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Wed 27 Aug, 2003 09:19 am
Some recipes require pre-cooked chicken. Usually, I have some cooked chicken breast in the fridge as we eat a lot of chicken. However, what's the best way to pre-cook chicken to use as an ingredient in other recipes during the week?
I wouldn't want to cook a whole roaster because it would go bad before one or 2 people could finish it. Is it better to throw a few breasts in the oven? Can chicken cutlets be used instead? I usually fry chicken cutlets and would think they may dry out if I tried to cook them another way.
Basically, I don't want to spend an hour cooking chicken just so I can spend another hour tearing it apart and cooking something else. What's the easiest 'day ahead' way, and how long will it keep? Can it be frozen after it's cooked?
The absolute best way is to simmer it. It will be juicy and you will get an added bonus, some chicken stock. Put the chicken in a pot along with a few vegetable trimmings (onion, carrot, parsley, cilantro, etc.), and bring almost to a boil. Cover lightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool, then remove chicken and refrigerate. Strain your "stock" and save for another use. It's not really stock but it would be great for making rice, instead of water.
I'd use boneless breasts but other cut up chicken parts could be used. Just make sure they are skinless.
This will keep 2-3 days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
Sugar, you wouldn't believe it, but in today's San Francisco Chronicle, they published a recipe for "Sauce for Boiled Chicken". Thought you might like it to go with the above:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 chiles finely chopped (leave seeds in for more heat)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
Mix everything together and refridgerate at least 2 hours. Serve over cold, sliced boiled chicken.
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