Cook ahead chicken ideas

[taxlady]

I just bought some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and some chicken legs with the skin on. I want to roast them to have ready to use in other dishes. What sorts of seasonings would you use? Would you use a different method of cooking than roasting? Since other people might be interested in this topic, I won't bother listing my restrictions.

 

[Aunt Bea]

When I get a deal on BSCBs I poach them in chicken stock with a carrot, onion, celery, etc... and use them as cold cuts or in chicken salad.

With legs or drumsticks I usually oven fry them with a crumb coating or cook them similar to Buffalo-style chicken wings by roasting them and tossing them in a butter/hot sauce bath.

 

[Andy M.]

Since you're not sure what you're going to use them for, I'd simply roast them with salt and pepper. Add specific seasoning for the dishes you use them in.

 

[GotGarlic]

When I make chicken enchiladas, I poach boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper and bay leaves. The bay leaves give them a nice savory flavor that I think would be very versatile.

I suggest salt, pepper and dried thyme for the dark meat.

 

[pepperhead212]

Another vote here for the simple approach, so that you can use them for whatever you decide on for later dishes. I would brine them, to keep them moist, then gently cook them 10-12 min., maybe poaching in some white wine, if that would be ok in dishes you would be making; otherwise, just some water or chicken broth.

 

[Just Cooking]

As I make enchilada sauce, I like to poach chicken thighs or breasts in that sauce.. Adds wonderful flavoring.. Then I shred or cut up the chicken, wrap to freeze for future recipes..

Ross

 

[dragnlaw]

Ditto Aunt Bea and Pepperhead.

Poach your breasts and oven fry your legs.

or perhaps disjoint your legs into thighs and drumsticks.
Oven fry your legs.

You could debone the thighs. Hate doing that but refuse to pay the price for them done, I also like them with the skin on for cooking.

Keeping them longer? As in are you intending to freeze them after cooking?

Second thoughts, I can't really see the point of cooking to use in an unknown recipe. I don't think you would really be saving time. There's the defrosting and then cooking the new recipe. I would just cook for a specific recipe and freeze. Other than chicken breasts of which I often like to keep one in the fridge to have in a salad or sandwich.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm almost with Andy on this one. Roast that bird, giving it a nice, crusty, well seasoned skin. Remove the skin and allow it to crisp further to crumble up and use like bacon bits. Well flavored chicken meat will work with anything you want to use it for, from chow mein, to shredded chicken tacos, to chicken salad sandwiches. So I recommend that you either brine the bird before roasting, or inject it with a great chicken stock. Don't add a lot of spices though, because different dishes require different flavors. I wouldn't for instance want to taste sage in my chicken egg rolls.

You might add lardoons of bacon fat into the meat to add more moisture and flavor to the bird. And the drippings, safe those at all cost. They make the best sauces, soups, and gravies.

Just MHO.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind dof the North

 

[caseydog]

If it is still grilling weather where you live, I find that grilled chicken is very versatile as leftover chicken. For me, just simple salt and pepper. I can do whatever I want from there as a leftover ingredient.

I don't use BS chicken breast often, but when I do, I butterfly it, and cook it fast. That works great on the grill. If you leave it as is from the package, the ends are overcooked by the time the middle is safely cooked. I gotta' flatten the breast out so it cooks evenly from end to end.

As for legs, I can grill those with some simple seasoning, and eat the leftovers right out of the fridge. I grill them skin on, or peel off the skin and grill or fry it into some chicken cracklins.

Chicken is a great cook-ahead meat ingredient. My favorite way to cook it ahead is on a grill.

CD

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Ahh, I wasn't paying close enough attention, BSCB. Another option is to pound the chicken breast flat with a meat mallet, or heavy y skillet, then roll it around a compoud butter or blue cheese filling, secure with toothpicks, dip in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs. With the compound butter, you will have
chicken Kiev. With the blue cheese, Chicken Cordon Bleau. Bake it off and freeze leftovers.

Chicken Fingers freeze well and are easy to make. Simply cut the meat into long, thin strips, about as wide as a pencil, and dip in seasoned, or plain flour, egg wash, then in the flour again. Fry until very lightly browned. They are now ready to. When you want to eat them, either finish them in a 375'F. oven, or fry until medium brown.

I also agree with grilling them, especially if you can do it over charcoal.

You can velvet the chicken by making a marinade of rice-wine vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, ginger, onion, corn starch, and Chinese 5-spice powder. Marinate chicken strips in this before poaching in hot oil or water at no more than 300' F. The liquid shoudl not be boiling, if water, or bubble when the chien is dded if it;s oil. Cook until the marinade coating turns translucent. Remove,drain on paper towels, then freeze. This will be ready for your next Chop Suey, Chow Mein, or whatever Asian style chicken dish you might want to prepare.

Make chicken lasagna, cut into servings, wrap and freeze. It freezes really well. Chicken soups also freeze well. Gravy does not feeze well.

Fried chicken freezes and is simple to reheat in the oven.

Homemade Chicken pot pie freezes nicely.

Speaking of chicken soup, there is nothing much more comforting in the fall than a hot bowl of chicken soup, fortified with pearl barley, and biscuit style dumplings steamed on top of the soup. You simply take the soup out of the freezer, make up a quick biscuit dough with Bisquick, or your own favorite biscuit recipe, drop spoonfuls on top of the soup, and heat in a covered casserole dish in the microwave until the biscuits are fluffy, and the soup is hot. Add a pinch of Cayenne to liven up the soup.

These may be more complex than you want, or need for your purposes. It's just the way my mind works I wasn't tagged on this site with the name - Chief Longwind of the North - for nothingness: