AC ruining chicken breasts?

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CoOKFRo

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 17, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Tempe
Hi everyone,

Wanted to ask you a question about a problem I've been having recently. Every night I cook two chicken breasts for dinner on my George Forman Grill. The chicken is Kirkland brand individually wrapped boneless skinless breasts which I get from Costco. I usually put two in the fridge each night and let them thaw for 24 hours. I prepare them with this:

2 large (8 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil cooking spray, or 2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon paprika

I preheat the George Forman grill, spray some oil on it, then put the chickens on for 3-6 minutes.

Recently though I've noticed the chicken is coming out soggy. It's hard to explain, it's cooked but the texture doesn't feel right.

I noticed this happens every year when the weather gets warm outside and the AC starts to turn on. I initially thought the problem was the chickens weren't thawed enough so I've been putting them in the microwave to defrost a little and I think this helps a little. But still, the chicken is not satisfactory tasting at all and is still a bit soggy.

Does anyone know why this is happening or what is causing it? As I said, it seems to happen when my AC starts to run.

Not sure what to do, any help is appreciated thanks!
 
...Recently though I've noticed the chicken is coming out soggy. It's hard to explain, it's cooked but the texture doesn't feel right.

I noticed this happens every year when the weather gets warm outside and the AC starts to turn on. I initially thought the problem was the chickens weren't thawed enough so I've been putting them in the microwave to defrost a little and I think this helps a little. But still, the chicken is not satisfactory tasting at all and is still a bit soggy.

Does anyone know why this is happening or what is causing it? As I said, it seems to happen when my AC starts to run.

Not sure what to do, any help is appreciated thanks!

I don't think there's anything wrong with your recipe or process. I also don't think the AC is an issue.

Maybe they're just cooked a little less and they didn't dry out. In theory, juicy chicken is a good thing.
 
I think it may depend on the solution your chicken is processed in. A lot of times, the package might state,"May contain (whatever) solution of broth" or something like that. I've found that has a tendency to make my chicken mushy. Nothing to do with AC.

I haven't bought chicken breasts from Costco, just an observation of other brands.

I'd pat them as dry as you can with paper towels, that might take away some of the moisture, or try a different brand, and see if that works better.
 
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I'm wondering if defrosting them in the microwave is the problem. Although it is convenient, I notice a difference in meat that is defrosted in the microwave rather than naturally. I don't go to Costco, but I think Kirkland is the same brand carried at Aldis. I also notice a different if I do not pat my chicken dry, as Dawglover suggested.

Also, I have never cooked chicken in a G Foreman grill. Does yours have a temperature control? If not, maybe the outside is getting done before the inside.
 
I would get out a saute pan and use that instead of the grill. Maybe try and see if it makes a difference.

I gotta ask. How can you eat chicken breast every night and day?
My wifes says I'm going to turn into a chicken because I eat so much of it. lol
 
I'm wondering if defrosting them in the microwave is the problem. Although it is convenient, I notice a difference in meat that is defrosted in the microwave rather than naturally. I don't go to Costco, but I think Kirkland is the same brand carried at Aldis. I also notice a different if I do not pat my chicken dry, as Dawglover suggested.

Also, I have never cooked chicken in a G Foreman grill. Does yours have a temperature control? If not, maybe the outside is getting done before the inside.

He said that they are worse when he doesn't give them a little shot in the microwave.
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with your recipe or process. I also don't think the AC is an issue.

Maybe they're just cooked a little less and they didn't dry out. In theory, juicy chicken is a good thing.

If you tasted them I think you'd agree something was up.
 
I think it may depend on the solution your chicken is processed in. A lot of times, the package might state,"May contain (whatever) solution of broth" or something like that. I've found that has a tendency to make my chicken mushy. Nothing to do with AC.

I haven't bought chicken breasts from Costco, just an observation of other brands.

I'd pat them as dry as you can with paper towels, that might take away some of the moisture, or try a different brand, and see if that works better.

You;'re right they are enhanced with up to 8% solution of kosher salt and water. Believe though in the past I have tried different brands and still get the same result at this time of year. It's so strange.
 
I would get out a saute pan and use that instead of the grill. Maybe try and see if it makes a difference.

I gotta ask. How can you eat chicken breast every night and day?
My wifes says I'm going to turn into a chicken because I eat so much of it. lol

I kind of force myself to because I'm trying to eat healthier. I probably am part chicken by now too :glare:
 
He said that they are worse when he doesn't give them a little shot in the microwave.

Yeah I mean I still defrost in the fridge but it seems when I pull them out they might be a tiny bit frozen so I do a little in the microwave. But I agree, I usually avoid defrosting in the microwave because I don't like the effect it has.
 
I forgot to mention in my original post, I pound the chicken out pretty good with a meat tenderizer to make it thinner and even it out. And I trim off some of the pounded trimmings also. Could this be doing anything?
 
I would get out a saute pan and use that instead of the grill. Maybe try and see if it makes a difference.


I agree.

GF's have a tendency to steam food. So I'd cook the chicken another way to rule out the "grill" as the culprit here.

I'd also suggest experimenting with better quality chicken, like Bell and Evans.
 
I agree.

GF's have a tendency to steam food. So I'd cook the chicken another way to rule out the "grill" as the culprit here.

I'd also suggest experimenting with better quality chicken, like Bell and Evans.

Could it be also that with pounding them out so thin that the GF grill closes tight and the moisture has no way to escape from the grill. Like Jennyma stated, My daughter also found that hers tended to steam rather than grill. She donated it to Goodwill. Try broiling if you are going for healthier eating. :angel:
 
I agree.

GF's have a tendency to steam food. So I'd cook the chicken another way to rule out the "grill" as the culprit here.

I'd also suggest experimenting with better quality chicken, like Bell and Evans.

Well, since I've never heard of that brand here in Colorado, I would guess that he probably doesn't have it in Arizona either. How or why is it better quality?

Many brands of chicken seem to be fairly localized in my experience. The most common one we have here is Tyson. Most grocery stores also have their own label too. In many cases that chicken is just supplied by local growers.
 
Well, since I've never heard of that brand here in Colorado, I would guess that he probably doesn't have it in Arizona either. How or why is it better quality?

Many brands of chicken seem to be fairly localized in my experience. The most common one we have here is Tyson. Most grocery stores also have their own label too. In many cases that chicken is just supplied by local growers.


Bell and Evans is sold all over. Its just a better quality bird than factory farmed chicken from Perdue or Tyson or Costco.

http://www.bellandevans.com/fresh

The OP can buy it in his home town. You might not be able to.

We had a scarily bad Perdue chicken which I grilled outside a few years ago. The taste and texture was so offputting we threw it away without eating more than a few bites. I only buy better chicken now.

Empire Kosher is another brand.
 
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Hi everyone,

Wanted to ask you a question about a problem I've been having recently. Every night I cook two chicken breasts for dinner on my George Forman Grill. The chicken is Kirkland brand individually wrapped boneless skinless breasts which I get from Costco. I usually put two in the fridge each night and let them thaw for 24 hours. I prepare them with this:

2 large (8 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil cooking spray, or 2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon paprika

I preheat the George Forman grill, spray some oil on it, then put the chickens on for 3-6 minutes.

Recently though I've noticed the chicken is coming out soggy. It's hard to explain, it's cooked but the texture doesn't feel right.

I noticed this happens every year when the weather gets warm outside and the AC starts to turn on. I initially thought the problem was the chickens weren't thawed enough so I've been putting them in the microwave to defrost a little and I think this helps a little. But still, the chicken is not satisfactory tasting at all and is still a bit soggy.

Does anyone know why this is happening or what is causing it? As I said, it seems to happen when my AC starts to run.

Not sure what to do, any help is appreciated thanks!
Not sure if this is relevant but when I cook on the George F, I oil the food rather than the grill plates. Don't know if it would make a differentc.

I wonder if the chicken processors are doing something different in their processing, either intentionally or on purpose? Chicken is often injected with water or saline solution. Is it possible that the manufacturers have over-done the fluid with this batch?

Could you buy a couple of Chick breasts from another manufacturer to try as a experiment. to see if there's any difference? It would tell you if you are doing anything wrong and if it cooks properly it must be something about the other chicken that is causing the problem.
 
The weirdest part is thatCOOKFRo said this does not happen when the AC isn't on. Maybe you could turn the AC off while you cook?
 
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You;'re right they are enhanced with up to 8% solution of kosher salt and water. Believe though in the past I have tried different brands and still get the same result at this time of year. It's so strange.
"Enhanced"? They are "enhanced", not to give you better flavour/texture or whatever but to give the producer extra profit by making them weigh more.

Sorry, I have a bee in my bonnet about this. It has been rife in supermarket "value" ranges (and sometimes their more expensive ranges of chicken) and something of a scandal over here.
 
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I usually use a stove-top grill pan to cook my chicken, but I do notice it doesn't turn out as good if I forget to pat it dry. The only thing I cook in the G Foreman grill is hamburgers.
 
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