Chicken breast should be de-skinned and de-boned before cooking. Although skinned and boned chicken is sold for a lower cost per pound than boneless and skinless chicken, it is not really a better buy once the fatty skin and bones are removed.
Buying the Chicken
Save yourself some time and purchase the boneless and skinless chicken. Buy the boneless and skinless chicken when it’s on sale. Be sure that the chicken is fresh, and was not previously frozen.
Preparation Work for Cooking Chicken Breasts
You will save yourself some time before meal preparation when you have the chicken already de-fatted and placed into portion-sized storage bags before you start.
When you return home, take out the cutting board or mat used for raw meat. Also remove sandwich-sized bags or quart sized backs for storing the chicken.
Rinse the chicken breasts. Remove any remaining skin or fat from skinless and boneless chicken. Cut any double-breasted pieces of chicken in half, making two breasts. Next, place the knife in the side of the chicken, as if you are going to butterfly the breast, cut all the way through, making two thinner slices of breasts.
There are three reasons to cut the chicken into thinner pieces. One, the thinner slices of chicken breast will help with portion control. Two, the more surface area there is to the meat, the more flavorful it will be. Three, thinner sliced chicken will cook faster.
Separate the chicken into portions in the bag. By placing one portion in each bag, it will be easier to defrost the right amount of chicken when you want to cook it. Date and freeze the bags.
Meals to Make with Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Marinade the thawed-out chicken breast with low-sodium Teriyaki sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder and freshly ground pepper. For a light marinade, 1/2 an hour is sufficient. For a more robust Teriyaki flavor, marinade the chicken for a day.
Use a rice steamer or pot to make brown or white rice or rice noodles.
Use water not oil to stir fry the chicken. By using water instead of oil, you will not be adding any extra fat calories. Add one chopped clove of fresh garlic and some freshly peeled ginger to the water in a hot pan. Next add the chicken. Cook the chicken most of the way before adding your favorite stir fried vegetables.
Vegetables for stir fry can include fresh broccoli florets, snow peas, sugar snap peas, onions (add with the garlic), or bean sprouts. For an easy way to add vegetables, defrost frozen vegetables like a carrot and green bean mix, in a bowl of warm water.
Remove the stir fry from the heat while the vegetables are still crisp and colorful.
Honey Mustard Chicken
Honey Mustard Chicken is an easy chicken to make in the oven. In a small bowl, mix honey with spicy brown mustard, Italian dressing. Coat the chicken and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with salad, rice, and a fresh vegetable.
Lemon-Lime Chicken
Bake the skinless and boneless chicken with a coating of lemon juice, lime juice and salt and pepper. Add Mrs. Dash no-salt chicken seasoning.
Tropical Chicken
Bake chicken with orange slices and pineapple chunks for a sweet chicken.
BBQ Chicken
The same method can be used to make BBQ flavor chicken breast, just substitute the honey and the mustard for a generous portion ofBBQ sauce.
You can even make honey mustard and BBQ chicken in the same night, using two different casserole dishes or baking pans.
Inside Out Hammed Chicken
Bake chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt, pepper, mustard and Italian seasoning with a slice of lean ham. Place a slice of ham on top of each piece of chicken, and top with shredded cheese. Cover and bake.
Autumn Chicken
Add diced granny smith apples and sweet potatoes to chicken breast for a hearty and tasty chicken dish.
