Please help with tough chicken. I have a delicious recipe for Chicken Divan. It calls for boneless breasts?!
Answers:
Boneless, skinless breasts have no fat, and cook in a hurry. They're beyond done at 30 minutes, then you cook them to death again in the sauce. I'd try just sauteeing them for color in a bit of olive oil and butter (NOT until done) and then use them in the dish. Or, you could butterfly them and not precook them.
Yes, that recipe is making you overcook the chicken. Keep the casserole baking the same, but instead of baking for a half hour ahead of time, just sear or brown the breasts before putting in the casserole. This will get the cooking process started, but will not overcook them as the recipe calls for.
Are you baking them for the first half hour uncovered in the oven with no sauce or anything on them. If you are that is the reason. Boneless skinless chicken will dry right out doing it that way.. Try cooking them in a covered dish with a little bit of broth or water and then do your second step
Do you sear the chicken before putting it in the oven? Searing, in case you don't know, is lightly cooking the outside of the chicken on all sides at a high heat to trap the juices inside the chicken.
