How to cook a chicken breast so that it's not tough as old boots?

[shoppingbagsundereyes]

I'm 41 years old and consider myself a fairly good cook. But I cannot for the life of me cook a single chicken breast and have it taste of anything other than rubber. Tonight dh and I are having musakhan ( sumac chicken) with flat breads. Ours will be tasty because the chicken is plastered in an onion and sumac paste. I've cooked baked potatoes and roast chicken breast for the dcs and their dinner was virtually in edible the chicken was so chewy. I put it in a dish with a bit of water and covered it in tin foil in the hope of keeping it moist.
So is there a way of cooking just one chicken breast or do I need to roll it in bacon forever?

Thanks for the recipes, I will try them both :)

You can get thigh fillets, so you don't have to take the meat off the bone, and if there's nothing to compare the meat to, DCs might not notice its colour. Thighs are also around a gazillion pounds cheaper - I can't afford to buy chicken breasts!

I always sear them in a griddle pan then finish off in the oven, no foil. On the bone taste much better if you can get then (waitrose do them in their £10 for 3 deal or frozen)

Can I also advocate pressure cookers for cooking chicken portions or a whole chicken? Not at all dry and MUCH nicer than pan fried.

It's really important not to overcook chicken, though. I think it just takes a bit of trial and error to find the perfect time as all ovens vary slightly.

I usually find about 20 minutes is perfect. But cook for less time than you think and then cut one in half to look for pinkness in the middle. If it's still pink then push it back together and stick them back in for 5 minutes, then check again. Once you've found the perfect time, never cook them for longer!

I find thigh meat tastes very different and I prefer the taste of the breast. Thigh is OK in a sauce but not to eat on its own (for me).

You could get a meat thermometer (I have a thermapen) which is great and makes me realise how habitually I overcook meat. Expensive, but you can use them for everything (steaks, roasts, sugar, chocolate etc.).

Get a tub of creme fresh and a tin of condensed mushroom soup. You can add a few sliced mushrooms if you like.

Get a pyrex dish, put the chicken breasts in, stick the other ingredients on top, add a lid and bake for 30 mins.

Also works in the sc

I have to second the maggi papyrus sheets! Really really moist and juicy!

There was an episode of masterchef recently where John torode cooked chicken by poaching then frying it seasoned on top of a piece of greaseproof, it went all crispy & juicy looking, I wonder if this is the same principle as the papyrus sheets? (Only cheaper, I'm tight )

The papyrus sheets are 50p for 4 in morrisons atm

season with salt and pepper, make a sort of bag out of tin foil the same way you would for fish on a barbercue, oven at 160 for about half an hour, i never have chewy chicken.

Ooh Kato even I wouldn't begrudge 50p for four!

Marinade them in a bit of mayo. Then dip them in breadcrumbs with whatever seasonings you prefer and grill. Super yummy and juicy.

Papyrus sheets are lovely,I use the Italian herb one but will try my own version next time.

Make a slit/pocket in the breast and stuff with cheese, wrap bacon round it and bake in the oven. It's very nice.

And if I want chicken pieces for salads etc, I cut it into strips/pieces and boil it for a few minutes, it's very moist like that.