# Cooking chicken breast **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167 "2010-08-23T16:12:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/61 "2010-08-26T17:13:33Z")
[Mojo marinade](http://www.versaillescuban.com/Product/Store.aspx?cat=4&a=23#23), then preferably grill. Goya makes one that is excellent as well. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/62 "2010-08-26T17:30:03Z")
When I’m cooking chicken to add to salads I use a low carb version of breading. Dip chicken breasts in egg, then coat in parmesean cheese. You can also mix spices in with the cheese. Bake for 30ish mins (assuming they are beaten slightly flat, thicker breasts require more time). Dice, toss on some salad greens w/ whatever vegetables you like. Goes well with Caesar dressing or any vinigrette. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/63 "2010-08-26T18:09:28Z")
My easiest recipe… and the one I use the most often. Mix together equal parts: honey sugar soy sauce water (heated up a little to help disolve the sugar and honey) If you’re only doing 1 at a time, I’d suggest 1 TBSP each. Put marinade and chicken into a ziplock baggie. Let sit for at least 2 hours, though longer is better. Grill or bake 'til done. If you bake though, line your pan with tinfoil for easier clean up. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/64 "2010-08-26T18:30:27Z")
> [@SylverOne](#): > > My easiest recipe… and the one I use the most often. > > Mix together equal parts: > honey > sugar > soy sauce > water (heated up a little to help disolve the sugar and honey) > > If you’re only doing 1 at a time, I’d suggest 1 TBSP each. Put marinade and chicken into a ziplock baggie. Let sit for at least 2 hours, though longer is better. > > Grill or bake 'til done. If you bake though, line your pan with tinfoil for easier clean up. That sounds really good, actually. I like simple. For the dummies among us (aka me), how long do you bake it, and at what temperature? Do you have to turn it over halfway through? ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/65 "2010-08-26T18:53:53Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > > [@SylverOne](#): > > > > My easiest recipe… and the one I use the most often. > > > > Mix together equal parts: > > honey > > sugar > > soy sauce > > water (heated up a little to help disolve the sugar and honey) > > > > If you’re only doing 1 at a time, I’d suggest 1 TBSP each. Put marinade and chicken into a ziplock baggie. Let sit for at least 2 hours, though longer is better. > > > > Grill or bake 'til done. If you bake though, line your pan with tinfoil for easier clean up. > > That sounds really good, actually. I like simple. For the dummies among us (aka me), how long do you bake it, and at what temperature? Do you have to turn it over halfway through? For 3 breasts, I preheat at 365 degrees and cook ~25 minutes. Comes out great and so far never too dry. Just cut into the breast and look for pink, if pink put back in oven 5 minutes or so. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/66 "2010-08-26T19:03:00Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > That sounds really good, actually. I like simple. For the dummies among us (aka me), how long do you bake it, and at what temperature? Do you have to turn it over halfway through? Hmmm… I don’t do times and temperatures very well, which results in some catastrophes occasionally. 😛 Depends on the size of the breast… I’d say a 375-400 degree oven for 20 minutes. The sugar caramelizes, but you don’t want it to burn. Turning it over half way though wouldn’t hurt. I also do this marinade with thinly sliced strips or cubed chicken breasts. Then I put it on skewers with pineapple and grill it. Damn it, I’m starving now, and TPTB scheduled a meeting during my lunch hour! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/67 "2010-08-26T19:04:33Z")
Out of curiosity, what tastes do you like? Salty? Sweet? Tangy? A combination? I like a combination of the three, which makes a hoisin sauce a good addition. You can just stick the chicken in a bag to marinate during the day. I usually chop it up into cubes first so I don’t have to chop when I get home. Then you turn up the stove to medium/medium high, throw in olive oil, then a bag of mixed frozen veggies. Cook them 'til they’re bright. Then pop in the chicken. I usually cover the chicken because it helps it cook faster and makes it more tender. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. Normally you’d toss in the veggies after the chicken, but when they’re frozen, it usually works best (in my experience anyway) to do the chicken second. Edited to add: If you use a bag of un-frozen slaw mix (found near the pre-washed lettuces in the grocery), you can toss that in after the chicken and have an instant version of mu shu chicken. It makes a great wrap. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/68 "2010-08-26T19:34:41Z")
Why not cube and then bake the chicken, then finish cooking with this: > **[Amazon.com : Patak's Tikka Masala Curry Cooking Sauce, Medium, 15-Ounce Glass...](https://www.amazon.com/Pataks-Masala-Cooking-Medium-15-Ounce/dp/B001HTI4EC)** > > Original. An Authentic Indian Recipe. Tastes of India. Suitable for vegetarians. Gluten Free. Product of the United Kingdom. I can vouch – pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/69 "2010-08-27T01:38:15Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > Slow cook it - add just enough water to cover it and about a cup of hot salsa. Cook it on “high” for six hours > > Yum! Alternative, skip the salsa & water, add lots of finely chopped garlic, salt, (lemon)pepper - shred with two forks when done and add a nice BBQ sauce like Stubb’s to it for a ‘pulled chicken’ sandwich… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/70 "2010-08-27T02:03:06Z")
I keep seeing people say “salt it”. How much salt do you sprinkle on a chicken breast? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/71 "2010-08-27T02:34:20Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I keep seeing people say “salt it”. > > How much salt do you sprinkle on a chicken breast? I have a ramekin I fill with kosher salt for cooking and take a hearty pinch and sprinkle it over the meat. For a chicken breast, I’d guess that for coating both sides, we’re looking at a quarter-teaspoon? Possibly a third? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/72 "2010-08-27T03:29:30Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > > [@sparky\_1](#): > > > > So I cooked the chicken last night, first adding salt and pepper. Today I mixed a breast and a half with a frozen potato dish (Green Giant). I can’t say I like it. > > > > Here’s a [picture](http://dmf109.smugmug.com/Other/SmugShots/smugshot8825612/981435250_3tE6h-L.jpg) of it. > > > > Tomorrow will be more chicken breast, but with green beans. > > > > Thanks all who have given recipe ideas. I’d like to try the recipes of others I kinda know (from reading your posts) than to just grab something off the internet. > > > > I think I may do chicken parm. next week. I _think_ it’ll go well with green beens. Or I may try a stir fry with lots of onion and peppers. > > What didn’t you like about it? I gather from your initial post that you thought the plain chicken lacked pizazz - so now that you added seasoning what is it that you don’t like? If it’s too salty you can try again but use a little less seasoning this time. If you think it still lacks a certain amount of heat, maybe you can add tobasco sauce to the chicken. If you’d like it to have some bigger flavor then let us know something you’d like to emulate and we can recommend a marinade. If it was just tough then try pounding it out and brining it. In any case - DON’T GIVE UP! Just let us know and I’m sure you’ll get a million suggestions out of which at least 1 or 2 will be good advice! For potatoes that rock, try this very simple recipe: dozen new potatoes 2 Tbs XVOO Some minced fresh rosemary leaves ground sea salt to taste ground pepper to taste 1-2 cloves garlic quarter the potatoes after cleaning and put them in a suitably-sized dish. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic and stir profusely. Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, place coated potatoes onto baking sheet and bake for ~30 minutes or until browned. Instant yummage. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/73 "2010-08-27T06:38:15Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > > > OK, try to find a copy of Peg Bracken’s _I Hate To Cook Book_, preferably the Compleat version, because it will be two books for one. Some of the recipes are pretty outdated, but many of them are just as quick and easy and foolproof today as they were all those many years ago. > > They just released an [updated, 50th anniversary edition](http://www.amazon.com/Hate-Cook-Book-50th-Anniversary/dp/0446545929/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282839500&sr=8-1). Thanks, I just added that to my Wish List. The thing about Bracken’s recipes is that they are very, very reliable, and she doesn’t assume that her readers are particularly good cooks, or even at all enthusiastic about cooking. She assumes that her readers are just trying to feed themselves and possibly other people. And she has a pretty good philosophy about rotating recipes. I’ve found that while _I_ might be perfectly happy to make a pork roast and eat it for four or five days running (lunch AND dinner), my husband and daughter prefer to mix things up. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/74 "2010-08-27T13:57:12Z")
> [@SylverOne](#): > > My easiest recipe… and the one I use the most often. > > Mix together equal parts: > honey > sugar > soy sauce > water (heated up a little to help disolve the sugar and honey) > > If you’re only doing 1 at a time, I’d suggest 1 TBSP each. Put marinade and chicken into a ziplock baggie. Let sit for at least 2 hours, though longer is better. > > Grill or bake 'til done. If you bake though, line your pan with tinfoil for easier clean up. Similar to my stir-fry sauce. Recipe for that is: 1 1/3 cups soy sauce 1/3 cup corn syrup 2 tbsp cornstarch 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it) The sweetness goes well with the soy sauce, and the cornstarch is just a thickener. The cayenne pepper adds a nice kick, though; try a dash next time you do your marinade and see what you think. But at the measures you’re using, you’ll need to be very careful not to overdo it. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/75 "2010-08-27T18:40:39Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Similar to my stir-fry sauce. Recipe for that is: > > 1 1/3 cups soy sauce > 1/3 cup corn syrup > 2 tbsp cornstarch > 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like it) > > The sweetness goes well with the soy sauce, and the cornstarch is just a thickener. The cayenne pepper adds a nice kick, though; try a dash next time you do your marinade and see what you think. But at the measures you’re using, you’ll need to be very careful not to overdo it. Actually, when I make this, it’s usually in greater quantities, 1/3 - 1/2 cup of all the ingredients for 8 to 12 breasts, so adding a little cayenne wouldn’t be a problem… Have a BBQ on Saturday, might have to try it out. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167/76 "2010-08-27T20:14:07Z")
[Here’s a thread I started a while back.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=521589) Making some sort of homemade teriyaki makes the chicken tasty too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-chicken-breast/551167.md?page=3)