Ways to prepare frozen chicken breasts...?!
Ways to prepare frozen chicken breasts...?
I bought a big bag of frozen chicken breasts today. I've always used fresh in the past. Do I have to thaw the meat before cooking it? And what are some good recipes that would work well with frozen chicken?
Answers:
I make this all the time. My family absolutely loves it.
Thaw the chicken first.
Campbell's? Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's? Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables
1/2 tsp. onion powder
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Stir the soup, water, rice, vegetables and onion powder in a 12 x 8” shallow baking dish.
2. Top with chicken. Season chicken as desired. Cover.
3. Bake at 375°F. for 45 min. or until done. Top with cheese.
TIP: Italian: In place of onion powder, use 1 tsp. Italian seasoning. Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for Cheddar.
Mexican: In place of onion powder, use 1 tsp. chili powder. Substitute Mexican cheese blend for Cheddar.
Its better if you thaw it in the fridge rather than the microwave. and anything you use fresh chicken with works fine with frozen chicken breasts too. i usually make chicken in the broiler, then warm some tortillas, throw mexican cheese sour cream and guacamole on em. or ill cook the chicken in a pan then throw some fresh broccoli and broccoli cheese soup some pepper and some milk in the pan, thats really good.
You will want to thaw your chicken before you cook it. If you don't, it will dry-out/burn on the outside before it is thawed in the middle. Once its thawed you can used it in all the ways you would use fresh breasts.
I like to keep it simple. Sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and chili powder and saute it in 2 tbls of canola or safflower oil. Then slap it on a bun and eat it like a burger.
When I go to Costco and get those big bags, I keep them in the freezer. Then on a down day I toss about 4 of them into boiling water and poach them. Cool them down and dice them up and toss them back in the freezer in a tupperware. Then when you see a great recipe that calls for cubed diced chicken, you've got it!
Don't have to thaw them first, but you can do so... sorta depends upon how you're using them. No need to thaw if grilling in an electric George Foreman grill, but you'd want to thaw if you need thin strips for a stir-fry or something.
I use them just like fresh chicken breasts. Here's some recipes we like at our house:
$10, 000 CHICKEN CUTLETS w/ LIME
6 chicken cutlets
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. oil
Juice of 1 lime
8 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. minced chive
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet and saute chicken until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Turn chicken and cook on low heat until done, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and drain fat and discard. Cook lime over low heat until it bubbles and butter and stir until it forms a thickened sauce. Stir in dill and chive. Spoon over chicken.
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Chicken Coconut Curry
Serves 6
After stirring in coconut milk, do not let the sauce boil or milk will separate.
1 lb. small red potatoes, halved or quartered
Coarse salt
1? lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced crosswise into ?” strips
1 Tbsp. curry powder
3 tsp. veg. oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
? tsp. red pepper flakes
? cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
? cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes w/ slated water by 1”. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until fork-tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss chicken w/ curry powder and 1 tsp. salt. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil over med-high heat; cook cook half the chicken, turning often, until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate, repeat with other half of chicken.
Reduce heat to med-low. Cooke garlic and pepper flakes in remaining 1 tsp. oil, about 1 min. In small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, tomato paste, and ? cup water. Pour into pan, add peas, and stir until liquid just begins to simmer.
Return chicken to pan along with cooked potatoes; toss until warmed through and coated with sauce, 1-2 minutes Serve topped withpeanuts.
--Everyday FOOD
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Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
Vegetable oil, for grilling
Butter lettuce leaves
Fresh cilantro leaves
Peanut sauce, recipe follows
Combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in a shallow mixing bowl, stir to combine. Place the chicken strips in the yogurt marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at up to 2 hours.
Thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers working the skewer in and out of the meat, down the middle of the piece, so that it stays in place during grilling. Place a grill pan over medium heat and brush it with oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Grill the chicken satays for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely seared and cooked through. Serve the satays on a platter lined with lettuce leaves and cilantro; accompanied by a small bowl of peanut sauce on the side.
Peanut Sauce:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chili paste, such as sambal
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish
Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, red chili paste, brown sugar, and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Puree to combine. While the motor is running, drizzle in the hot water to thin out the sauce, you may not need all of it. Pour the sauce into a nice serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve with chicken satay. Yield: 3 cups
--Tyler Florence
It depends, do the say "flash frozen" on the pack? If so you can cook these frozen and just allow some extra time, but.....in order to season them, you can just put what you like on them and let them defrost in the fridge cause it won't penetrate if it's frozen....You can try some salt, pepper, garlic and orange juice and maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of curry......oh yeah some onion for flavor.....
It's advisable to thaw first, so they can cook through properly.
This is easiest to do in the microwave, if it has a thaw setting.
After thawing, treat them like ordinary chicken breasts.
You might want to remove the skin to reduce fat.
Simplest version: coat with Shake'n'Bake, place in oven.
You could dip in a beaten egg or milk first to help coating.
Use a greased pan or cooking sheet, at 400-450F 1 hour.
Check with a meat thermometer or temperature fork.
Or you can brown & place them in a casserole dish.
Add anything you like over them for flavouring:
Mushroom soup with additional sliced mushrooms.
Tomato sauce, with onions, celery, carrots, etc.
Cover with aluminum foil to prevent evaporation.
You could also pre-cook pasta or rice & mix into either.
The chicken could be pre-cooked & sliced in pieces.
They could be rolled up & stuffed with rice & spinach.
You might need a pin or string to keep their shape.
You can thaw it and use it as you would fresh. I always let mine thaw at least some, as not to burn the outside and have the inside still raw. If you are using chicken that is "chunked", it is nice to have the inside a little bit frozen because it makes it more stable to cut. Here are two of my fast recipes:
BBQ Chicken (tastes really good!)
Cube chicken
Cook in hot skillet until done (outside should be a little brown and insides white)
Using a thick BBQ sauce such as KC Masterpiece, squeeze some on top of the chicken, with your heat low. Toss the chicken in the BBQ until coated. Serve.
Chicken w/ mac and cheese & broccoli
Cube Chicken
Boil
Drain
Set Aside
Make macaroni according to box, but while boiling macaroni, also boil the frozen broccoli with it.
When macaroni is done, drain macaroni and broccoli.
Mix the chicken in with the mac & broccoli.
Make according to package directions.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded cheese (or more or less depending on how cheesy you like it).
Serve OR put into cassarole dish and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted.
I use the bag of frozen chicken breasts all the time. I thaw them first in the refrigerator. Then I cook them.
Here are a couple of recipes I have using chicken breasts.
This recipe is simple and delicious, my kinda of recipe.
The original recipe called for mayonnaise but I didnt have any on hand so I substituted ranch dressing. I thought for sure that i ruined it but it was awesome and my family loved it.
Classic Herbed Chicken
1- envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix
4 Tbsp water
1/3 c. of Ranch Dressing
4-5 boneless chicken breast
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, In small bowl, blend Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix, ranch dressing and water.
2. In baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray, arrange chicken; pour 1/2 of soup mixture over chicken.
3. Bake uncovered, turning once and pour remaining soup mixture over chicken, 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Broccoli Chicken Casserole
2-3 boiled chicken breasts, diced into small chunks
(just boil the chicken for at least 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink)
Cool and then cut into chunks
1 pkg broccoli
1 can of cream of chicken
Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
4 oz pkg mild cheddar cheese
Boiled the broccoli for 5 minutes, then drain. I was too afraid to put uncooked broccoli in the casserole, (thought i would ruin it).
Combine soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Mix with broccoli and diced chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and stuffing mix. Bake at 350' for 35 minutes :0}