Inventive chicken breast recipes are a home cook’s best friend. While chicken breasts are an excellent kitchen staple—relatively inexpensive, easy-to-cook, protein-rich, and versatile—the truth is they can also get real boring, real quick if you’re not careful. And the antidote to the chicken breast blahs, friends, is to skip the plain preparations and keep a whole bunch of exciting chicken dinner ideas at the ready.
Though chicken breasts have a tendency to dry out quickly because of how little fat they contain, recipes that rely on tasty elements and some simple but key cooking tips can easily help remedy that issue. In fact, there are plenty of ingredients and techniques that will make your chicken breasts just as plump and juicy as any dark meat you’ve ever had.
For one, many chefs and bloggers make this lean meat more tender (and flavorful) by relying on luscious, fat-filled ingredients like olive oil, butter, and cream. Other cooks swear by briefly marinating chicken breasts with salt, sugar, and/or acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice to help break down the muscle fibers, as well as create a nice caramelized exterior. (Just keep your marinating time to less than a day to avoid over-tenderizing the meat and creating an icky texture, Bon Appétit explains—as little as 15 minutes may be enough.)
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Another top tip among moist chicken breast lovers? Using a thermometer to gauge the internal temperature of your meat. It’s the most foolproof way to ensure your chicken breasts are cooked to a safe internal temperature without crossing over into dried-out, over-baked chicken territory. (And much more reliable than frantically googling “How long to cook chicken in oven” and hoping for the best.) Your meat will be OK to eat—yet not overdone—when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
How long to bake chicken breast dishes depends on the exact recipe, of course—as well as the size of the breasts and the temperature of your oven. In general, both higher temperatures and smaller cuts produce faster results, while larger cuts and lower temps take more time. (And if you’re planning on cooking frozen chicken breasts, you also have to factor in the amount of time it will take to safely thaw chicken first.) Regardless, 165 degrees is your goal post.
Now, about that recipe inspiration. We’ve parsed through the internet’s infinite poultry catalog to bring you 60 of the most delicious and easy chicken breast recipes, from spicy stir-fry recipes to stuffed chicken breasts. Many of them combine the meat with other yummy, nutrient-rich ingredients, like whole grains and vegetables. And the ones that keep focus on chicken can easily be paired with your favorite side dishes for a complete dinner. Chicken breast fatigue, no more!
Source: SELF
