etc. How do you guys cook it. When I grill it I dry it out.

ANY suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks guys!

Boo'smom,

I am by no means a chef, so please take this advice at face value :)

First, I invested in a George Foreman grill (big investment -- about $10 including shipping off ebay).

I grill my chicken most of the time. I use all of the different Mrs. Dash flavors, depending on my mood.

Cooking it on "George" takes about 7-9 minutes, depending on thickness.

Also, if you work and are a lunch packer, I grill my chicken the night before, and put it immediately into a tupperware dish, and then immediately into the fridge. The condensation from the steam collects, and then the next day when I warm it up in the microwave at work, I pour the juice, which is now like a marinade, over the top of the chicken so that it won't be dry when reheated.

Hope that helps a little!

great idea--work or not. Do you pound it all? I always feel like I have some too done and some not done enough.

My DH does all the grilling and he makes a mean BBQ chicken breast -I will get his advice tonight and share with you -
as far as inside though - why not put some water in the bottom of a broiler pan - put your chicken on top and cover with aluminum foil - this will keep the moisture in the chicken - when almost done, take off foil and baste with sauce or whatever - for the flavor

We eat chicken a lot too. When we have it alone we usually grill it but most of the time I cut it up and mix it w/ veggies and seasoning in a frying pan (use Pam). The other night I made BBQ chicken on the grill. I used the recipe from the new cookbook. We make the chicken cheese steak recipe from the new cookbook quite a bit also or chicken fajitas and/or chicken fajita salad. We like making chicken shish-kabobs w/ onions and green peppers and then I brush Light Done Right Italian Dressing on them while they are on the grill. I often cut up chicken breast with frozen stir fry veggies in a skillet and put low sodium teriyaki sauce on it. Serve this on a WW pita w/ reduced fat mozzarella cheese, DH also dips his into ranch dressing (prior to LAWL I would serve this on flat bread instead). Or I like eating a grilled chicken breast w/ pineapple and mozzarella cheese. It may sound strange, but it’s good. In one of our local restaurants they call this “Hawaiian chicken sandwich”. I think they may even marinate the chicken in the pineapple juice to keep it from drying out. As you can probable tell, I rarely eat just a plain chicken breast anymore. We got a little burnt out on that.

I've sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast into strips, and made my own "chicken tenders", baking in oven, then putting Frank's hot sauce on them. Use Fat free bleu cheese dressing.

Also, bake & slice boness chicken breast, and mix in your salad.

Chop breast into really small pieces, brown in PAM, add Mortons, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, & chili powder, awesome chicken salad. This one sounds weird, but is really yummy: Grill a breast on the Foreman, heat up 3/4 cup mixed berries in the microwave until hot and juicey, sweeten with Splenda, and pour over grilled chicken. It is so saucy and yummy.

I'm starting a collection--thanks gals--keep'em coming!! Everything sounds great. I need some variety. We are having DH's favorite beef patty with mushroom & onion--AGAIN.

sometimes I take a chicken breast, slice into strips and just saute in a nonstick pan with PAM, then
-add in strips of pepper and onion- a little no dalt ketchup for a cacciatore type meal,
-or brocolli, snap peas and red pepper with a touch of Iron Chef orange glaze for a Chinese type meal,
-or pepper and onion with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and such for a fajita type meal
-or just chicken sauteed like that and put over greens for a salad.

Thats just a starter list

If you want to grill it make sure the grill is good and hot. spray the grill with pam so the chicken does not stick put on for about 45 seconds then turn it over and do the same. this seals in the juices. Then you can go back to the first side and cook it some more. You can also cook a whole breast with the bone in over an open can of beer. just shove the can up the chickens butt and grill. The steam from the beer flavors it and keeps it moist.

The sweet and sour chicken recipe from the new book in the recipe thread is awsome. Somebody mentioned the chicken nuggets. Last night I sliced up an eggplant, broiled for a few minutes, took a previously grilled chicken breast and cut it up and put it on top of the eggplant. Mixed 1/2 C. NS tomato sauce with italian seasoning and MLS put over the chicken and then broiled that for about 5-7 minutes. Then I sprinkled some mozza on top of that. Broiled for about 5 minutes until the cheese started to turn brown. Yummy. I think that was posted in the recipe thread too. Thanks to whoever did.
I also like cooked chicken cut up in chunks mixed with cooked sliced mushrooms and cooked broccoli. Then I mix it with the LAWL cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 c. water and 1 T. ff sour cream, but you could easily make your own or buy cream of mushroom soup. Then serve over pasta or brown rice.

I tried that sweet and sour chicken and actually threw it out. I am kinda picky, but I should have known anything that managed to combine ketchup and pineapples would probably not be for me. I'm gonna try orange chicken or beef and broccoli next...they sound more tame for a picky girl.

Kristi, sorry about y'alls grandmother. I know it probably feels awful, but I bet she would eventually make friends and maybe even enjoy her new situation if she gives it a chance. I used to volunteer at a retirement community and I thought it looked so fun...you get to live near all your friends just like in college without the schoolwork.

I made the Sloppy Joes again, using tomato paste and brown sugar twin instead of ketchup to cut back on the calories. It was still really good. I told DH it is like I have learned a mystery of the universe and now am just making it all the time out of sheer astonishment. If I figure out Heinz 57 sauce I would probably never leave the house.

Can y'all big losers send the fat fairy to my house SOON. I am just HOPING to see a 160 something on my scale very very soon. I've been stalemated at 171 for 2 weeks now.

Im telling you...sometimes the TO seems to do more harm than good mentally....

Here's a tip I learned from a friend years ago, if you're going to grill chicken, boil it first until 99% cooked through, then throw it on the grill and finish it by grilling until the desired color/doneness is reached. It works for me. :)

Love that idea--still moist but still grilled--win-win.

THANKS everyone--I'm sure many are benefitting from all the new ideas!!