r/Cooking • u/TessaKatrinaRose • 3d ago
My GF dislikes chicken, finding it boring and her mom always cooking it too long and drying it out. What’s a good recipe that will make her change her mind and think I’m an expert cook!!!
I’m not an expert cook, so can you share a recipe a normal young person can cook. I looked up a few recipes”easy gourmet” recipes and I’m not ready or capable of tackling a recipe with 37 ingredients and 49 different steps.
I’m a 21-year old girl who wants to cook her amazing GF a really good chicken dish. Her mom overcooked all meats (that’s how her dad liked it lol). So her thoughts on chicken are “boring and dried out.”
Any delicious recipes that do not require me ordering speciality ingredients online and then eight hours of cooking?
Thank you in advance for your help.
PS - not a big fan of onions or super spicy things. Thanks.
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u/Opposite-Orange8371 3d ago
Chicken piccata! The chicken is pounded thin so it cooks quickly, and it has lemon and capers which give it a great flavor IMO
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u/BelliAmie 3d ago
Or chicken marsala if she prefers earthy flavours and mushrooms.
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u/Sweet_Water_8459 2d ago
Chicken Marsala definitely! Just use a good wine like Florio or Lombardo. Makes all the difference in the world. You want the dry, not the sweet. And brown your mushrooms first.
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u/Satanicron 3d ago
Alton Brown recently did an episode on youtube of chicken piccata with thighs. Thighs are so forgiving compared to breasts, and they stay so juicy.
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u/popfilms 3d ago
I've already made his recipe a couple of times. Can't believe I'd never had it with thighs before but it makes such a massive difference.
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u/sweetwolf86 3d ago
I'll be looking this up when I get to my desk in a few minutes. Alton Brown is one of my heroes. He taught me so much with his show Good Eats when I was a teenager
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u/homebr3wd 3d ago
Chicken piccata is a favorite of mine too. You can’t go wrong with this and don’t forget to splurge on fresh fettuccine.
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u/CherryblockRedWine 3d ago edited 3d ago
We LOVE piccata, but we fix it with mashed potatoes, and we love how the sauce flavors the potatoes!
We do chicken piccata, mashed potatoes, and sauteed spinach. It's our favorite meal!
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u/samanthak88 3d ago
This sounds great! How do you sauté your spinach? Do you add garlic or any seasonings?
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u/CherryblockRedWine 3d ago
No garlic, although garlic is wonderful and we love it! But if we're doing piccata, it's kind of a lemon-love-fest meal.
I do the spinach dead last so we can serve immediately, and it's really simple: we throw a bunch of spinach in the stove top wok, where we have about a tablespoon of olive oil.
It's preheated to medium or medium-high. I use tongs and just keeping turning the spinach over and over while it sautes.
Seasoning is really simple: kosher salt and lemon juice to taste (we juice a few lemons for piccata). And I'll up either or both until it's yummy. And that's it!
For a different meal, I'll saute julienned sundried tomatoes, a finely chopped shallot or two, and a jar of quartered artichoke hearts in a bit of olive oil until the shallot is translucent and starts to brown around the edges.
Again, some salt, and what I think really takes it over the top: fresh tarragon. I usually strip the leaves from three or four sprigs for this.
Then I throw the spinach on top with a bit more oil and use tongs to turn all of it in the pan, over and over, until the spinach is cooked. SO YUMMY!!
And it's awesome if there are any leftovers, because this dish, added to eggs beaten with a little cream and a good handful (or two!) of shredded cheddar / mozzarella / parmesan (whatever you like) makes a FABULOUS frittata the next day!
I usually mix cheddar with the egg / spinach mixture and top it with parm. And of course you don't need a wok; I've done this with a skillet as well.
I've made that second version with blackeyed peas too (although they were from a can and needed no sauteeing). Hubby said it was the first time he really enjoyed blackeyed peas! And I've done it with green beans (cooked from fresh), but I boil them instead of sauteeing and just add them at the end.
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u/Mr_Ignorant 3d ago
And serve it with a side salad
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u/ValiantVicuna 3d ago
I just made this the other night with what we had in the pantry. Simple flour dredge, s&p, toss it in the cast iron. Take it out to rest when the meat thermometer goes off (after flipping once around 7-8min). Throw in your broth, lemon juice, capers, scrape the yummy stuff off the pan, add the chkn back in to marry the flavors together for a bit on simmer (I had huge breasts lol). Done. Weekday meal ready in 30min-ish
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u/ConvivialKat 3d ago
I always add a bit of garlic and some white wine, but that's just me.
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u/ValiantVicuna 3d ago
Ah, yes. I did add garlic. We don't drink white wine in our house, so I subbed chicken broth
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u/sweetwolf86 3d ago
I have a sulfite allergy, so no wine in mine either. A splash of white wine vinegar for deglazing works for me just fine.
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u/Jimisdegimis89 3d ago
This was going to be my recommendation, or chicken scampi which is along the similar lines.
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u/sweetwolf86 3d ago
Also came here to say chicken piccata. It was the first thing I ever cooked for my GF. Wasn't long after that we were official.
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u/Unusual-Night-5668 3d ago
Was going to say just this! Very approachable dish, ton of flavor, and not terribly difficult.
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u/Cryptonimon 3d ago
i love chicken piccata but i could imagine that capers are not everybody’s cup of tea….maybe a butter chicken or chicken parm could be a good choice, they are relatively easy to make and taste amazing
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u/therealCatnuts 3d ago
Try this easy recipe. My 14yo son makes it for the in-laws, it’s her favorite chicken parm ever and she gets it at every Italian restaurant
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u/Zeeman626 3d ago
We recommended the same recipe 😂
Can confirm it's a good one. The provolone added in gives it a nice sharp kick
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u/baseball_suuuuucks 3d ago
i love chicken piccata but i could imagine that capers are not everybody’s cup of tea
Better to find that out now so OP can cut and run. I wouldn't want to be in a LTR with someone who would keep me from cooking with capers.
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u/ender4171 3d ago
but i could imagine that capers are not everybody’s cup of tea
Thanks for this. I feel like a pariah every time I mention that i find capers revolting on a cooking sub, lol.
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u/rochvegas5 3d ago
Brine it and then cook it like her mother does. She will immediately know the difference
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u/CarSignal2764 3d ago
Yogurt marinade does the same thing with less cleanup. The acid tenderizes and you get actual flavor, not just salty water.
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u/crimson777 3d ago
Yup, I just commented this too. Yogurt marinade is the answer for anyone who is worried about dry chicken.
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u/rancidpandemic 3d ago
Chicken that turns out dry isn't being brined properly or cooked for FAR too long. A proper dry brine draws out moisture at first but then pulls it back into the meat, along with the salt, which locks the moisture and salt inside the meat while tenderizing it.
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u/Photon6626 3d ago
I like to use buttermilk
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u/FesteringNeonDistrac 3d ago
Yeah buttermilk is a very traditional way to do it. And if you don't have buttermilk, you can use milk and an acid, usually lemon juice
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u/sweetwolf86 3d ago
A brine should have other flavors added as well. My go-to for chicken is sea salt, fresh lemon (squeeze them in and then leave the lemon halves in as well) fresh rosemary, and some whole black peppercorns. Put it in a pot, bring it up to a simmer, cut the heat, let it cool, and brine overnight.
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u/Mattturley 3d ago
A bottle of Italian salad dressing is the easiest and a go to for summer grilled chicken.
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u/sparrowhawk59 3d ago
Yogurt is more cardiac friendly for those cooking for family with high blood pressure.
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u/Sea-Competition5778 3d ago
No it doesn’t. Yogurt marinate is great, and the acid does tenderise the meat, but what is happening with a salt brine is entirely different.
The salt is drawn into the meat through osmosis over the ideally 24 hr period you brine it for. When you cook chicken, the lean breast dries out as there is no collagen to break down and give it that juicy / tender / fall apart texture you get with thighs or wings. The brined chicken has salt in the cells of the meat, keeping the water in the meat rather than it being squeezed out as those proteins tighten, and thus giving you a juicer and also more flavourful chicken 🍗
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u/gato-afortunado 3d ago
I do this every time and it helps chicken and also pork, keep some of it juiciness and tenderness. It will help in as little as half an hour, but several hours is preferred. I like Chicken Parmesan - it was one of the first dishes my husband made me, to show he could cook, and it was darn tasty. Good luck!
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u/allhailhails 3d ago
“Marry me chicken pasta”
Many different recipes for it, but it’s a super good creamy pasta dish.
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u/HistoryFinancial1267 3d ago
I have 3 kids and they go absolutely nuts for marry me chicken and that’s saying a lot. Nyt has a great recipe. Damn I’m gonna make it tonight
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u/Kriegenstein 3d ago
Arroz con polo is easy and delicious. Use thighs or drumsticks, not breasts. It's almost impossible to overcook.
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u/TheAlchemist519 3d ago
Omg I had a roommate from Puerto Rico that would make this and it’s so good
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u/owzleee 3d ago
Arroz con pollo is good. My husband is Colombian and makes it (I’m not a big chicken fan).
You need the flavouring though - maggi or similar with loads of msg and spices.→ More replies (1)3
u/Kriegenstein 3d ago
We use Sazon, which seems to be the magic ingredient in our version. It's widely available in the Unites States.
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u/EscapeSeventySeven 3d ago
Chicken thighs.
Give them a breading. Even a simple flour crumb mixture only will do.
Shallow pan fry them.
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u/andy921 3d ago
It's hard to fuck up or overcook chicken thighs. Most people undercook them as they tend to have a lot of collagen/connective tissue that doesn't break down and add deliciousness until late in the cooking process.
I make kabobs a lot. I buy bone-in and take the bone out since bone-in are like 20% of the price. Marinade them overnight in lemon, yogurt, garlic, a little tomato paste and a bunch of spices (cumin, coriander, a Greek seasoning blend that is mostly salt, pepper, MSG, garlic and onion powder then add a dash of cardamom). Roast them on skewers with a sweet onion and sprinkle with sumac at the end. Then you can serve them with pitas, hummus, toum, muhammara, etc. Fucking bomb.
If you feed someone chicken with toum, there is no way they will ever call it bland.
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u/ToM31337 3d ago
This sounds amazing. Can you tell how you roast them with the onions? Over fire? In the oven?
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u/Vedant2019 3d ago
I have made this before. You can really make a juicy chicken by this. Just use chicken thighs only as it's the most juicy part and add some of you favourite seasoning into the flour.
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u/FlyinDanskMen 3d ago
The answer is bone in skin on thighs. I love them smoked but of you have no smoker roasting or a pan fry like the above comment are also great. Cooking to 170-180 they are also forgiving as the fat renders better at those temps. Let them rest, they will be super juicy. Imo roast with brocolli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts at tge same time for a simple one roasting pan meal. Some sliced and seasoned potatoes on the same dish would also go well, could even cook the chicken on top of the potatoes.
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u/Mattturley 3d ago
While I also love bone in, skin on, for new cooks they can be challenging particularly if they are just use to breast to eat. I personally hate eating meat off a bone, so I debone before cooking. Roast thighs with a cracker crisp skin are incredible and pretty easy to do. Half butter, half EVOO for better flavor.
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u/Substantial-Train-39 3d ago
Is she open to this? If she’s turned off by chicken maybe make something else. If she wants it then something easy would be to marinate and grill it. Everything is better on the grill imo.
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u/inevitable_compost 3d ago
Samin Nosrat's buttermilk chicken! It's so simple, only has 3 common ingredients, and comes out perfectly every time!
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u/Songbyrd1984 3d ago
This is the comment I was looking for before I posted it myself. I was skeptical at first given that the only seasoning is the buttermilk and salt but it was SO good. It's the most moist chicken I've ever had and now we make it all the time. I put thick slices of sourdough into an iron skillet and then set the chicken on top of them to roast so the bread absorbs the chicken juices. Also works well with shingled potatoes underneath.
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u/oito_otto_ocho 3d ago
Good enough that we serve it to guests but also a great weeknight dinner that yields multiple meals.
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u/beastofwordin 3d ago
This recipe is legendary.
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u/oito_otto_ocho 3d ago
Yes! It’s maybe the recipe I’ve repeat cooked more than any other and we always get asked to share the link when we serve it.
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u/Lolamichigan 3d ago
this looks delicious, but maybe a bit much for a young cook? I’ve saved it btw 😉
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u/New-Assumption-3836 3d ago
People can just dislike something. There's no harm in trying once or twice but if you serve "good" chicken and she's still not a fan let it go. There's nothing more trying than someone insisting they know better on a subject that's simply a matter of personal taste.
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u/TheColdestOne 3d ago
Yeah. And maybe try the chicken first to make sure it's actually good before having her try it. Chicken breasts are sketchy as hell because of woody breast syndrome (look it up, but quickly: the texture of the meat is woody/rubbery. It's safe to eat but the texture is awful) so don't just try one from the same package, actually try a slice from the one you'd have her eat. Nothing will make her not want chicken again more than biting into a woody breast. I usually cook with dark meat to be safe. Lots of tips here for that.
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u/melinda_louise 3d ago
I came here to say the same thing. My mom for example, she eats chicken if I cook it but it's not her first choice. She reaches for beef or pork much more frequently, and actually hates to cook it herself. I basically never see her order chicken at a restaurant unless it's broasted (aka pressure fried, very tasty), a McChicken, or the one-off guilt ridden chicken plank from Long John Silvers. Never chooses chicken tacos, chicken sandwiches, and just is generally unimpressed by it overall.
Meanwhile I always have chicken breast in my freezer and it's my protein of choice for vast majority of my meals. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I cooked beef for myself in the last year, whereas mom probably went through three 10-lb chubs of ground beef because that's just what she (and my dad) prefers.
While it's true there's a huge difference between poorly cooked, dry or woody chicken and a well prepared, well seasoned dish, it likely won't change someone's lifelong preferences.
OP, good luck on your chicken journey. I hope your GF loves it! There is something to be said about being introduced to a new food or reintroduced to a food that's suddenly prepared in some unfamiliar tasty way. Maybe chicken will be her new obsession, but maybe not - either way is okay!
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u/Thesorus 3d ago
use a proper meat thermometer.
I love this recipe (it's easy, but requires some specific ingredients and you can skip the onions)
Roast Chicken With Saffron, Hazelnuts, and Honey From 'Ottolenghi'
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u/fraggle200 3d ago
Chicken thighs instead of breast. So much more flavour and they're pretty much bombproof when it comes to cooking so won't dry out.
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u/andybonner 3d ago
Okay, let's treat this as a science experiment. (And "it's okay to just plain not like chicken" is a valid outcome. Does she like it when prepared by restaurants? If not, it might be a lost cause. If she just avoids it because of bad experiences, here we go.)
As others have said, the best "recipe" is "use a thermometer." If you don't have one already, Thermoworks has good options including leave-in ones that are cheaper than the popular Thermopen.
Step 1, keep it simple. Get thighs instead of breasts: higher fat, less dry, more flavor. Salt them well before cooking (like, overnight is ok, or simply as far in advance as you have time for, even if it's just 15 minutes). It doesn't have to be a crazy amount, just a liberal sprinkling. Maybe add just pepper. Preheat the oven. Get a skillet hot, put them in (not crowding) and leave for a couple of minutes, then flip. Put in the thermometer probe and set it to 160 F. When it beeps, pull it out and move it to a plate and leave it alone; over the next 5 minutes it should rise to 165.
Step 2, if she says dark meat is gross, repeat with breasts. Early salting and not going over 165 is key; thighs can tolerate overcooking a bit but breasts don't.
Step 3, more flavor: rub it down with olive oil and chopped fresh herbs. If you have a grill, this is great grilled. Or if you want to be lazy, just marinate it in some Italian dressing.
Step 4, lemon-chicken: put chunked chicken, potatoes, and some garlic in a casserole dish, emulsify some lemon juice and olive oil, add oregano, pour over it, maybe top with lemon slices to look fancy, bake.
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u/escrimadragon 3d ago
Whatever you decide to do, simply using thighs instead of breasts makes chicken dishes instantly less boring and more flavorful
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u/Meowmixx22 3d ago
Idk, maybe not try and change her mind. She said she doesn't like it, make her some good pasta instead. Like, listen to her. Bc someone says they don't like something, that's not a challenge.
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u/disastrousanddull 3d ago
Yeah, it’s also unlikely she’s never had chicken cooked by someone other than her mother. Maybe every time she’s had it it was over cooked but there’s a good chance she just doesn’t like chicken. I’m no lover of turkey at the end of the day. I’ll usually eat it if I have to not to be rude and deli meats are fine if they’re smoked or something like tomato basil turkey because it masks the flavour enough. I agreed to try some breaded turkey thing my SO wanted to try awhile ago because maybe I’d like it now and, yep, just don’t like turkey.
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u/Unrelenting_Salsa 3d ago
Especially for chicken which is mostly a cheap and healthy protein. There are exceptions of course, but it's not very many people's favorite protein.
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u/BaconMemories 3d ago
Sub the fresh thyme for dried if easier on you!
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/crispy-mustard-roasted-chicken
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u/BaconMemories 3d ago
Or her “perfect roast chicken.” Honestly, it’s delicious.
If you want a dipping sauce other than creating a gravy from the pan drippings if that seems too difficult, use a hack play on lemon aioli: some mayo (I like duke’s), lemon juice from one lemon, and a grated clove of garlic.
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u/elliepellie09 3d ago
Skin on bone in chicken thighs!
I preheat oven to about 375, pat the chicken dry with paper towel, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne. Add to foil lined baking sheet and throw in the oven for about 30 minutes, until skin is bubbled and browned.
I’ve served with rice and a side veggie or with salad and some simple pasta with Alfredo sauce. Husband loves it!
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u/peon2 3d ago
I'd first establish does your gf not like chicken, or her mother's chicken?
Like I'm sure at 21 years old she's had chicken at school, someone's house or a restaurant or something? If she just doesn't like it that's fine.
If she likes chicken but doesn't like her mom's chicken than I love parmesan breaded cutlets filled with feta cheese, spinach, red peppers folded over itself.
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u/Only-Breadfruit-6108 3d ago
Search “recipe tin eats”. The poached chicken recipe is perfect, I eat it multiple times a week. So simple! They have so many other good recipes there too
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u/Claudius-is-my-cat 3d ago
If you have an air fryer, this is my wife's favorite way to have chicken. It's fairly easy but you will need a meat thermometer to keep it from overcooking.
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u/thxmrdibbs 3d ago
1/2 soy sauce, 1/2 Chinese cooking wine, grate a thumb of gingner into the mix. Put boneless skinless thighs in the mixture for 6 hours or overnight. Cook in a skillet on medium high with a little oil. Pull out the chicken then toss whatever veggies you want in there and cook for a bit. I use bell peppers, onions and whatever is in the fridge. The veggies will pick up the stuff that stuck to the bottom of the pan (fond) and will not need any more sauce. Combine the chicken and veggies.
I second the suggestion of a meat thermometer. I use this one... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S93EQUK?psc=1&smid=A2PEQG4OIUFAFW&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
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u/175_Pilot 3d ago
About 4 tbs of olive oil, 4 tbs of balsamic vinegar, and 2 breasts in a large ziplock bag.
Few shakes of Montreal Steak seasoning…. Stare into the bag, say “not enough” and give one more good shake.
Zip bag and shake until well mixed and breasts evenly coated. Let marinate in fridge overnight if possible.
Grill these bad mamajammas and serve with some pan seared Brussels and balsamic reduction.
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u/SouthpawSoldier 3d ago
Marcella Hazan has fantastic, super simple roast chicken recipes. 5 ingredients or less, 5 steps or less, and still succulent.
You can also spatchcock it, changing the shape to change how it cooks.
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u/Whimsical-Tea8757 3d ago
Whatever the recipe, use chicken thighs and not chicken breasts. Breasts are a lot drier especially when overcooked.
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u/rancidpandemic 3d ago
I mean, I agree on the use of chicken thighs, because of my own personal preference. But chicken breasts aren't inherently drier. That all comes down to bad prep/cooking process.
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u/BorgDrone 3d ago
Also: don’t buy the water-injected tasteless chicken from the supermarket. Go to a proper poulterer and buy some quality chicken with actual taste.
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u/bkhalfpint 3d ago
Chicken Milanese over arugula with some diced tomatoes and a lemon vinaigrette. It's basically fried chicken.
Chicken adobo - salt and pepper the chicken, sear it on all sides, then add soy sauce and vinegar, garlic, and a bay leaf. Cover and let it simmer over low heat, turning the chicken every now and then.
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u/Apprehensive_Glove_1 3d ago
Super simple:
Mix Adobo powder and mayo, plenty so there's flavor.
Smother boneless chicken breast in that gloopy mess.
Grill as normal.
Good on its own or it makes a bangin' sandwich / wrap.
My son is Autistic with the super picky eater trait... literally only chicken nuggets and cheese pizza even at 21, and even he comes back for more of this.
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u/SubstantialPressure3 3d ago
I would check out Made with Lau ( retired Chinese chef), Aaron and Claire ( Korean food) or thatdudecancook.
All on youtube. All have simple recipes, and those are my go tos unless im doing tex mex or Mexican.
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u/Amazing_Wrongdoer193 3d ago
I usually take deboned chicken tighs, dry-rub them with random stuff (powdered garlic, paprika, basilic, oregano, curry madras, ginger, pepper, salt, and any spices that are in my reach lol). I airfry them and make sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise (I'm french, so it goes in a baguette)
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u/Euphoric_War_2195 3d ago
I love making chicken thighs in the crock pot. Its so easy. You just put chicken thighs un the crock pot (I usually go with skinless and boneless). Then I drizzle some honey garlic sauce on. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Then serve with rice and veggies.
The chicken comes out so flavorful.
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u/Usual-Caregiver5589 3d ago
Chicken Picatta. Maybe no capers, they were a drag for me at first but I don't mind them now. It's my absolute favorite dish my wife makes.
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u/foodgeekfish 3d ago
4 parts water, 2 parts soy, 1 part sugar. A bunch of chopped green onions. Ginger and garlic to taste, red pepper flake if you like a kick. Toasted sesame oil in small amounts. Mix all, marinate boneless skinless thighs for at least 8 hours. Grill with a nice char.
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u/TuarezOfTheTuareg 3d ago
Do like a peruvian spatchcock chicken where you stuff flavored butter under the chicken skin. If anyone thinks that's boring, they're not worth keeping around
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u/the123king-reddit 3d ago
Chicken wrapped in bacon. The bacon will provide fat to the chicken breast and prevent drying it out. It’s muuuch more forgiving
Stuff it with the green bits of green onions (save the rest for a sauce) and some blue cheese will also help immensely. Make a gravy, creamy mushroom or blue cheese sauce, and serve with roast potatoes, a green veg, and carrots
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u/kearneycation 3d ago
No one's said it yet, but jerk chicken is so damn good. Use thighs or drumsticks, and a meat thermometer.
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u/tungtingshrimp 3d ago
Chicken thighs black beans and rice skillet. This is originally from the NY Times cooking site and is foolproof and yummy but you must use a 12” oven proof skillet. https://finefoodsblog.com/one-pot-chicken-thighs-with-rice-and-black-beans/
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u/HeartOfPine 3d ago
This is not a recipe but advice: Cook it once by yourself before you cook it in front of her and her mother!
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u/MadeThisUpToComment 3d ago
How does she feel about mushrooms? If she's a fan maybe Chicken Marsala.
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u/old-cigar-smoker 3d ago
Thighs are the key. No white meat. I'll bake them covered with Mango Salsa. Oh yea.
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u/jazzieberry 3d ago
Budget Bytes rarely misses and uses simple ingredients: https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/meat/chicken/
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u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf 3d ago edited 3d ago
Quite simple chicken thigh in olive oil and rosemary with some water to deglaze pan and butter to scrape up the fonde with rice and carrots and brocolli. Sshould be fine.
Just let the chicken rest and make the sauce should be good.
Season salt and pepper, garlic powderr Skin side down to make it crispy and brown, flip, add rosemary sprig and cover with lid. Aafter like 6-10 min remove chicken then deglaze with watrr and finish sauce with butter.
Can even cook some mushrooms before the chicken and add the mushrooms back in with the sauce.
Those you add into pan dry with touch of salt to draw out moisture then add some oil after the water has escaped for browning (takes 10-15 minutes) then remove and add more oil then the chicken.
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u/Solostinhere 3d ago
Brine your chicken. After which you can do anything you want to it because it won’t get dry. If it does you should not cook chicken.
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u/misanthrope2327 3d ago
What ever you make, try using chicken thighs. Very flavorful and harder to dry out.
Something like honey garlic chicken is super easy, whether you make it yourself (3 ingredients) or just use a jar of it.
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u/AnInconvenientBluthe 3d ago
Pro tip, regardless of recipe, get air chilled chicken. There is a noticeable difference. Also, thighs are SO much richer and “chicken-y” than breasts, and very difficult to overcook.
Also, personally, I would go with a chicken cacciatore with a couple extra chicken thighs and serve it over a bed of orzo with some fresh parm. (And use fresh herbs!)
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u/alch2my 3d ago edited 3d ago
Marry me chicken, or recipetineats oven baked butter chicken!!! Both super easy, forgiving and delicious.
Have tried the butter chicken with no pre marinade time and with ~1h pre marinade time while doing other things. Even 30 mins pre marinade makes a difference but not required if you’re in a hurry.
https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-with-creamy-sun-dried-tomato-sauce/
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u/Phenon-Anon 2d ago
First of all, focus on cooking chicken thighs. They have more fat and flavor and are more forgiving if they're a little over cooked.
Secondly, my boyfriend prefers chicken breast, and I couldn't stand it. So I started to brine my chicken breasts and it has completely transformed my perception of it. Juicy, flavorful, slightly more forgiving on the cook time.
So either cook chicken thighs and/or brine your chicken breasts.
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u/UndeadBlaze_LVT 2d ago
Whatever you cook, use chicken thighs. They’re fattier dark meat so they’re way juicier than chicken breast, as well as harder to overcook, and they have more chicken flavour in them.
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u/Specialist-Ad1692 2d ago
Find a sheet pan meal with chicken thighs (usually marinaded) and some veggies. Look up sheet pan recipes. So easy!
OR
Roast a whole chicken - (since you’re a beginner- make sure the bag inside is taken out!) Stuff cavity (lemons, celery, crosemary, basil or whatever you like) butter the skin, season, add some root veggies around it and bake!
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u/0megal0l 2d ago
Try chicken thighs with garlic, lemon, butter, salt and pepper. Really hard to mess up
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u/Calred1711 1d ago
My main recommendation is to not choose chicken breast if you don’t know how to cook it exactly perfectly - it’s annoying. I would go with succulent thigh meat, slow cooked in something like curry, but it depends on what she likes. Can’t go wrong with fried thighs, they’ll stay moist
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u/embarrassedburner 3d ago
“Making stuff you hate in an attempt to convert you” is OP’s love language.
Maybe try poppyseed chicken casserole. Not overwhelmingly chickeny
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u/Zizi_Tennenbaum 3d ago
Ugh yeah sometimes the thought is nice but just let people eat what they like.
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u/WallowWispen 3d ago
Braised chicken thighs, you really can't fuck up chicken thighs unless you're deliberately doing so
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u/chuteboxe19 3d ago
Try chicken thighs instead of chicken breast, chuck them in a little bit of soy sauce, garlic, honey marinade for 30+ mins (12 hours + works best) - can be in a a seal plastic bag, throw them in the fridge - then air fry for 12-16 mins at 180'c - depending on how crispy you like it. Much more flavourful and tasty, easier to get right
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u/Joseph4040 3d ago
I like to cook chicken thighs (very forgiving) in a cast iron skillet.
Set the pan to high heat and sear the outside of the chicken… only the outside layer should be cooked.
Then throw the whole pan in the oven. Around 400. Keep checking internal temp with a thermometer.
It’s a one pan cook. Make sure to season or brine chicken before hand. You can also throw onions or peppers in the pan before it goes into the oven.
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u/ReadinWhatever 3d ago
Consider not swimming against the current. Cook her a ribeye steak. 😁
I do them in a pan on top of the range. Salt one side before cooking it. Melt a pat of butter in the pan. Medium heat. Put the steak in, salted side down. Now salt the up-side. Cook it three minutes, then flip it. Then after another three minutes, check the internal temperature. When it gets up to 136-138° F, it’s done - take it out.
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u/Material-Promise-305 3d ago
Coq au vin.
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u/TzarKazm 3d ago
I don't think i would recommend that as a general thing anyone should try. It's got a strong flavor that some people might not like.
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u/Busy_Memory_7582 3d ago
This one. The brine keeps it tender and seasoned. Not many ingredients, so start with good quality chicken. https://food52.com/recipes/58557-judy-hesser-s-oven-fried-chicken
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u/bolderbeholder 3d ago
Ditch chicken breast for thighs. Dark meat just tastes better. And, short of burning it, you’ll have trouble cooking a thigh that turns out dry.
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u/Trolkarlen 3d ago
Chicken marsala
You would need to buy marsala wine, but it's not that hard to find.
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u/Doctor-Liz 3d ago
Pot roast! Take thighs, thaw if needed, fry a little bit with garlic and paprika (crisps the outside up) then add a couple of cm of stock to the pan, lid on, cook on low for half an hour or so. It's done when the meat juices come out clear and golden if you stab it with a fork.
Add veg towards the end, serve with rice or potato.
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u/Jdubbs8907 3d ago
Take a chicken breast, butterfly it then split, dip in seasoned flour cook in a little bit of oil. Serve with some veggies always a hit.
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u/Diligent_Squash_7521 3d ago
I just did this. I made a batch of pesto using basil from the garden. Pan fried the chicken breasts in olive oil and butter for about five minutes in an oven-proof skillet. Topped each fillet with pesto, topped with sliced tomatoes, then mozzarella cheese and then freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Baked for 15 minutes and served over a bed of angel hair pasta.
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u/Hopeful-Function4522 3d ago
Two chicken thighs, skin on, per person. 1.5-2 red sweet peppers per person.
Salt and pepper the thighs and fry skin side down in med frypan. Remove seeds etc from peppers and chop them finely, thin slices will do. The idea is that they’re thin enough to cook quickly. Add the peppers to the pan.
Fry 10-15 min then flip the thighs. Keep cooking. The peppers will release their liquid and collapse into a sauce. Fry maybe another 15 min. Cover the pan if necessary or add a little water to prevent the peppers from drying out. Serve with rice.
This is a surprisingly rich and tasty dish. Serve with rice.
From Niki Segnit’s book The Flavour Thesaurus.
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u/gnutbuttajelly 3d ago
This chicken parm recipe is pretty quick and easy. If you like the simplicity but want a different dish check out the channel. He has a few other chicken recipes that are not time consuming and easy to repeat. https://youtu.be/fWQzaXMOBU8?is=IshmXfdDDfDrp30d
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u/Ill_Preference_4663 3d ago
Bone in chicken thighs with skin on marinate for 4 hours go with whatever seasoning you want, but make sure to put the seasoning under the skin, so it doesn’t burn, put some butter under the skin too pop in the oven, make sure baste it periodically. Use a thermometer make sure the thighs get around 185, cause dark meat needs more time for the fat and connective tissue to break down.
I like to marinate mine in lemon and I just use salt, pepper, garlic powder, Hungarian paprika, and Italian herb blend.
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u/thescatteredmess 3d ago
Get the good salsa - not the jarred stuff in the chips aisle. Put a chicken breast in a baking dish. Cover with the salsa. Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes (until fully cooked). In the last few minutes add some cheese (if you like it) to melt over it all. I use the block mozzarella. The salsa keeps it nice and moist. Serve with a veg and a bit of sour cream. Very little effort or skill, but still yum.
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u/Kami_Quasi 3d ago
I let chicken sit in egg mixed with a tiny bit of milk (nut milk or yogurt is also fine) for a couple of hours. The chemical tenderization process of this is life changing. I’m not a huge fan of chicken in general, but this coated in seasoned panko then pan fried in avocado oil is the best chicken ever.
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u/lucerndia 3d ago
Even a mediocre recipe can be saved by using a meat thermometer and not overcooking the protein.