In the kitchen, everyone enjoys taking short cuts, but there are some steps you should never skip, even to save time. One of them is tenderizing chicken, especially chicken breasts, so if you haven’t been doing it yet, you should start right away. There are several advantages, including making cooking simpler and enhancing the flavor and juiciness of your food.
The Kitchn advises using a cooking technique that evenly distributes heat, such as pan searing or oven baking, whenever you want to pound and tenderize chicken breasts. It’s easiest to place your chicken breast in a sealable plastic bag and then pound it to an even thickness with a flat, heavy object (a meat mallet works, but so does a rolling pin or even a wine bottle).
Tenderizing chicken breasts is a simple way to ensure that they cook evenly, especially if you’re cooking several pieces of chicken at once, claims Tasting Table. The breasts won’t cook evenly if they are unevenly distributed throughout or if some are thicker than others. As a result, you might end up with some chicken that is undercooked, some that is overcooked, and possibly some that is just right.
Slice chicken breasts in half
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. This is also referred to as butterflying chicken.
Place 4 pieces of chicken onto plastic wrap
Place the chicken breasts onto plastic wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. The chicken breast should be flattened to an even thickness using a mallet or rolling pin.
Pro tip: If you prefer, replace the plastic wrap with Ziploc bags.
According to The Kitchn, the best time to pound and tenderize chicken breasts is any time youre using a cooking method that evenly applies heat, like pan-searing or oven-baking. Its easiest if you put your chicken breast in a sealable plastic bag, then use a flat, heavy object (a meat mallet works, but so does a rolling pin or even a wine bottle) to pound the breast to even thickness.
Another tip to make tenderizing chicken a little easier is to start from the middle, or the thickest part of the breast, then work your way out to the parts that are naturally a little thinner. According to Lifehacker, you should check on the chicken after every few whacks to make sure its not getting too thin (over-pounding can also tear the meat). If youre not sure how thick the chicken should be before cooking, aim for about 3/4-inch. You might also see some classic recipes that specify pounding or tenderizing chicken before cooking, like chicken piccata. With just a little extra work beforehand, tenderizing will make your chicken easier to cook and even more delicious.
There is such a thing as going overboard when it comes to tenderizing chicken. According to My Domaine, pounding chicken also helps break down the fibers in the meat so it cooks quicker, but you dont necessarily want to pound it within an inch of its afterlife. Instead, just tenderize it until its the thickness you want; once the chicken is even, pounding it more wont help improve the flavor or texture.
In the kitchen, everyone enjoys taking short cuts, but there are some steps you should never skip, even to save time. One of them is tenderizing chicken, especially chicken breasts, so if you haven’t been doing it yet, you should start right away. There are several advantages, including making cooking simpler and enhancing the flavor and juiciness of your food.
According to Tasting Table, tenderizing chicken breasts is an easy way to make sure they cook evenly, especially if youre cooking multiple pieces of chicken at once. If the breasts are uneven in spots, or if some are thicker than others, they wont cook in the same amount of time. That could leave you with some pieces of chicken that are overcooked and dry, some that are undercooked, and maybe a few that are perfect.
FAQ
Do you need to pound chicken breasts?
Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking them. Each chicken piece will cook at a different rate if it is a different size. Some breasts will cook more quickly than others if you don’t pound them out, leaving the thinner breasts dried out while the thicker ones may be undercooked.
Why is tenderizing chicken important?
Tenderizing, also known as velveting, is a cooking technique that gives meat an even thickness and texture. You may discover that as a home cook, the extra time you spend in the kitchen prior to cooking pays off in the improved crispy, succulent texture and consistency of your finished dish.
Is it better to cut or pound chicken breast?
Many traditional recipes, including schnitzel, chicken marsala, and even our preferred stovetop and oven baking methods, call for this technique. When you can apply even, direct heat, you should ideally pound chicken breast (i e. , pan-searing, pan-frying, oven-baking, or even slow-braising).
How do you pound chicken breast?
Place the chicken breasts onto plastic wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. The chicken breast should be flattened to an even thickness using a mallet or rolling pin. Use as desired.
