Newb needs help with chicken breasts

[SeanCan'tCook]

OK, the screen name says it all. I have set the kitchen on fire with alarming regularity, and nothing I've ever cooked comes out right (except rice, which now works since I started baking it like Alton Brown says on "Good Eats").

I'm overweight, with chronic asthma, and now I've found out I have Congestive Heart Disease/ I have to start eating better. I live alone, don't have a lot of time to invest in meal preparation, and need to learn to make simple, healthy meals that are easy to cook.

Additionally, I hate fish, and stopped eating mammals a year or so ago, so that leaves me with chicken.

I tried this recipe from Quick Fix meals with Robin Miller and tried it:

6 - 5oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a plastic bag:
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag, close and shake until well coated
Coat baking sheet with olive oil spray
Shake off excess coating from chicken breasts and place on sheet
Spray tops of chicken breasts with olive oil spray
Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes

I'll bet I've tried baking chicken breasts a dozen times, and these came out way better than any I have made before; tender and juicy. They didn't taste bad, but they were a little bland.

I have some questions on this:

1) Is getting more flavor simply a matter of increasing the amounts of spices? If so, which ones?

2) Is there a better method than using the white flour? I'm assuming that is there to make the spices to stick to the chicken?

3) Regarding the plastic bag of spices ... it seems pretty wasteful. I thought about reusing plastic bags I get from the grocery store, but wonder about what else might be in them. Also, can you hold on to the spices in the bag and re-use them, or is Salmonella a problem?

4) How long will the cooked chicken breasts last in the fridge? They seemed a little slimy after 5 days in a sealed plastic container, which made Lily the Sabre-Toothed Retriever very happy, indeed.

5) What are the best sources for more simple, healthy recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts?

Thanks

 

[Alix]

There are zillions of chicken breast recipes. And the best way to get flavour into a chicken breast is likely to marinate it. You will find that probably far tastier than breading it with any amount of spice.

You can either use the search function on the blue toolbar here and limit your search to the chicken subforum or you can try a Google search specifying Discuss Cooking if you just want to see what recipes are listed here.

My suggestion would be to look into the various types of marinade recipes out there (or the bottled kind) as they will be helpful to you. Also, you may want to look at brining, or using buttermilk to plump up and flavour your chicken breast.

Personally I find a good stir fry the best way to get maximum flavour from chicken breast.

 

[sattie]

1) Is getting more flavor simply a matter of increasing the amounts of spices? If so, which ones?

Not sure on this one. It seems like it would be pretty flavorful, but I know what you mean. I usually tend to lean towards more salt, garlic, and pepper, but that is my taste.

2) Is there a better method than using the white flour? I'm assuming that is there to make the spices to stick to the chicken?

You could just leave the flour out.

3) Regarding the plastic bag of spices ... it seems pretty wasteful. I thought about reusing plastic bags I get from the grocery store, but wonder about what else might be in them. Also, can you hold on to the spices in the bag and re-use them, or is Salmonella a problem?

Use a plastic container instead of a bag. Put spices and what not in the container, add chicken. Put lid on and toss. This will reduce the waste of plastic bags.

NO, do not reuse bags that have had raw meat in them. Do not reuse spices that have had raw meat in them.

4) How long will the cooked chicken breasts last in the fridge? They seemed a little slimy after 5 days in a sealed plastic container, which made Lily the Sabre-Toothed Retriever very happy, indeed.

3 or 4 days tops.

5) What are the best sources for more simple, healthy recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts?

The WWW, simply google what you are asking about above. Plus I am certain the kind folks here at DC will offer up some recipes for you!

BTW... welcome to DC.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I

'm overweight, with chronic asthma, and now I've found out I have Congestive Heart Disease/ I have to start eating better.

Hello and Welcome to DC...You will find a lot of good ideas here...Mine is: Talk to your physician about a heart healthy, low sodium diet, and/or contact The American Heart Association.

Enjoy!

 

[SeanCan'tCook]

I

Hello and Welcome to DC...You will find a lot of good ideas here...Mine is: Talk to your physician about a heart healthy, low sodium diet, and/or contact The American Heart Association.

Enjoy!

Thanks, I've already talked to my Dr. He's the one who said I need to quit eating out every meal and learn to cook healthy meals.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Thanks, I've already talked to my Dr. He's the one who said I need to quit eating out every meal and learn to cook healthy meals.

That's great!! Now all you have to do is pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable, and read all of the wonderful recipes etc here at DC...All or most can be adapted in some way to fit your dietary needs!!

Have Fun & Enjoy!!!

 

[PieSusan]

Hello Sean and welcome to DC--you will find the help you need here.

 

[Jeekinz]

Here's a fool-proof way to cook boneless skinless breasts.

Poached Chicken Breasts

Start by making the poaching liquid. I basically make a tomato sauce with extra white wine and water to thin it out. I prefer whole peeled tomatoes rough chopped so I can top the chicken with it. You can really add what you want once all the liquid is simmering, artichokes, asparagus, olives, etc. Once the liquid is at a simmer add the whole boneless, skinless breasts and cover for about 10-15 minutes or until done. Cooking them this way will yeild very tender chicken. Slice the chicken across the grain and place on top of white rice. Top everything off with some of the tomatoes/veggies from the poaching liquid.

 

[PanchoHambre]

Sean, Welcome!

No reason eating healthier cant be tasty and definitely cooking for yourself rather than takeout is a great way to accomplish this. Cooking for yourself you have alot of freedom to experiment and figure out which things you really do and don't like.

I also cook for myself most of the time and try to make food to bring to work for lunch and limit my intake of processed, prepared and fast foods. I try to make things for dinner that will yield easy to package portions for my lunches. I am not by anymeans a health expert but my take is as much fresh ingredients as possible. use whole grains whenever possible and try to include servings of fruits and vegetables as much as possible.

You can do many things with chicken it is very versatile.

If you are looking for "flavor" in addition to seasoning the chicken itself think about the things you may cook with it to add taste and texture. I do not know what your taste preferences are but the cool thing about chicken is that you can use it with almost any flavor combo or cuisine type. Look for interesting ways to make vegetables, rices & pastas to go along with your meat. You can bring alot of flavor onto your plate this way.

I would look at Middle Eastern and Indian seasonings in addition to the traditional french and Italian seasonings as ways to add variety and flavor without dishes becoming unhealthy.

Fresh herbs, lemon, olive oil & garlic are your friends use them liberally.

I am sorry I am not great with recipes as I usually cook on the fly but with chicken breast I like to fillet it down the middle rub with a little olive oil s&p and grill on my cast iron grill pan then it can be used for lots of stuff. Pasta Salads, Rice Pilafs, Tacos-Burritos (which you can totally do healthy and are fast and easy) make sandwiches etc

you could also try braising it in the oven at lower temps in a stock or soup or with vegetables (bone in cuts are usually better for braising though) EDIT.. http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1040/braised-chicken-breasts-in-mirepoix-rago-t.aspx this recipe looks sort of like what I am talking about though I cant vouch for it. Only uses 3tsp of olive oil though and looks pretty tasty.

anyway good luck and welcome I hope you find some helpful info and find cooking to be more enjoyable than takeout in the long run.

 

[GotGarlic]

OK, the screen name says it all. I have set the kitchen on fire with alarming regularity, and nothing I've ever cooked comes out right (except rice, which now works since I started baking it like Alton Brown says on "Good Eats").

I'm overweight, with chronic asthma, and now I've found out I have Congestive Heart Disease/ I have to start eating better. I live alone, don't have a lot of time to invest in meal preparation, and need to learn to make simple, healthy meals that are easy to cook.

Additionally, I hate fish, and stopped eating mammals a year or so ago, so that leaves me with chicken.

I tried this recipe from Quick Fix meals with Robin Miller and tried it:

<snip>

Hi, Sean. You can use those seasonings to make a rub, instead of a breading. Mix together the seasonings, minus the flour, in a small bowl and rub the mixture all over the chicken breasts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then bake or sear in a hot pan and finish in the oven.

I like how Robin Miller makes a big quantity of something like this on a Sunday, then uses the leftovers in different meals throughout the week. With leftover chicken, you can make Thai sesame noodles, different kinds of casseroles (for example, chicken, sauteed onions and peppers, pasta and spaghetti sauce, or a similar mixture with Mexican flavors), etc. Hope this helps.

 

[Glorie]

Take 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Rinse and pat dry. Heat 3-4 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides then remove and set aside. Add 1/2 cup of white wine, 2 garlic cloves (chopped) and a sprig of rosemary (if using dried, 2 tsp) and cook off the alcohol. Reduce heat to simmer, add chicken breasts back in the pan, coat with sauce and fini! You can also add cream and sliced mushrooms if you wish to give it a twist and serve on a bed of steamed spinach - yum!

 

[ChefJune]

Welcome to DC, Sean! We have lots of tips for you. Recipes, too.

Here's a web site you may find useful. My friend Barbara Seelig Brown has been working for years with folks just like you to help you eat better and enjoy it more -- stress-free. Stress-Free Cooking

 

[n2cookin]

If you like mexican flavors you might like this idea. It is easy to make and low calorie because the chicken is baked not fried, and salsa is low calorie.
I coat boneless skinless chicken breasts with taco seasoning like you get in a packet. Then place in a casserole dish and cover with chunky salsa and bake for 45 minutes until done. If you like you can add some 2% fat shredded cheddar cheese on the top, but do so sparingly.

Another thing we did was season breast with dry spices, sprinkling on both sides and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. It will give lots of flavor without using bottle marinade that can contain a lot of sodium. We usually grilled this chicken but you could also bake it with some low sodium chicken broth to help keep it moist.

 

[SeanCan'tCook]

Wow, thanks for all the responses and welcomes! Y'all have given me a lot to work with.

And glorie, I tried a Rosemary Chicken recipe in one of my earlier (failed) attempts. I put those sprigs of Rosmary in, but it ended up tasting like pine trees. Not sure where I went wrong.

 

[Katie H]

Wow, thanks for all the responses and welcomes! Y'all have given me a lot to work with.

And glorie, I tried a Rosemary Chicken recipe in one of my earlier (failed) attempts. I put those sprigs of Rosmary in, but it ended up tasting like pine trees. Not sure where I went wrong.

Sean, you may have used too much rosemary. It's a very strong flavor.

And, BTW, how do pine trees taste? Not making fun of you. I just love to play with words like Buck did.

 

[GotGarlic]

Wow, thanks for all the responses and welcomes! Y'all have given me a lot to work with.

And glorie, I tried a Rosemary Chicken recipe in one of my earlier (failed) attempts. I put those sprigs of Rosmary in, but it ended up tasting like pine trees. Not sure where I went wrong.

Hi, Sean. It sounds like you may have used too much rosemary. It has a strong flavor, so a little goes a long way. Try again but use less next time.

 

[PanchoHambre]

Just was thinking... another one... Ckicken Kabobs or Skewers are another way to use that chicken in an interesting way that you can direct to your own taste.

 

[Grillncook]

First of all welcome and second of all, with your special requirements you will have to to be very careful in the way you proceed. Flavor can be added, but many of the recommendations have failed to allow for something that is very detrimental to your condition, the "S" word or SODIUM. In addition to cutting calories, you'll find that salt or sodium is as hard or harder to cut than calories. All of the pre-packaged spice mixes, marinades, and normal things used to enhance flavor are incredibly high in sodium content. Sodium in your diet leads to many of the problems that you are probably experiencing now, high blood pressure, hypertension, water retention, the list can go on and on. In designing and using a diet plan, there are several meals available that are low calories, so it is easy to eat low calorie/low fat but much harder to eat low sodium, especially if you don't prepare your meals and rely on processed foods. I find that I can design a daily meal plan that stays way under my caloric goals of 1800 calories a day but to lower sodium by any appreciable amount requires much more thought and preparation of basic ingredients.

For chicken breasts, I use a marinade that is mixed to a 2 to 1 ratio. I use lemon or lime juice mixed with Olive oil, 2 parts citrus juice and 1 part oil. I generally don't add anything to it and prefer to add flavor enhancement via rubs or sprinkles. I use Lemon Pepper if I want to have a citrus flavor, but be careful most Lemon Peppers available have added salt. Penzey's Florida Seasoned Pepper has no salt and has the added plus of garlic for the flavor. I also use Penzey's Tuscan Sunset Italian spice blend again because it adds great flavor and it's salt free. You can find out about all of Penzey's spices Penzeys Spices Home Page. They have several salt free blends and their spices are top notch, several people on this board use them.

Regaining your health is a daunting task, and very involved. Your comment about not having the time to devote to it is understandable, but it is counter productive. If you don't spend the time to get your conditions under control, the alternative stinks. My wife and I are obese and facing many of the same problems you are, so I really understand, but I can't think of what will happen if we don't whip our health back into shape. To me it's worth any and every effort to control our diet and fitness.

 

[AllenOK]

Grillncook hit the nail on the head.

As a kid, I was always very sensitive to salt. When I first moved out on my own, and started cooking for myself, I had to force myself to add salt to foods, just to make them taste good.

When I really started to learn how to cook, especially after I went to culinary school, I realized just how much salt goes into all the "convience" foods that we use. Canned products, boxed mixes, etc. I made an effort to learn how to cook from scratch, and only add salt at the very end.

I only buy cream of mushroom soup, spaghetti sauce, and occasionally cream of chicken. Some veggies I like canned (call me a hypocrite, I don't care), but I always buy the sodium-free kind, and salt to my own taste. I very rarely use any kind of boxed mix food, like mac-n-cheese, Rice-a-Roni (I prefer to make my own pilaf), Hamburger Helper (I avoid that like the plague), etc.

I go so far as to make my own stock at home; shrimp, beef, and chicken. I will even make stock at work, usually veggie stock and shrimp stock.

I refuse to BUY commercial seasoning mixes. I make blackened seasoning at home (Chef Prudhomme's recipe), my own Mexican seasoning, my own Herbs de Provence, etc. None of those get salt, as I add salt to taste when I'm done cooking the food.

Then, there's cooking methods. For chicken breasts, pan-searing and grilling are probably the healthiest. I use almost nothing but leg-and-thigh quarters at home, as I prefer dark meat to white. Those usually get grilled, smoked (the nitrates and nitrites involved in smoking might not be healthy for the medical conditions listed), or poached and shredded for soups, stews, etc.

When I was single, I had two of those Foreman grills, and loved them. I could marinate a chicken breast in some oil, lime juice, garlic, and some Mexican seasoning with just a pinch of salt. Preheat the Foreman grill, put the chicken in, lower the lid, cook for 3 minutes, and voila! Fajitas or Quesadillas were very fast to make!

Lately, I've found that chicken, especially white meat, is best if it's brined. I like to infuse my brine with herby flavors, like garlic, thyme, rosemary, pepper, etc. Of course, this does add salt to the chicken. I'm not sure as to how much actual sodium content gets added, but, it does NOT taste salty, so I don't think it's much. Please take that with a grain of salt

 

[Seven S]

Start by "brining" them in a solution of salt/water/spices (you can search here or google) to introduce flavor INTO the meat, not only to the outside surface which is what dry rub seasoning does. As far as quick and easy, nothing is easier than a foreman grill or panini grill.