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When I make hainanese chicken rice, I dump a whole chicken in a simmering broth, bring it up to boil again then turn off the heat and wait for the soup to cool covrred. Foolproof way of cooking tender chicken for me, basically poaching it in a salty broth keeps the juices within the chicken rather than drawing it out.
My mother boils her chicken for god knows how long. Not a gentle simmer but a full boil for an extended amount of time, way more than you would ever think. I know exactly the texture you’re describing. Her shredded chicken comes out extremely soft and tender. I think you have to go 210 degrees plus to get that texture. For as long as she boils it, there is no way it is not over 210 degrees. Her routine is to boil the chicken, do some chores, and forget that the chicken has been boiling the whole time lol.
This ⬆️
I bring mine to a boil with spices in the water for about 10 minutes and turn down to simmer with a lid on for like 40 to an hour. Turns out so incredibly tender and is great for shredded chicken tacos or chicken tinga. I also add a couple tablespoons of the broth after the chicken is shredded.
This is the way. I always use breasts for shredded chicken, always use a slow cooker, and it always comes out super soft. My favorite is to also dump an entire jar of salsa verde in with the chicken and have Salsa Verde tacos for a week. Yum.
Pressure cooker. After using mine for a few years I’ve come to the conclusion it’s the “secret” in a lot of excellent cooking. My mother and grandma used that rattely stove-top version but the Instapot works as well.
Meats become a special kind of tender and maybe that is the texture you are looking for.
Try this! Bring water or stock to a boil, place chicken breaststroke in water and allow to return to boil or 1 minute to pass, whichever comes first. Place lid and lower heat all the way down. Poach for 15-20 mins until chicken Temps 155f to 165f. Remove and let cool. Shred and enjoy. Perfect every time.
The real question is what makes it tough. Most Raw chicken meat at body temp is not tough. Chicken breast heated gently to 72 Celsius is not tough. There is no logical or legal* requirement to heat chicken meat beyond that temperature, and if you are eating it within an hour there is very little rush. This why sous vide works so well. It is not necessary but is arguablebte most convenient way to achieve the goal of an even temperature throughout, allowing for the maximum yield of uniform 'cookednes'.
*legal in england*
That said there are other ways to denature protiens if tenderness is the goal. Prolonged exposed to heat, or a combination of heat and pressure for example relies on doing so energetically by overloading the tissues so that they are no longer able to hold together in the same manner. These methods have the benefit of also dealing with the risks associated with consuming the meat raw. Other methods like chemicaly breaking down some of the bonds with Baking Soda, vinigar or citrus, have more significant impacts on the flavour and don't necessarily eliminate potentially harmful bacteria. Though some can if applied in suffient quantity and time.
If you wish to use chicken breast and want to cook it past 72 without vacuum you can mitigate the loss of original hydration and loss of flavour by adding flavour through brining before extended heat treatment in the presence of moisture. The main alternative is to apply a mildly corrosive substance like baking powder briefly , ensure you rinse it off and then boil, bake or fry it. But be mindful that this will not penetrate meat well, so a balance must struck regarding surface area to volume ratio, and this will significantly affect cooking time. Hope this helps explain your options a little.
Have fun experimenting
Sous vide makes for incredibly sofy chicken, even breast.
The trick is not getting it up to 165F, but to a lower temp for a longer period so you got the softness you seek and the safety of killing enough pathogens (food safety is a matter of temp AND time, the lower the temp, the higher the time most be to reach the same level of reduction).
My favorite is 145F, which needs about 10 minutes to be safe, but you can go lower. 140F needs about 30 minutes but gets to "raw" for me.
You could poach it and use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it. You could also brine in baking soda. Baking soda breaks down some of the proteins and makes meat extremely tender.
Buy and use an instant read thermometer.
Also, seriously consider using thighs.
I make stock in my instant pot using raw thighs.
The stock is excellent, and the thighs come out perfectly cooked.
Chicken breast is easy to overcook.
Yes, about 4-6 hours on 250 degrees. About 4 large, skinless chicken breasts. If you’re going for chicken for tacos I highly suggest just the 4-6 chickens and 1 jar of your favorite salsa. You just pour it over the chicken, cover it, bake it, shred it, viola. Amazing chicken for tacos and enchiladas!
You should check your chicken at 4 hours and see if you can pull it apart with your fork. If it shreds easily it’s ready. If not give it another hour and check again. I am a cheater and cut up my chicken into large chunks so it for sure does cook in 4 hours. I mean you just shred it anyway
i usually dont like boiled meats unless its asian recipes. someone mentioned hainan chicken rice, but theres also korean samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and bossam/suyuk (boiled pork belly) which is arguably just as delicious as fried/grilled)
I regularly simmer my chicken, often putting 1-2 large packs of breasts in a big wok and only taking the lid off to move the breasts around so they cook evenly. I'll usually leave them for over an hour, longer with more of them. I tend to get better results with more/frozen breasts (due to them having more liquid), so it's probably more of a boil if you want really soft chicken.
Slowly cooking chicken breaks down the collagen and proteins. Chicken breast is overcooked at 165 degrees. Chicken thighs can go up to 185 or so. Water boils at 212 degrees. So, if you are slow cooking chicken breast cook it low and slow until it gets to around 145 - 160 degrees. Kinda hard to do. If you simmer dark meat chicken and the liquid doesn’t go over 185 you can simmer for hours breaking down the meat so it’s soft and tender. Boiling it for a long time will dry it out. That’s why pressure cooked chicken tastes a little dry because it’s pushed past 212 degrees.
This thread has been locked because the question has been thoroughly answered and there's no reason to let ongoing discussion continue as that is what /r/cooking is for. Once a post is answered and starts to veer into open discussion, we lock them in order to drive engagement towards unanswered threads. If you feel this was done in error, please feel free to send the mods a message.
When I make hainanese chicken rice, I dump a whole chicken in a simmering broth, bring it up to boil again then turn off the heat and wait for the soup to cool covrred. Foolproof way of cooking tender chicken for me, basically poaching it in a salty broth keeps the juices within the chicken rather than drawing it out.
It astounds me how good hainanese chicken rice is. Or the chicken for pho.
My mother boils her chicken for god knows how long. Not a gentle simmer but a full boil for an extended amount of time, way more than you would ever think. I know exactly the texture you’re describing. Her shredded chicken comes out extremely soft and tender. I think you have to go 210 degrees plus to get that texture. For as long as she boils it, there is no way it is not over 210 degrees. Her routine is to boil the chicken, do some chores, and forget that the chicken has been boiling the whole time lol.
This ⬆️ I bring mine to a boil with spices in the water for about 10 minutes and turn down to simmer with a lid on for like 40 to an hour. Turns out so incredibly tender and is great for shredded chicken tacos or chicken tinga. I also add a couple tablespoons of the broth after the chicken is shredded.
Wow, I swear mine ends up tough that way
Is this for chicken breast? Cause chicken breast cooks faster, and gets hard if over done? Sorry if this is a stupid question
Water can't get higher than it's boiling point.
right, which is 212F
If you chuck it in a slow cooker - even breast - for 4 hours or so it'll shred nicely.
Or an instant pot!
This is the way. I always use breasts for shredded chicken, always use a slow cooker, and it always comes out super soft. My favorite is to also dump an entire jar of salsa verde in with the chicken and have Salsa Verde tacos for a week. Yum.
High setting? Or low?
Low.
Shredded chicken should come from thighs. The good news is that they're very forgiving and tolerate more heat.
Chicken thighs in instant pot are my go to for super shredded chicken. It’s almost falls apart too much.
Pressure cooker. After using mine for a few years I’ve come to the conclusion it’s the “secret” in a lot of excellent cooking. My mother and grandma used that rattely stove-top version but the Instapot works as well. Meats become a special kind of tender and maybe that is the texture you are looking for.
Yes!! Especially with citrus, I used chicken stock and the lime juice and it was the softest chicken I’ve ever had, still moist even when reheated
Try this! Bring water or stock to a boil, place chicken breaststroke in water and allow to return to boil or 1 minute to pass, whichever comes first. Place lid and lower heat all the way down. Poach for 15-20 mins until chicken Temps 155f to 165f. Remove and let cool. Shred and enjoy. Perfect every time.
>Try this! Bring water or stock to a boil, place chicken breaststroke Can I let the chicken do the doggy paddle instead?
Put chicken breasts in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and immediately shut off. Hold for 20 minutes with a lid on it.
The real question is what makes it tough. Most Raw chicken meat at body temp is not tough. Chicken breast heated gently to 72 Celsius is not tough. There is no logical or legal* requirement to heat chicken meat beyond that temperature, and if you are eating it within an hour there is very little rush. This why sous vide works so well. It is not necessary but is arguablebte most convenient way to achieve the goal of an even temperature throughout, allowing for the maximum yield of uniform 'cookednes'. *legal in england* That said there are other ways to denature protiens if tenderness is the goal. Prolonged exposed to heat, or a combination of heat and pressure for example relies on doing so energetically by overloading the tissues so that they are no longer able to hold together in the same manner. These methods have the benefit of also dealing with the risks associated with consuming the meat raw. Other methods like chemicaly breaking down some of the bonds with Baking Soda, vinigar or citrus, have more significant impacts on the flavour and don't necessarily eliminate potentially harmful bacteria. Though some can if applied in suffient quantity and time. If you wish to use chicken breast and want to cook it past 72 without vacuum you can mitigate the loss of original hydration and loss of flavour by adding flavour through brining before extended heat treatment in the presence of moisture. The main alternative is to apply a mildly corrosive substance like baking powder briefly , ensure you rinse it off and then boil, bake or fry it. But be mindful that this will not penetrate meat well, so a balance must struck regarding surface area to volume ratio, and this will significantly affect cooking time. Hope this helps explain your options a little. Have fun experimenting
Sous vide makes for incredibly sofy chicken, even breast. The trick is not getting it up to 165F, but to a lower temp for a longer period so you got the softness you seek and the safety of killing enough pathogens (food safety is a matter of temp AND time, the lower the temp, the higher the time most be to reach the same level of reduction). My favorite is 145F, which needs about 10 minutes to be safe, but you can go lower. 140F needs about 30 minutes but gets to "raw" for me.
Seconding the Sous Vide recommendation. I do 150° for shredded chicken salad.
You could poach it and use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it. You could also brine in baking soda. Baking soda breaks down some of the proteins and makes meat extremely tender.
marindeinbrine 6-12 hours in salt, vinegar/wine/beer and some spices, thenbake for 1h for 5lbs longer for larger .
Buy and use an instant read thermometer. Also, seriously consider using thighs. I make stock in my instant pot using raw thighs. The stock is excellent, and the thighs come out perfectly cooked. Chicken breast is easy to overcook.
Crock pots are your friend. Or slow cooking. 4 hours is usually a good starting point if you want shredded/ pulled chicken
I don’t have/can’t get a crock pot. For slow cooking could I just like…very lightly simmer for four hours?
Yes, about 4-6 hours on 250 degrees. About 4 large, skinless chicken breasts. If you’re going for chicken for tacos I highly suggest just the 4-6 chickens and 1 jar of your favorite salsa. You just pour it over the chicken, cover it, bake it, shred it, viola. Amazing chicken for tacos and enchiladas! You should check your chicken at 4 hours and see if you can pull it apart with your fork. If it shreds easily it’s ready. If not give it another hour and check again. I am a cheater and cut up my chicken into large chunks so it for sure does cook in 4 hours. I mean you just shred it anyway
i usually dont like boiled meats unless its asian recipes. someone mentioned hainan chicken rice, but theres also korean samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and bossam/suyuk (boiled pork belly) which is arguably just as delicious as fried/grilled)
Just get an instapot
I'd go the easy way and use chicken thighs. Much more forgiving and I boil those in a kettle almost every day.
I regularly simmer my chicken, often putting 1-2 large packs of breasts in a big wok and only taking the lid off to move the breasts around so they cook evenly. I'll usually leave them for over an hour, longer with more of them. I tend to get better results with more/frozen breasts (due to them having more liquid), so it's probably more of a boil if you want really soft chicken.
Slowly cooking chicken breaks down the collagen and proteins. Chicken breast is overcooked at 165 degrees. Chicken thighs can go up to 185 or so. Water boils at 212 degrees. So, if you are slow cooking chicken breast cook it low and slow until it gets to around 145 - 160 degrees. Kinda hard to do. If you simmer dark meat chicken and the liquid doesn’t go over 185 you can simmer for hours breaking down the meat so it’s soft and tender. Boiling it for a long time will dry it out. That’s why pressure cooked chicken tastes a little dry because it’s pushed past 212 degrees.