About five years ago I started a thread asking how to barbeque chicken perfectly and got some very helpful responses. Now I have a slightly different question.
I’m thinking of getting a large amount of chicken breasts - maybe 5 to 10 pounds - and preparing them for the week. Then keep them in the refrigerator and put one or two in the microwave as needed as the week progresses.
After re-reading the old thread it seems like the best thing to do might be to marinade it overnight, then wrap in tin foil and bake slowly at a low heat. Does that make sense?
And if so, how hot should the oven be and how long should I cook for?
And simple suggestions for a marinade are always welcome.
I do this every week. We’ve experimented with all kinds of things, but just dumping an envelope of dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix over them right before we put them in the oven seems to be the best solution, in terms of taste, ease, and expense.
I’m skeptical that cooking the whole lot before freezing is the best way to go about it - thawing & reheating in the microwave doesn’t sound that great to me. I’d probably go for freezing the raw chicken with the marinade and just cook the breasts when you need it, which shouldn’t take very long anyway. The downside is that you’d have to thaw the whole thing before cooking, but if you put them in the fridge in the morning, they’ll probably be thawed by the time you’re ready to cook dinner.
I would probably bake chicken breast at about 190 ~ 200 C; hot, but not extremely hot. And take the foil off for the last 5 to 10 minutes to make it a little crispy.
I also like tikka style marinade with thick yoghurt, dried pepper, cumin, cilantro and/or mint, onion and ginger - this works best with smallish chicken bits (~ two bites), broiled instead of baked. Turn once when the top is getting crispy and then baste with a bit more of the marinade. These freeze fairly well and can also be kept in the fridge for a couple of days. Re-heat in some marsala style sauce (tomato + cream/yoghurt base) for chicken tikka marsala and serve with whatever you like.
My favorite Marinade. The secret to moist chicken is olive oil in the Marinade.
Marinade:
1 16 oz. bottle Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing (You can probably use any type of Italian dressing made with olive oil as long as it’s not low fat)
1 pkg. Zesty Italian dressing mix (powdered mix) (I use the Kroger Brand generic)
1 T Spike Seasoning
Coarse ground black pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp.)
I mix mine in an old glass jar with lid. Needs to be big enough so you can shake well. I refrigerate unused Marinade.
Be sure to cut shallow slits in the chicken. Marinate in a zip lock bag 6 to 8 hours.
Takes 8 to 10 minutes in the Foreman Grill. Flesh should bounce back when you press with a finger.
Spike is found at most grocery stores
Yeah, centigrade. I don’t understand american temperatures.
For a chicken breast, probably about 20 minutes at that temperature. May work better at a slightly lower temp. I generally broil chicken instead of baking, and I prefer wings or legs to breast. In any case, timing should only be a rough indication in cooking. Just take it out when it’s done.
They explain how to set up the broiler, the correct rack position and cooking times.
broiling is great if you want to cook a lot at one time. Be sure to coat the broiler pan well with Pam or some no stick spray first. Makes cleaning easier.
