Thick Boneless Chicken Breasts

[Backbay]

Made some skinless/boneless chicken breasts for dinner tonight by dredging in seasoned flour and gentle pan fry. They were horrid. The breasts themselves were so thick that I pounded them out prior to cooking but, the meat was still dense and tough.

When time is not an issue I will make a marinade with teriyaki/pineapple and fresh garlic which helps with tenderizing - what are some of your tricks for tenderizing chicken breasts?

Thanks!
Backbay

 

[detroitdad]

cook them low and slow. Preferably over indirect heat

 

[Backbay]

Will give it a try. Thanks for responding - much appreciated

 

[medtran49]

When they are "Dolly Parton" breasts, I cut them in half horizontally, then pound or marinade.

 

[Backbay]

Thanks, Medtran49 - do you have a fav marinade that you use with chicken?

 

[rascal]

I use freshly squeezed orange or mandarin with fish sauce ketchup manis brown sugar garlic ginger and chilly.

Russ

 

[Karen W]

Alternately, you can cut the chicken in small bite-sized pieces and stir fry. There's a process called velveting that Chinese restaurants use. Water velveting & the marinade is explained at serioueats.com if you would like to give it a try.

 

[CraigC]

Brine is your friend! If you don't brine or marinade bls/skls chicken breasts they are doomed to be dry and tasteless. You can even inject them with a marinade. I prefer bone in/skin on, well seasoned on the grill.

 

[Backbay]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your replies - all such good advice I can't wait to try each method. I have brined whole birds before but, it never dawned on me to brine individual pieces. Love the information this board and its members provide. Thank you! Thank you!

 

[TodayInTheKitchen]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your replies - all such good advice I can't wait to try each method. I have brined whole birds before but, it never dawned on me to brine individual pieces. Love the information this board and its members provide. Thank you! Thank you!

Well said @Backbay . I have been a member for a relatively short time (less than a year) and cannot tell you how much I have learned from this cooking forum.