SeanCan'tCook
Cook
So I've been trying to figure out an easy, tasty boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe to use as a 2-3 times a week staple for over a decade. I've tried grilling, poaching, steaming in a rice cooker, pan frying and baking. None have been satisfying.
Recently I started experimenting with baking and spice mixes/rubs. They were better than many other things I'd tried, but still not what I've been hoping for.
I had some burgers over at a friend's house recently that were really good. He said all he did was season them with McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning.
I decided to try it on the chicken breasts.
I wanted to try 2 teaspoons of seasoning per chicken breast. I got 2 bowls, one for the top side and one for the bottom side. My plan was to measure out half the Montreal Steak Seasoning for the top and half for the bottom. I didn't realize it until later, but I forgot to split it. I put 2 teaspoons for each chicken breast in each bowl; twice as much as I'd planned.
I sprayed some butter-flavored Pam in a Pyrex baking dish, put some EVOO in a bowl and thoroughly tossed each chicken breast in it, placing them top-side-up in the baking dish. Then I took a spoon and one of the bowls of Montreal Steak Seasoning and spread the spice mix as equally as I could over the chicken breasts, then used the spoon to rub it around on them. Next I flipped them over, took the other bowl of Montreal Steak Seasoning and repeated the process.
I put them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes, then took them out to check the temps. It was obvious they weren't anywhere near done, so I flipped them over and put them back in for another 15 minutes.
After I took them out that time the thinnest breast was done. The rest were in the 140s, so I put them back in for 10 minutes. That did it, all were between 160 and 165 degrees. I let them rest for 10 minutes, then tried one out.
It was amazingly tender and juicy. In fact, there was a ton of juice in the baking dish. I dipped a spoon in it and tried it. It was delicious! I split the juice and bits among the containers I was storing the rest of the chicken breasts in, saving a little for the one I was eating.
It was really good, but overpowering. I realized I'd put double the amount of McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning on it that I'd intended to. I scraped some off and it was better.
Even as over-seasoned as it was, I realized I was on to something. I made it again last night, this time cutting the spice mix from 2 teaspoons per side to 1 1/2. It was much better, but still a little too much. I'm going to cut it to 1 teaspoon per side for the next time.
I'm also going to get a battery-operated spice grinder and set it on ultrafine so I can get a more even spread of the spice mix on the chicken breasts.
Oh, and the JUICES! When I was a kid, my mother would occasionally broil steaks. After they were done, she would take bread and dip it in the drippings in the broiler pan until it was saturated.
That bread was better than the steaks! The concentrated flavor hit you like a punch in the face. I dipped some bread in that chicken juice and it was very similar. Awesome flavor!
I saw where McCormick's has Montreal Chicken Seasoning. I'm gonna try it out after I've perfected this recipe, but I find it hard to imagine it being any better!
Are there any other spice mixes to try?
Recently I started experimenting with baking and spice mixes/rubs. They were better than many other things I'd tried, but still not what I've been hoping for.
I had some burgers over at a friend's house recently that were really good. He said all he did was season them with McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning.
I decided to try it on the chicken breasts.
I wanted to try 2 teaspoons of seasoning per chicken breast. I got 2 bowls, one for the top side and one for the bottom side. My plan was to measure out half the Montreal Steak Seasoning for the top and half for the bottom. I didn't realize it until later, but I forgot to split it. I put 2 teaspoons for each chicken breast in each bowl; twice as much as I'd planned.
I sprayed some butter-flavored Pam in a Pyrex baking dish, put some EVOO in a bowl and thoroughly tossed each chicken breast in it, placing them top-side-up in the baking dish. Then I took a spoon and one of the bowls of Montreal Steak Seasoning and spread the spice mix as equally as I could over the chicken breasts, then used the spoon to rub it around on them. Next I flipped them over, took the other bowl of Montreal Steak Seasoning and repeated the process.
I put them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes, then took them out to check the temps. It was obvious they weren't anywhere near done, so I flipped them over and put them back in for another 15 minutes.
After I took them out that time the thinnest breast was done. The rest were in the 140s, so I put them back in for 10 minutes. That did it, all were between 160 and 165 degrees. I let them rest for 10 minutes, then tried one out.
It was amazingly tender and juicy. In fact, there was a ton of juice in the baking dish. I dipped a spoon in it and tried it. It was delicious! I split the juice and bits among the containers I was storing the rest of the chicken breasts in, saving a little for the one I was eating.
It was really good, but overpowering. I realized I'd put double the amount of McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning on it that I'd intended to. I scraped some off and it was better.
Even as over-seasoned as it was, I realized I was on to something. I made it again last night, this time cutting the spice mix from 2 teaspoons per side to 1 1/2. It was much better, but still a little too much. I'm going to cut it to 1 teaspoon per side for the next time.
I'm also going to get a battery-operated spice grinder and set it on ultrafine so I can get a more even spread of the spice mix on the chicken breasts.
Oh, and the JUICES! When I was a kid, my mother would occasionally broil steaks. After they were done, she would take bread and dip it in the drippings in the broiler pan until it was saturated.
That bread was better than the steaks! The concentrated flavor hit you like a punch in the face. I dipped some bread in that chicken juice and it was very similar. Awesome flavor!
I saw where McCormick's has Montreal Chicken Seasoning. I'm gonna try it out after I've perfected this recipe, but I find it hard to imagine it being any better!
Are there any other spice mixes to try?