Although not the tastiest part of a bird, boneless, skinless chicken breast is one of the most popular cuts of poultry in America because it is very low in fat and cooks quickly. As the demand for quick meals increases, recipes including chicken breasts flourish in cookbooks and on the Internet. On the Food Network web site, you will find 66 recipes using boneless, skinless chicken breasts that can be cooked in 10 minutes. Aside from a measly 13 recipes, all recipes using chicken thighs (an easy substitute for breasts if you have more time) take at least 1 hour 40 minutes.
It is important to avoid overcooking because they are so low in fat and lack protective skin and bone. Chicken is cooked when the juices run clear. If the juice runs pink, it needs more time in the pan or on the grill. If there are no juices at all, it is overcooked.
Something you can do to keep this cut of meat moist is to brine, or soak in salted water, before cooking. Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appetit, Y'all, brines 4 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 4 cups buttermilk with 1/4 cup coarse salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika, 4 cloves smashed garlic, and 2 bay leaves at room temperature for 30 minutes with fabulous results. Do not brine any longer than this or refrigerate or the chicken will be too salty. Following is her recipe for oven-fried chicken breasts once the chicken is brined. She calls for a pecan crust, but I substitute finely chopped cashews that improve the recipe, in my opinion:
1/2 cup fresh or panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped cashews
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set a large wire rack on the foil. While chicken is brining, combine the panko and cashews in a shallow dish. Add the oil and toss well to coat. In a second shallow dish, combine the eggs, mustard, and thyme. Season both mixtures with pepper. Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine and shake off any excess liquid. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place the breasts in the breadcrumb mixture, sprinkle with crumbs to cover, and press so the coating adheres; turn the chicken over and repeat the process. Gently shake off any excess crumbs. Place the coated breasts on the rack set on the baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes.
There are a variety of sources for this cut of poultry in Memphis. For the discerning shopper, here are some options with information about the producers and what they cost (as of this publication date).
The Fresh Market, 835 S. White Station: Produced by Fieldale Farms based in Baldwin, Georgia. There is no indication on the packaging or on the company’s web site that they are certified organic. $3.99 per pound.
Whole Foods, 5022 Poplar Avenue: Produced by Bell & Evans. According to the Whole Foods web site, these chickens are raised without antibiotics and raised on an all-vegetarian diet. They also tout their “air chilled” equipment, a system in which chickens are cooled by being suspended in air rather than water. Supposedly, by not absorbing water they retain more of their natural flavor (plus, they’re not pumping them up so that they appear larger). $6.99 per pound.
Kroger, 1366 Poplar Avenue (two brands): (1) Sanderson Farms - Chicken breast fillets with rib meat. According to the producer, there are no additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. $2.99 per pound. (2) Kroger Value - This is privately labeled Tyson chicken. They are “enhanced” with up to 15% chicken broth that includes water, salt and carrageenan (seaweed extract) to make them appear larger. Gluten free. $2.69 per pound.
Schnuck’s, 1761 Union Avenue (two brands): (1) Schnuck’s Natural - This is privately labeled Perdue chicken. It can contain up to 4% retained water (that makes them appear larger). They market their chicken as containing no added hormones or steroids, but this point applies to all brands since federal regulations prohibit this practice. $2.69 per pound. (2) MBA brand Smart Chicken - Certified Organic and Certified Humane. All birds are raised without antibiotics, animal by-products or hormones. Air chilled. $8.99 per pound.
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