Who doesn’t like chicken? If you are one who does, isn't it a disappointment when you take a bite and the pieces of chicken is dry, hard, leathery and has no has flavor. It may look good but it sure doesn’t taste good.
Well, here are a few tricks to making good chicken.
Odds are you need to TURN DOWN THE HEAT!!! When you cook chicken too high and too fast, regardless of the method, your chicken will be dry every time. What is happening is, while the protein in the chicken heats up it begins to squeeze the water out of the meat. You have to control the heat. You want to cook around 150 degrees. Higher than that you are going to have dry chicken. Know when to have the pan hot and when to turn it down. If you are cooking your chicken on a stove top, the best method is to sear the chicken on both sides at a high temperature. Turn down the heat and let the meat cook through slowly. Turning your meat often with ensure it cooks evenly and all the way through. You have to take your time. But DON'T cook it too long. If you do your meat will dry out.
Have you ever put your chicken in a crock-pot and wonder why it comes out dry even if there is liquid in the crock? It is because you are cooking it to high. Start with it on high to get it rolling but then turn it down to low. You will have moist and juicy every time.
It helps to salt your chicken ahead of time and let it sit. The salt breaks down the structure of the protein and reduces shrinkage. Also cook your chicken when it is at room temperature.
Remember the length of time in a recipe is a guideline and not an exact time. Each piece of chicken is different and so is each oven, stove, grill and crock-pot.
This method it true about all meats. Seriously, cooking the "you know what" out of the meat at a high temperature is a recipe for disaster.
Here is what you need
4 chicken breast
1 bunch asparagus
Havarti Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
1/2 cup Pepperdoux
Pepper to taste.
Here is what you do:
• Pound chicken breast out until they are even. This will help with evenly cooking them.
• Butterfly the chicken breast to make a pocket. Pepper the inside of the pocket. Odds are you do not need salt if you salted it ahead of time. You be the judge. If you think it needs salt then add a little bit.
• Let the chicken breast come to room temperature.
• Clean the asparagus and place in a shallow dish with water. Steam in the microwave for about 4 minutes. This method can be done on the stove top. Careful not to overcook. You still want them a bit crunchy. The asparagus will cook more when you cook it with the chicken breast.
• Dice the pepperdoux into bite size pieces.
• Slice your cheese into pieces and place in the pocket of the chicken breast.
• On top the cheese place a row of asparagus. As many that will fit across.
• Next add some pepperdoux.
• Fold over the top part of the chicken and secure with a few toothpicks.
• In a skillet, heat olive oil. Once oil is hot place the chicken breast in the skillet. This is the part you want your pan to be hot so you get a nice sear on your meat.
• Turn chicken breast over and sear the other side.
• Once both sides are seared, turn down the heat. Cook chicken breast on both sides for about 2 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let chicken sit for a few minutes.
This recipe is great because you can stuff it with anything. Swiss cheese and mushrooms would be great. A variety of peppers with a nice mozzarella. The combinations are endless.
Remember cook time will vary based on how thick the chicken breast are and how your stove cooks. However your chicken will turn out perfect every time. Just take your time when cooking chicken regardless of the method.
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