This is a post from Rebel Chef Noel.
Imagine this: You come home from a rough day at work. You’re tired, a little bit grumpy, and definitely hungry.
But alas! It’s the end of the week and you’ve managed to eat ALL the food you prepared…except one tupperware of leftover veggies. Uhf.
But you’re a warrior! Vegetables will not stave your hunger. Not this day night…Just then it hits you: Your roomate has a frozen pizza in the freezer, a half a pint of ice cream, and…an uncooked chicken breast. What to do? What to do? The couch is looking awfully comfortable. And you haven’t had pizza in a while…
Fear not, friend! Help is on the way!
This is the lowest maintenance, easiest way to make a tasty chicken meal in about 20 minutes. Less time than it takes to cook a frozen pizza.
Take that, Pizza Demons!
The easiest chicken ever
We’re going to go over step by step how to cook chicken, and I promise it’s a super-duper easy-peasy (and delicious) meal. But I must warn you, the chicken can get on the dry/crispy side if you’re not careful. So watch it closely!
Okay, so, here’s what you’ll need:
1 chicken breast – Hopefully the chicken is already defrosted. If not, stick it in the microwave on low for a few seconds, then run it under water until it’s thawed. When you put it in the microwave, it will likely cook a little bit of the outside edges of the chicken. That’s okay.
Once your chicken is defrosted, COOK IT RIGHT AWAY or put it back in the fridge. Only two things could happen if you leave it on the counter: 1) Your dog or cat will eat it. 2) It will start growing bacteria and when you cook it later, you will get a mad case of the heeby jeebies. Not pretty, folks.
Sauces (optional) – I like Coconut Aminos (The Paleo version of Soy Sauce. Soy sauce also works, but isn’t 100% Paleo) and Worcestershire sauce. Not all Worcestershire sauces are created equal. I was lucky enough to find one in my grocery store that is all organic, gluten free, and contains minimal sugar. Read the labels! This combo tastes like one of my favorite dishes at a japanese restaurant: Yakitori (or, chicken on a stick). Not your thing? Try one of these.
Spices and Oil (optional)- If you have no acceptable sauces at your disposal, some simple olive oil, salt and pepper will do in a pinch.
Equipment: All you need is a baking pan and, if you want a super easy cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil.
Instructions:
1. Line your pan with aluminum foil, place the rack in the middle of the oven, and set your oven on the “broil” setting. Broil is a method in which food is cooked directly under high heat. So, the little heat coils in your oven that look like bendy neon lights will stay on and be very hot. This will make the inside of your oven look like the inside of a space ship. Awesome.
*If you use your oven as a storage space, be sure to take out any stuff before turning it on to broil.
2. Cut yo’ chicken. I often buy pre-cut chicken at the grocery store to save time. Sometimes this costs more, but if it doesn’t, I buy the pre-cut stuff. If your chicken breast is whole, cut it into slices – about the size of the “chicken fingers” your younger sibling always orders at restaurants. (Even though you’ve told them a hundred times that chickens don’t have fingers. Come on!)
3. Put the chicken in the foil lined pan. Easy peasy.
4. Pour your sauces/spices on! You’re going to want to put sauce/spice on both sides of the chicken. Pour olive oil or your sauce on one side, shake on your spices of choice, then turn the chicken over with a fork and do the same to the other side.
If you want, you can marinade your chicken for 20-30 minutes. This will help give your chicken a little more flavor.
But I promise it will be okay if you are too hungry to wait that extra 20 minutes. I usually can’t wait.
A quick note:You are probably not using barbecue sauce, because although delicious, that stuff has a lot of sugar in it. BUT, on the occasion that you are…might I suggest that you wait until AFTER the chicken is cooked to dip your chicken strips in the sauce instead of cooking it with the sauce already on? The sugar in barbecue sauce (and other like sauces) will burn in the oven. Then you’ll be so angry that you ruined dinner that you’ll eat that half pint of ice cream in the fridge. And that’s what we want to avoid!
5. Put your chicken in the oven. Set a timer to 20 minutes. And wait…Yeah! (Note: Depending on the thickness, cook time may vary. Feel free to check on it sooner!)
While you’re waiting, warm up those frozen veggies or make yourself a big salad to go on the side.
And when those 20 minutes are up? Make sure that when you cut into the chicken none of it is pink, and voilà!
Easiest chicken dinner ever.
Enjoy, rebel friend! You’ve defeated the hunger beast yet again, conquered temptation, and kept your momentum going! You’ve inspired us all!
No Excuses, play like a champion!
One of the most challenging things about eating healthy is meal planning, and it’s hard to plan your meals perfectly every time. This is a great dish to make in a pinch (serve with a salad, quick and easy microwaved sweet potato, or some steamed veggies and you’ve got yourself a real meal).
We want you to succeed in both the gym and kitchen. In the kitchen this means coming to your rescue so that you have NO EXCUSES when it comes to leveling up your life!
But this doesn’t just have to be a cooking method you use in an emergency! If you like this recipe, you can jazz it up with different sauces and spices to batch cook chicken for your meals throughout the week! So get cookin’!
Do you have any super easy meals you like to make when you’re tired or running short on time?
Do you have any questions about cooking chicken?
Let us know in the comments!
-Noel
PS: A lot of excitement (and new campers!) from last week’s updated Camp Nerd Fitness announcement. Early Bird Pricing ends on SUNDAY, May 18th – so if you’re a procrastinator, jump on it Tonto!
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