CHICKEN BREAST

The largest piece – and the most tender and whitest part of the chicken.

Keep in mind

The fillet of chicken in easy to handle and can be used for most purposes. The recommended minimum temperature for chicken is 72 °, but the tastiness of the meat heads quickly downhill already after about 60 °. Chicken breast easily becomes dry and rubbery.

How to cook chicken breast

The strength of chicken is that it is mild and – literally – absorbs all the tastes in the world. Vary chicken breast by fetching inspiration and spices from one or more of the world’s different kitchens.

Add fat to the tasty but lean fillet meat, by wrapping in air-dried ham, for example. Or cut open and fill with a tasty – preferably fatty and juicy – filling.

The meat on the breast is more sensitive to high temperatures than the meat on the legs.

Don't try to grill/fry chicken breast all the way to completion, because then the temperature will climb so high that everything except the absolute core will turn dry. A better idea is to brown it on high heat and then to let it cokk in an oven at a more modest temperature. This gives the breast time to cook through without turning the outer layers into a dry, rubbery mass.

For food safety reasons the recommended temperature for chicken is 71°, but breast of chicken is cooked and ready to eat already at 65° (the legs can take 70°). Don't wing it, use a thermometer.

It is less tricky to cook the breast separately from other parts of the chicken – and preferably with some sort of added fat.

The classic

Chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham and filled with parmesan and basil.