Why is my chicken tough and chewy?

Baking chicken produces drier meat but the flavor is more robust than boiled chicken. Boiled chicken is lower in phosphorus and other minerals but nearly the same in protein content as baked meat.

Cook at a lower heat for longer to keep the chicken breast tender and juicy. Bake just until internal temp reaches about 160 F, then let sit under foil to cook to a safe internal temp. Line pan or baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Olive oil keeps chicken moist and adds extra flavor.

Chicken might turn out too chewy if it was undercooked, overcooked, or left uncovered for too long. A muscle condition known as woody breast might also be to blame. For best results, cook white meat to 165 degrees and dark meat to 180 degrees, and start with locally sourced products whenever possible.

Rub a small amount of olive oil over the chicken to help the seasoning stick to the meat. Use about 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix per pound of chicken. You will need more seasoning for smaller pieces of chicken since there is more overall surface area per pound of meat.

Chicken can be steamed with a traditional steamer that fits on top of a saucepan, by using a rack that sits in the bottom of a tightly covered pan, suspending the chicken above the water, or by the use of an electric steamer.

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken’s tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

Steaming is another healthy and quick cooking method for chicken. For this method, you use a steaming basket and pot of hot water. Alternatively, you can get the same results by cooking in a steam-assisted hybrid oven.

Oil the bottom of the pan and stir the vegetables lightly before placing in the steam table. This will help keep them from sticking on the bottom of the pan and provide a light barrier against the heat. Stirring butter or oil into rice also will help keep the grain from absorbing too much liquid in the steam table.

Rinse chicken and place into the basket. Bring water to a boil; cover and steam chicken until juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.

For the most tender chicken, we simmer it gently. For the cooking liquid, we use water, which quickly soaks up lots of flavor from the onion, garlic, and chicken. We add just enough water to cover the chicken then bring everything to a low simmer and wait about 30 minutes until the chicken is very tender.

eHow suggests salvaging dry chicken by dicing or shredding it and throwing it into the pasta dish of your choice. A hearty marinara or rich Alfredo sauce will work wonders at restoring moisture and adding flavor to a parched piece of chicken.

Overcooked chicken can have a rubbery texture because when the protein fibers are exposed to the heat for too long, they lose their elasticity. If you’ve ever overcooked a piece of chicken before, you’ll know that it loses most of its moisture this way, too.

Close-up of a woman slicing raw chicken breast meat on a cutting board. Chicken becomes more tender the longer it cooks. Unfortunately, most cooking methods produce extremely dry meat when the chicken is cooked long enough to become tender.

Steam eliminates fat from proteins like chicken and fish, which in turn lowers the cholesterol you’ll consume for the dish. Steam also doesn’t need oil, so this immediately lessens the saturated fat or any additional fat in your food.

And while this might sound obvious, the best way to avoid overcooking a chicken breast is to cook it for as short a time as possible. When you start with cold chicken breast straight from the fridge, it’s going to take longer for the middle to heat all the way through.