# Problem cooking tasty chicken breast



## noob007 (Sep 29, 2013)

I am new to this forum, so a little about myself. I am a student in St. Louis and recently I have decided to eat clean and lean and work out and all that.

Now, the problem is, I have baked a few batches of Chicken breast, so I can have them over a week. Unfortunately, none of them have been tasty. I gulp them down for the heck of it and don't think I can do that for long. 

The one I made yesterday is the worst! My marinade consisted of the following:

- Lime
- Salt
- Pepper
- Soy Sauce
- Cilantro

I have also tried the "Honey and Garlic" marinade before, how much ever I put it, i can never taste it once the chicken is baked, it just tastes bland!

I baked it in Owen at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. I have attached a picture to show how it looks like. Looks quiet ok, but tastes really bad.

I wanted opinions on how to improve the chicken breast taste while baking them? Any suggestions or directing towards resources will be much appreciated. 

Thank you


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## Mad Cook (Sep 29, 2013)

noob007 said:


> I am new to this forum, so a little about myself. I am a student in St. Louis and recently I have decided to eat clean and lean and work out and all that.
> 
> Now, the problem is, I have baked a few batches of Chicken breast, so I can have them over a week. Unfortunately, none of them have been tasty. I gulp them down for the heck of it and don't think I can do that for long.
> 
> ...


Most of the time it depends on the quality of the chicken If you buy the 3 for £10 then you aren't going to get very tasty cooked chicken. (Yes, I know, sometimes one has to economise.

The ingredients you mention _should_ make it taste nice. How about a little more salt? I'm not trying to persuade you to OD on salt but a bit more might help boost the flavour. 

"Looks quiet ok, but tastes really bad" That worries me a little. By bad do you mean it tastes as if it's gone off? How are you storing the meat when it's raw and when it's cooked.


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## noob007 (Sep 29, 2013)

Hello Mad Cook, thank you for your prompt response.

By "Tastes really bad", I meant it is just bad in taste. I am sure its not gone bad. I usually buy a pack of 5 breasts, bring them home and keep them in the fridge until I bake them all together, so, they remain in the fridge for 1-2 days max.

I just tried mixing the chicken I posted with Spinach and Balsamic sauce, it tastes a little better. But I wanted to cook, really tasty chicken breasts, which would taste good just on its own. I remember I went to a Vietnamese restaurant and the chicken they served was a little sweet and so awesome to eat. I just wish I could make something like that at home so my tongue enjoys what I eat and not just my body.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 29, 2013)

Hi, noob. How long did you marinate the chicken? I would marinate them for at least two hours. If they are bone-in, skin-on breasts, I would marinate them at least four hours.


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## noob007 (Sep 29, 2013)

Hello GotGarlic,

I marinate them for long! Last time I marinated them for a whole night.

Also, last time I put the following:
- Celery Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
- Olive oil

But somehow, the taste of seasonings and the spices do not go into the meat, so it tastes quiet bland. I do make deep cuts before marinating though.


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## Dawgluver (Sep 29, 2013)

I wouldn't marinate chicken for longer than 30 minutes.  The salt in the marinade may be drying it out.


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## CatPat (Sep 29, 2013)

This is probably not very nice, but Gwen's chicken breasts are very dry and tasteless. But DA and I have found out that if we have a least two brandies before Gwen's chicken breast dinner, we do not care how it tastes so it does not bother us.

I make a very soggy rub with chicken stock, melted butter, cracked black pepper, minced garlic, finely chopped onion, rosemary, sage, thyme and white wine. I place the breasts in the airtight Rubbermaid container covered with this marinade or rub, and put it in the refrigerator for eight hours. Every hour, I take the container out, stab the breasts with a fork very many times to push all the flavors in, and rub in all the marinade as possible into it. Then I bake it in the oven covered very tightly in foil with the marinade in it at 400 until the insides of the breasts are 170 degrees. 

I do not use salt at any time on this.

I have discerned that poultry can dry out very quickly. DA taught me of this.

I hope it helps you.

I am a college student also. I am majoring in journalism. What is your major?

Your friend,
~Cat


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 29, 2013)

Brine your chicken breasts first, for 4 to 8 hours, in a gallon of water with 1 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of sugar, plus any other flavours you like. Sliced oranges and/or lemons in the brine works wonders, and you can also add smashed garlic cloves and quartered onions. Then drain them, dry them thoroughly with paper towels, dredge them in flour, then egg wash, then bread crumbs, and bake them in the oven to an internal temperature of 160F (70C). Be sure to let them rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing into them.


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## taxlady (Sep 29, 2013)

I have found that too much oil in a marinade seems to keep the marinade on the outside of the meat.


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## forty_caliber (Sep 29, 2013)

Try some Lea & Perrins Marinade for Chicken.  Wonderful stuff.

Try using an injector on larger bone-in split breasts. 

.40


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## noob007 (Sep 30, 2013)

CatPat said:


> This is probably not very nice, but Gwen's chicken breasts are very dry and tasteless. But DA and I have found out that if we have a least two brandies before Gwen's chicken breast dinner, we do not care how it tastes so it does not bother us.
> 
> I make a very soggy rub with chicken stock, melted butter, cracked black pepper, minced garlic, finely chopped onion, rosemary, sage, thyme and white wine. I place the breasts in the airtight Rubbermaid container covered with this marinade or rub, and put it in the refrigerator for eight hours. Every hour, I take the container out, stab the breasts with a fork very many times to push all the flavors in, and rub in all the marinade as possible into it. Then I bake it in the oven covered very tightly in foil with the marinade in it at 400 until the insides of the breasts are 170 degrees.
> 
> ...



Hey CatPat, this is a very good description of your process, I don't think I will get time to stab the chicken so often during the marination process, but I can probably do it twice. Again, thank you for the detailed description, I think making the sauces go inside the chicken can work towards my goal.

Oh, and I am doing my MBA. Journalism is cool, I always wonder how journalists can be so creative with every article they write, something I can never do


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## noob007 (Sep 30, 2013)

forty_caliber said:


> Try some Lea & Perrins Marinade for Chicken.  Wonderful stuff.
> 
> Try using an injector on larger bone-in split breasts.
> 
> .40



Wow, that injector looks so cool!

So, one gotta inject the marinade inside the chicken breast?


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## pacanis (Sep 30, 2013)

Good idea on the injector.


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## Mad Cook (Sep 30, 2013)

noob007 said:


> Hello GotGarlic,
> 
> I marinate them for long! Last time I marinated them for a whole night.
> 
> ...


Perhaps slashing cuts into the breasts before marinating would help the flavour get into the meat?


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Sep 30, 2013)

These things are available in the grocery stores by us.
FRENCH’S® Flavor Infuser

I haven't used one myself but friends did a pork roast with the Teriyaki one and it was really good.


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## CarolPa (Sep 30, 2013)

I like Cat's idea of having 2 brandies before dinner!  LOL  That would work for me.

I have a friend who is on a healthy diet and she likes to make chicken breasts ahead to have ready for several days.  She puts hers in a casserole dish with pasta sauce and bakes it.  She said it is tasty, moist, and healthy.


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## Rocklobster (Sep 30, 2013)

Your marinade is only going to penetrate a bit. Let's face it. Chicken breast can be bland, which is why people have come up with so many recipes that include sauce, stuffing, breading, etc. You almost need something else to help it go down. I would try and pound the thick part of the breast out a little to make it less dense, give it a quick fry in a pan and don't over cook. Frying will enhance the flavors. You could even add a few tblsps of water or chicken stock to the pan, let it simmer and stir up the cooked bits, then season with salt and pepper to taste, serve the broth on the chicken.


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## CarolPa (Sep 30, 2013)

Rocket_J_Dawg said:


> These things are available in the grocery stores by us.
> FRENCH’S® Flavor Infuser
> 
> I haven't used one myself but friends did a pork roast with the Teriyaki one and it was really good.




How do you know how much to inject?  Does it have instructions?  I don't want to over-flavor.


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Sep 30, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> How do you know how much to inject? Does it have instructions? I don't want to over-flavor.


 
It isn't exact, but I did find these additional tips on their web site.

Don't over pierce. Inject protein every 2 to 3 inches.
<LI id=infuser-hint>Keep injection areas evenly spaced to allow for even distribution of marinade.
<LI id=infuser-hint>Squeeze with firm, even pressure as you pull infuser tip from deep within meat to the outer surface.
<LI id=infuser-hint>Gently 'wiggle' infuser tip as you pull back for more even distribution.
<LI id=infuser-hint>For thin cuts, insert the infuser tip at an angle.


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## taxlady (Sep 30, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> How do you know how much to inject?  Does it have instructions?  I don't want to over-flavor.


From the site:

*Q: How much meat can one tube of French's Flavor Infuser™ marinate?*
*A:* Recommended usage is 3-4 pounds of protein, enough to feed a family of four.


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## CharlieD (Oct 1, 2013)

I never get tired of telling people one thing. Chicken breast in the oven is great only if it is not overcooked. I do not use any marinades, only seasoning that you like, well I like. 20 minutes is the max in the 375 deg oven. Very simple. When serving if you wish to use some sweet and sour sauce or orange sauce add right over the chicken onto the plate. Side of steamed rice and you have a perfect meal.


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## Mad Cook (Oct 1, 2013)

It's just occurred to me. Chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts and IMO much tastier. They don't seem to dry out like the breast. You can get them bone in or boned out but it's easy to do at home with a sharp knife.


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