How to cook chicken breast so that it is soft and juicy in a saucepan, slow cooker, microwave

How to choose chicken breast?

The quality of boiled breast directly depends on the characteristics of the product selected in its raw form. It is recommended to purchase the product refrigerated, as it has a longer shelf life than fresh breast and retains all its beneficial properties (unlike frozen breast). Below are the main characteristics that you should pay attention to when purchasing.

Frozen breast has a shelf life of about 6 months when stored at a temperature no higher than -4 °C.

The benefits of chicken meat

The product contains many minerals, amino acids, high-quality vitamins A, E, B1, B2, B4, B6, B12, which is the basis for the prevention of many diseases.

Chicken fillet is one of the important products for a healthy diet and maintaining normal metabolism in the human body. The high content of nutrients contributes to:

• 
  strengthening bones;

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• loss of excess weight;
• normalization of blood circulation;
• improving mood (an amino acid called tryptophan is responsible for this);
• improved vision (large amounts of beta-carotene);
• strengthening the nervous system;
• restoration of strength;
• increasing physical activity;
• accelerating tissue healing from wounds and burns;
• improving the appearance of skin and hair.

Chicken meat contains the vitamin niacin, which prevents the formation of cancer cells, and magnesium helps fight fatigue syndrome. In terms of the amount of potassium, chicken is the richest type of meat.

Energy value of chicken fillet

White meat is a dietary product rich in phosphorus, selenium, copper, calcium, while it contains little fat. Due to its low calorie content, chicken meat is very popular in many diets.

The energy value of raw chicken product is 113 kcal per 100 g:

• proteins - 94 kcal;
• fats - 7 kcal;
• carbohydrates - 2 kcal.

The largest source of energy is proteins, while there are practically no carbohydrates in the composition, and this is extremely important for achieving good results with dietary nutrition. To be friendly with calories and not clog your liver with harmful fats, we recommend harmless white meat with a high content of easily digestible carbohydrates and vitamins.

How to prepare chicken breast for cooking

Chicken breast must be cooked in a defrosted state. If the product is purchased chilled, it should remain warm for about 2 hours. If you purchased a frozen product, it is initially recommended to defrost it for about 8-10 hours in the refrigerator, then about 2-3 hours at room temperature.

Before you cook frozen chicken breast, you need to defrost it.

If the meat is not completely defrosted, it will cook unevenly. As a result, some of the meat may remain half-raw, and some may be overcooked.

Do I need to wash meat before cooking?

Chicken breast should not be washed before cooking. In high-quality meat, bacteria can be located mainly on the surface; heat treatment at a temperature of 80 degrees is sufficient to kill them. That is, during the cooking process all pathogenic microorganisms die. In this case, it is recommended to drain the first broth (that is, as soon as the water starts to boil, it should be drained and the chicken should be cooked in fresh water).

If you wash the meat, this will contribute to the spread of pathogenic microflora deep into the meat. Bacteria also spread with drops of water around the kitchen (drops can get into other food products) and remain in the sink, and from the sink bacteria get onto the dishes and then into the digestive tract. The only way to destroy pathogenic microflora in the sink or on dishes is with boiling water. Detergents are able to eliminate only a small part of bacteria.

Whole or pieces?

Before cooking, it is recommended to cut the breast into medium-sized pieces; as a result, the cooking time is reduced, which means that more nutrients are retained in the meat. Also, meat cut into pieces is more convenient to catch from the pan for further cooking.

Suitable cooking containers

It is customary to cook chicken breast in a suitable sized pan. When choosing the volume of the container, you should take into account that during the cooking process, the protein contained in the fillet partially passes into the broth and forms a white foam, which, if the volume of the pan is small, can boil out onto the stove.

You can also boil the breast in a multicooker bowl, in a pressure cooker or in a double boiler. When using a microwave, you will need a glass deep dish.

Do you need salt and spices?

Salt and spices are essential ingredients when boiling chicken breast. It should be borne in mind that salt draws moisture from the meat, so it should be added to the broth approximately 10 minutes before the meat is ready. If you add salt at the beginning of cooking, the fillet will turn out a little dry.

Spices should be used sparingly. Spices in large quantities will interrupt the aroma and taste of meat. For spices, it is recommended to put a whole small onion in the water (you can even have it in the husk, then the broth will acquire a pleasant orange tint), a small peeled carrot (also in its whole form) and a bay leaf. Sometimes 1-3 black peppercorns are added. It is not recommended to use other spices.

Cooking options

There are simply a huge number of recipes with chicken breast. It can be fried in the form of steaks, stewed with vegetables, made into cutlets and vegetables, added to pilaf and used in gravies - the list goes on and on.

But not all recipes are suitable for weight loss.

Regular readers of our site know that I recommend chicken breast as the main source of protein in the first weeks of losing weight. But, just boiled. This is important because boiled chicken breast is a hypoallergenic product. If we add spices, oil, fry or bake it, then these properties may be lost.

Later, when weight loss stabilizes, we begin to add other chicken meat options, observing weight dynamics. If one is not suitable and causes weight loss to stop, then we cross it off our menu forever.

Boiled chicken meat should prevail in our menu. And believe me, there are also a lot of recipes with it.

As I said at the beginning, not everyone knows how to cook chicken breast correctly, and today I will share with you two of the best ways.

How long should you cook chicken breast with and without bone?

It is advisable to cook the chicken breast on the bone if the broth is then used to make soup. To add more fat and richness to the broth, you can leave the skin on the meat. If you just want to boil the fillet, you can cut it off the bone and cut it into medium-sized pieces. Depending on the purpose of further use of meat and broth, the breast must be cooked according to the following time limits.

You can check the readiness of the meat by removing it from the broth and cutting it with a knife (the meat should turn white, and without the presence of pink juice). If the meat is undercooked, then there is a high probability of pathogenic microflora surviving (in the fillet), and if the meat is overcooked, it will become tough.

It is important that during cooking the broth should not be allowed to boil strongly, as the water will quickly evaporate, and adding cold water will worsen the quality of the boiled fillet. The breast of “old” chicken, as well as from “country” poultry, takes longer to cook.

How long to cook chicken breast until done

The cooking time is determined by the cooking method and the size of the cubes.
Expect to spend 10-30 minutes. To check if the meat is done, regularly open the pan and pierce the chicken with the blade of a knife. If the knife sinks easily into the meat, it is ready. An indirect sign will be the release of clear juice. If in doubt, cut the breast with a knife. The finished meat is evenly colored - both outside and inside.

How to cook chicken breast on the stove?

On the stove, the chicken breast should be cooked in a saucepan of suitable size.

To obtain juicy meat and rich broth, it is recommended to use the following composition of products:

• chicken breast (on the bone or without, you can choose as desired) – 200 g;
• water, preferably filtered – 2 liters;
• salt, you can use table and sea salt – 10-12 g;
• a small piece of washed carrots – 60 g;
• small peeled onion (or half an onion) – 20 g;
• laurel leaf – 1 pc.;
• black pepper in the form of peas – 2-3 pcs.

Additionally, you can include 20 g of celery stalks in the recipe.

After preparing the components, the cooking process should be carried out according to the following steps:

1. You need to put the breast in the pan and fill it with cold water (from the tap). Moreover, the water should completely cover the meat.
2. Place the pan on the stove over moderate heat.
3. When the water begins to boil, active boiling is not required; the breast should be removed from the pan and the water should be poured out.
4. Rinse the pan and put the breast in it again, pour filtered water over the meat.
5. Place the pan back on medium heat.
6. When the water begins to boil, the heating power of the burner should be reduced. Next, the broth should simmer slightly. During the boiling process, you should constantly remove the foam, otherwise the broth will turn out cloudy.

7. After reducing the heat of the burner, you need to put the onion, carrots and celery (if celery is available) into the pan.
8. After boiling the broth again, you need to put the peppercorns and bay leaf into the pan. The boiling time for the breast must be determined by the type of meat used (with or without bones, whole or sliced).
9. Approximately 7-10 minutes before the breast is ready, add salt to the water.

The meat will be more juicy if you keep it in the broth for about 20 minutes after it is cooked. Onions, carrots and other ingredients should be removed from the pan immediately after cooking the meat. They need to be thrown away as they are no longer used.

How to cook correctly: fillet, with skin, on the bone?

If you follow a number of rules, cooking breast meat is very simple. First of all, you need to correctly approach the issue of choosing chicken in the store. There are several options:

• fillet;
• with skin;
• on the bone.

The most convenient option is considered to be ready-made chicken fillet, which is sold without skin and bone. When choosing chicken breast, you should pay attention to the appearance of the chicken and its storage conditions. Chicken and its components are stored in the refrigerator, chilled or frozen.

You should be wary of frozen chicken because the chicken may not be fresh when defrosted. The best option would be to purchase chilled chicken.

A good product will have no bruising and the entire surface of the chicken will be a uniform pale pink color. If you buy meat on the bone, then broken bones or bruises on the surface are not allowed.

You should also pay attention to the veins; they should be either white or pink. It is not allowed for the chicken to be slippery or have an unpleasant odor - this means that the product has already spoiled.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the sizes. If the chicken was fed growth hormones and injected with a lot of antibiotics, then the breast will be unnaturally large.

Since many chickens (broilers) are now injected with antibiotics and hormones, you should definitely study the chicken before purchasing, since these substances tend to accumulate in the human body, having a negative effect on the kidneys and liver.

Chicken meat may contain parts of bacteria, so preliminary heat treatment of meat is required. Breast is much healthier than other parts of chicken due to its low fat content and high protein content.

Boiled chicken breast is found as a staple in a large number of diets; doctors recommend consuming it for patients with high blood cholesterol levels.

How to cook chicken breast in a slow cooker?

You can cook chicken breast in a slow cooker. When using this device, the fillet retains more nutrients and is obtained with a pronounced meat aroma.

To boil a breast weighing about 200 g you will need:

• purified water in the amount of 1.2 l;
• fine salt – 5-8 g;
• small onion – 1 pc.;
• a piece of washed carrots – 40 g;
• peppercorns (black) – 1-2 pcs.

You can also add a bay leaf to the broth.

Next, the cooking process must be carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The breast must be placed in the container of the device and filled with purified water.

2. Add an onion to the water (you don’t need to peel it) and a piece of carrot. Turn on the device in stewing mode for about 30 minutes (depending on the form in which the breast is cooked: whole or in parts).
3. When the broth boils, you need to add pepper and bay. Cook with the device closed.
4. Approximately 7-10 minutes before the timer signal, you need to add salt.

After cooking, it is advisable to leave the breast in the appliance for about 15 minutes. It is advisable to open the lid of the multicooker.

Tips for the best cooking

To prepare juicy breast, you must first boil water and then add the product to the water. After the water boils again, you can turn off the stove, cover the pan with a lid and leave to brew for 20-30 minutes. During the cooking process, it is recommended to use salt and pepper as the main spices.

There are also a number of ready-made solutions in the store (baking bags with a set of spices), using which you can get very juicy chicken. You can pre-prepare a marinade from sour cream and spices, which will prevent the chicken from drying out during cooking in a baking bag.

Chicken breast goes well with any of the side dishes. Boiled or raw vegetables will perfectly complement the dish for those who do not like high-calorie dishes. You can also use fillet for salads - in this case, no side dish is required. Boiled breast goes especially well with mashed potatoes or potatoes.

Among the main meat dishes, chicken breast and other chicken dishes stand out due to a number of advantages - the low cost of chicken compared to beef or lamb, low calorie content, and many dish options.

Chicken breast is used for preparing light salads, and for preparing soups or independent poultry dishes. Fillet goes well with a number of seasonings; its preparation does not require complex culinary skills or expensive accompanying products.

How to cook chicken breast in a double boiler?

In a steamer, the breast is cooked through the action of steam. This method of boiling is considered the most useful, since all the nutrients are retained in the meat (when boiled in a saucepan or slow cooker, some of the substances go into the broth). To cook in this device, the breast should initially be rubbed with salt and a set of chicken spices. In order for the fillet to cook faster, it is recommended to wrap it in food foil before placing it in the device. Next, you need to prepare the apparatus and put the breast in it in foil.

When steaming a whole breast on the bone, the cooking time is approximately 35-40 minutes. It is recommended to leave the finished breast in foil for about 20 minutes. If the meat was “cooked” without foil, then the breast should be left in the appliance for this period of time.

Nutritional value and benefits of boiled chicken breast

Compared to beef or lamb, chicken is a low-calorie, dietary product that is ideal for consumption by athletes, those losing weight, people with various diseases, and simply to improve the immune system.

The calorie content of the cooked product is 137 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Chicken meat contains a low amount of fat and is rich in vitamins such as A, B9, B12, C, E, PP, and also contains all the necessary micro- and macroelements (iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc.).

Boiled chicken breast is a universal product that can be added to salad, soup, or eaten separately.

How to cook chicken breast in the microwave?

You can cook chicken breast in the microwave, and the meat has the same taste and composition as steamed meat. It is important that you should use microwave oven-safe containers for boiling.

To cook breasts weighing approximately 200 g, use:

• fine salt – 5-7 g;
• filtered water – the amount of water needs to be adjusted individually.

If you replace the water with low-fat cow's milk, the breast will be more tender. To cook, you need to place the meat (it is recommended to divide it into 2 parts in advance) in a container, add water and salt.

Place the container in the microwave and set the time for 15 minutes. After the signal, you need to check the meat for doneness. If it is not ready yet, then the device needs to be turned on for approximately 3-5 minutes.

Rules for choosing fresh poultry

Many people are interested in how to choose the right quality product. To do this, you need to follow some recommendations.

The basic rule is that you need to buy chicken in specially designated places: stores and meat departments of the market.

When buying fresh chicken, pay attention to:

1. On the surface of the chicken skin - it should be tender, thin and creamy or white in color with a pinkish tint. It should not be wet, sticky or gray.
2. On the elasticity and density of muscles - when pressing on a fresh carcass, the hole is leveled out immediately, but on an old carcass it remains
3. The smell of fresh meat should not be damp, sour or rotten, which can be most pronounced in the chest area.
4. For fat - in fresh poultry it has a light yellow color, in not fresh poultry it may have a grayish tint.
5. When purchasing packaged chicken, you should pay attention to the transparency of the packaging - it should be possible to see the appearance of the product, as well as the expiration date indicated on the packaging. Fresh carcass is stored for 5 days in the refrigerator.

Preparing chicken breast for cooking

To cook chicken fillet juicy, soft and flavorful, you need to prepare it correctly.

The meat is defrosted at room temperature. It is not recommended to defrost at an accelerated pace in a microwave oven or in hot water, as the taste and beneficial properties are lost.

The best option is to remove the poultry from the freezer overnight and place it in the refrigerator on a shelf.

Wash fresh or defrosted meat thoroughly with warm, non-hot water before cooking. It is not recommended to wash with dishwashing detergents

How to cook chicken breast in a pressure cooker

In a pressure cooker, even the breast of an old or country chicken will turn out soft.

When cooking meat on the bone you will need:

• breast (prepared) – 200 g;
• filtered water – 1.2-1.5 l (it is recommended to adjust according to the capacity of the device);
• table salt – 5-8 g;
• small peeled onion – 1 pc.;
• a piece of washed carrots – 50 g;
• laurel leaf – 1 pc.;
• black peppercorns – 2 pcs.

To make the meat softer, it is recommended to rub it with mustard powder and keep it like that for about 8 hours. Before boiling, the meat should be rinsed in water.

Next, the cooking process is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Place the breast in a pressure cooker, fill it with water, add the onion and a piece of carrot.
2. Turn on the device. While the water boils and foam forms, cover the device with a regular lid. Since the forming foam can clog the steam valve in the lid of the device.
3. When the foam stops forming, add the remaining ingredients to the broth and close the device with its “original” lid. Boiling time is about 30 minutes.

After the breast is ready, you should wait until all the steam has come out, otherwise there is a high probability of “scalding” your hands with the steam.

How to cook juicy fillet for salads?

When using breast meat to prepare a salad, the ingredient must be not only juicy, but also aromatic.

To achieve these characteristics for boiling the breast, you should prepare:

• breast from a young chicken. It should be cut into approximately 6 parts - 1 piece;
• salt. It is advisable to use sea water – 15-18 g;
• filtered water – 500 ml;
• peppercorns (black) – 5-6 pcs.;
• laurel leaf – 1 pc.;
• washed small carrots - 1 pc.;
• peeled parsley root – 15 g;
• quality white wine – 100 ml.

If desired, you can add a small peeled onion to the broth.

Further manipulations should be performed according to the algorithm:

1. Initially, you should pour filtered water into the pan, add carrots (as a whole), parsley root and onions (if the ingredient is used).
2. Place the pan over moderate heat.
3. When the vegetable broth boils, add pieces of breast, peppercorns and bay leaves into it. You should also add wine and salt.
4. Cook the breast for about 15-20 minutes at low boil.

The finished breast should cool completely in the broth, then it will be more juicy and better saturated with the aroma of the vegetables and spices used.

If you choose to boil the breast without slicing, then it should be cooked on the bone and with the skin on for approximately 30 minutes. The skin retains the meat juices inside.

Curious facts

• To make the breast cook faster, it is recommended to divide the product into several parts. Meat cut into pieces loses juice, so it turns out a little tough. An additional way to speed up the cooking time is to use a small saucepan. The water will boil much faster. The main thing is to make sure that the meat is completely covered with water.
• Chicken breast contains a lot of protein and is good for bodybuilders. The abundance of protein promotes rapid muscle growth. To ensure that the meat always turns out tasty, it must first be marinated before cooking. The cooled product is left in the marinade with lemon and tomatoes. And during cooking, add vegetables.
• To make breasts for soup, you need to salt the water at the very beginning. If the breast is cooked for salad, add salt 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Otherwise the meat will turn out dry.
• For a harmonious taste, the meat is cooked in vegetable broth. Cooks advise adding allspice peas and laurel leaves. The meat will smell nicer if you add a stalk of celery to the pan.
• The nutritional value of the finished product is 150 kcal. If the breast is skinned, the calorie content will be 120 kcal.
• Meat goes well with any side dish.
• Chicken breast is often used for first courses. If you do not remove the skin before cooking, you will end up with a fatty broth.
• The average cost of a chilled product is 250 rubles per 1 kilogram (in 2016).
• If you plan to add the breast to a cold dish, the meat should cool in the broth. Otherwise it will dry out quickly.
• When purchasing a refrigerated product, look at the manufacturing date. The breast is stored for up to 5 days. The healthiest breasts are medium-sized (up to 350 g). If the weight exceeds 450 g, most likely the chicken was given chemical additives at the poultry farm.
• You can check the quality of meat with your hands. Press the surface of the breast with your finger. If a trace remains, it means the meat has been defrosted. Consider the color of the product. Choose breasts without bluish spots. The surface should be pale pink.

The easiest chicken breast soup recipe

The most common recipe is chicken breast soup with noodles.

It stands out for its ease of preparation and budget-friendly ingredients.

What ingredients will you need?

The composition of noodle soup with chicken breast includes:

• young chicken breast on the bone. Moreover, if you leave the skin on the meat, the soup will be richer and richer in calories - 1 pc.;
• medium-sized peeled potato tubers – 3 pcs.;
• turnip onion - you will need 1 medium-sized onion and one small one;
• medium-sized carrots, washed – 1 pc.;
• vermicelli (you can use web) – 100 g.
• fine salt – 14-18 g;
• filtered water – 2 l;
• laurel leaf – 2 pcs.;
• odorless vegetable oil – 30 ml;
• black peppercorns – 2 pcs.

You can add chopped onions to the finished soup.

Step-by-step cooking process

The technological part of the recipe consists of the following steps:

1. First, pour regular tap water into the pan and place the breast in it.
2. Place the pan on moderate heat.
3. When the water begins to boil, the breast should be caught and placed in a dish, and the water should be drained and the pan should be washed.
4. Fill a pan with filtered water and add the breast, a small onion and 1/3 of the carrots.
5. Place the pan back on medium heat. While the water is boiling, the foam that forms should be removed, otherwise the broth will become cloudy.
6. When the broth boils, you need to reduce the heat on the stove so that the water “gurgles” slightly.
7. Place bay leaf and peppercorns into the broth. Boil the breast until done. That is about 30 minutes. Approximately 7 minutes before readiness, the broth should be salted.
8. While the breast is boiling, it is advisable to grate the carrots and chop the remaining onion.
9. You also need to cut the potatoes into small cubes. Place the slices in cold water to prevent the potatoes from browning.

10. After the breast is ready, the meat should be removed from the broth, and the broth itself should be strained into a clean saucepan of suitable volume.
11. Leave the meat to cool slightly. During this period, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions and carrots in it until lightly browned.
12. Next, using a knife and fork, the meat should be separated from the bone and cut into cubes.
13. Place the pan on the stove over moderate heat and wait for the broth to boil.
14. Place potatoes into boiling broth. Cook for about 5 minutes.

15. Next, add the roast to the soup and cook for about another 5 minutes.
16. After 5 minutes, you need to check the potatoes for doneness (they should be almost ready).
17. If the potatoes are almost ready, then add vermicelli and meat to the pan. Check the broth for salinity and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. It is important that the vermicelli should be slightly undercooked, otherwise it will be overcooked while in the hot broth. Also, boiled breast meat should be placed together with noodles or at the very end of cooking, otherwise it will overcook and become dry. When serving in soup, it is recommended to add sliced ​​onions.

The chicken breast can be boiled before cooking or in advance. It should be borne in mind that boiled meat must be stored properly. That is, if the breast is boiled in advance, it should be wrapped in food foil; it will protect the meat from weathering and absorption of foreign odors. The product should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. It is prohibited to freeze boiled chicken breast.

Chicken broth after surgery: recipe

In addition to tasting amazing, chicken broth is an excellent source of minerals and is known to boost the immune system and improve digestion. That is why doctors unanimously advise sick people, especially after surgery, to drink chicken broth as a drink.

The high content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, collagen and amino acids helps the body to get stronger faster and maintains the necessary energy reserve during illness. Making chicken broth for a person after surgery is very simple. To do this, we suggest using one of the old recipes.

Compound:

• small chicken weighing up to 1 kg;
• 2 medium sized carrots;
• fresh herbs;
• small onion;
• celery root.

Preparation:

1. To prepare a delicious rich chicken broth, we need a large saucepan with a capacity of about 4-5 liters. Place the washed and gutted chicken carcass in it and add 3 liters of cold water.

2. Then put the pan on the fire and bring the water to a boil, and then drain all the liquid.

3. After this, we rinse the meat and the pan, fill it with a new portion of water and put it on the stove.
4. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat, then turn the burner to low and continue cooking the broth for about another hour.
5. During cooking, you must carefully monitor the appearance of foam on the surface of the broth. In order for the broth to turn out beautiful and transparent, it must be periodically removed with a spoon.

6. Approximately 20-30 minutes after the start of cooking, add the peeled whole onion to the water.

7. All remaining vegetables, except fresh herbs, must be washed, peeled, cut into small pieces and added to the broth after half an hour from the start of cooking.

8. 60 minutes after cooking the broth, check the readiness of the chicken with a fork. If the carcass pierces freely, the broth is ready.
9. At the end of cooking, the chicken carcass must be removed,

   
   If you wish, the vegetables can remain in the broth, and the broth itself needs to be cooled a little.

An equally important aspect when cooking chicken broth is maintaining the temperature. To do this, experienced cooks resort to a little trick: they lower a small glass ball to the bottom of the pan. When the water temperature is normal, the ball lies quietly, but if the gas is too high, it begins to tap on the bottom of the pan.