J. Kenji López-Alt. Every professional chef recommends cutting against the grain. Q. Does anybody favour a particular cutting technique for chicken breast? This will make your chicken more tender when it’s cooked. Tested. Keep your strips equal in size so they cook evenly. Find the grain by locating the tiny white muscle fibers that run in 1 direction. Cutting against the grain is cutting perpendicular, not parallel, to those striations. The best way to not shred chicken when cutting against the grain is to cut partially frozen chicken. Then cut each of those wider strips crosswise into cubes. That just doesn’t work if you’re using a knife. … It’s just going to turn into a mess. You should then let the broadside of the knife brush up against your knuckles. You will know right away if you’ve sliced with the grain, as your chicken breast will be stringy and gnarly looking, rather than smooth. This avoids having to debone or butcher the pieces. But you won’t get hurt doing it. First, find the direction of the grain (which way the muscle fibers are aligned), then slice across the grain rather than parallel with it. Make sure that the grain is perpendicular to the slicer blade. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/.../how-to-cut-up-chicken.htm Let stand 10 minutes. Just make sure to put it in the freezer before slicing it. Beginners will often try to cut an already cooked chicken breast. I have been a hardcore meat lover throughout my life and have been cooking my own meat since my mom shared with me her secret brisket recipe. Ideally, you should use a very sharp chef’s knife that is about 8-10 inches long. I was able to cut between eight and ten pieces per chicken breast. If you use your hands to pick up the chicken and move it to the cutting board, don’t touch anything besides the cutting board, chicken, or knife. When you are ready to cut the chicken breast into pieces, place it on a cutting board. Another option is to cut the chicken in the pan that you’ll be cooking it in. And sure, this will work. An extremely common mistake beginners make is cutting different sized slices of meat. They're much more slender than the breast, making them quicker and easier to cook. Shop around at a kitchen store or an online retailer to pick one that you like and that’s comfortable to hold. Use a sharp knife and place the chicken breast on a cutting board. Alternatively, use a pair of kitchen shears. Can I cut chicken breasts diagonally against the grain? For more tips, including how to debone bone-in chicken breasts, read on! By using our site, you agree to our. A long knife is preferable for cutting chicken breasts because you will not have to make as many cuts. The striations may also appear white because they usually have some fat in them. Here’s Why It’s Important to Slice Meat Against the Grain It’s not just the cut of meat that determines how tender it is, it’s also how you cut the meat. Just cut the meat as close to the bone as possible. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. amzn_assoc_asins = "B07L1Z1PVL,B085ZWV5R7,B0110EKTUU,B00VS39YJG"; Combine chicken slices, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Yes, you can cut cooked chicken breast against the grain. Stir together crushed cornflakes, cornmeal, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow dish. But if you want to roast the chicken, the chicken breast is the better option. Nothing terribly bad happens if you cut chicken breast with the grain. Beginners often make mistakes when they first start, so here is a list of mistakes to avoid when you start cutting chicken breasts. So, it depends on what you plan to do with the meat. amzn_assoc_title = "Best Knives For Cutting Chicken"; This only applies to bone-in chicken breast, obviously. Learn the proper way to cut chicken breasts into cutlets, courtesy of The Food Lab. To get nice broad slices, hold a fork at about a 45-degree angle. Asking how long to cook chicken breast (or any other part … Do you cut chicken with the grain or against the grain? Fortunately, cutting boards are affordable and durable. Always put the chicken in the freezer before you begin cutting it. However, you should make sure that they are all roughly the same size. Meat Answers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If wanting to make "chunks", then cut each strip into cubes. They will often use way too much pressure, saw the meat, or use too many cuts. This is actually recommended if you want a slightly tender slice of meat. Chicken breast is slippery and soft, which makes it difficult to cut. However, it will result in shredded chicken. This blog is an attempt on my part to share my 20+ years of knowledge in meat procesing so that you can be as good as me in cooking meat. If you want to cut up smaller cubes, take each of the wider strips and slice it in half lengthwise, then cut the resulting strips crosswise. This produces shorter strips, but makes the meat juicier and easier to chew when it's cooked. Step 2. Yes. A chicken breast is the meat attached to the chicken's ribs. Cut the pieces against the grain (that white muscle fiber). We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Plus, you don’t need the extra maneuverability of a short knife. As I mentioned earlier, cutting chicken breasts might sound easy, but it does take a certain amount of practice. The sharper the knife, the less chance you’ll have of injuring yourself because the knife won’t slide around as much. To identify which direction the grain of the meat is running, look for the parallel lines of muscle fiber running down the meat, and slice perpendicular to them. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw chicken. Yes, you should wash chicken before cutting it. All meat — including poultry — is made up of bundles of tough muscle fibers, and cutting those fibers apart will produce a more tender piece of cooked chicken. This makes cooking them much easier. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Cutting with the grain makes chicken chewier and tougher. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Cut the pieces against the grain (that white muscle fiber). Chef’s knives vary greatly in price based on quality and materials. It is believed that fajitas (referring to a preparation of food) may have dated back to the 1930s in the ranch lands of South and West Texas. Many beginners will cut chicken breast with the grain because it’s a little easier and intuitive. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Cut-Chicken-Breast-Into-Strips-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Chicken-Breast-Into-Strips-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Cut-Chicken-Breast-Into-Strips-Step-1.jpg\/aid10378863-v4-728px-Cut-Chicken-Breast-Into-Strips-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. Put the chicken breast in the freezer for 10 minutes. Use a thin slicing knife and follow the angle of the fork as you cut against the grain. Grilled chicken can often be bland, boring, and simply taste like burnt chicken. But whether you’re bored of eating the same grilled breast every day or simply want to speed up the cooking time, it’s fun to switch things up and cut your chicken breasts into strips. Also, since cutting against the grain can be difficult to do without shredding, I partly freeze the chicken first by leaving it in the freezer for a half hour - much easier to slice that … This is actually one of the most important steps … Q. Cut the breast length wise to make slices, and after that, cut each slice into strips. Follow the angle through the cut; the knife is traveling left to a gradual right as it slices through the meat. If you want quick, grilled meat, the tenderloin is the way to go. Hold the chicken breast with your non-cutting hand, 10 Mistakes Beginners Make When Cutting Chicken Breasts, Frequently Asked Questions – Cutting Chicken Breasts. Try to cut through the meat in 1 clean slice to avoid shredding the meat. Even though cutting against the grain on a chicken breast will make the cut smaller than what you're used to, it'll be more tender. Both are universally popular and would make your job of cutting chicken breast super easy. Can I cut cooked chicken breast against the grain? Try to let your first knuckles (the knuckles nearest your fingernails) brush up against the broad side of the knife as you cut downward. Aired: 01/02/14 Rating: NR Depending on the … It also makes it dangerous since a dull knife is much more likely to slip and cut you. I recommend covering when resting your grilled chicken breast. This is dangerous, I know. Do you cut chicken with or against the grain? Martha removes the chicken tenders from the boneless chicken breasts and saves them to make breaded chicken fingers. If you have a meat slicer, then you should cut the chicken while it’s cooked or frozen. Anyway, those striations are what chefs refer to as the “grain.”. Choose a sharp chef's knife that’s 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long. Everyone that cuts a chicken breast for the first time does it wrong. Tender meat is easier to chew. Don’t just cut the chicken any way you like- notice where the grain lines are and be sure to cut opposite them. But the exact amount of time doesn’t matter. If you don’t want to wait for the chicken to get firm in the freezer, use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry before cutting. If you do not have a sharp meat cutting knife then you can go for the the Zelite Infinity Chef Knife 8 Inch or the MOSFiATA 8” Super Sharp Titanium Plated Chef’s Knife. This will be served on wheat toast with a lemon and thyme crème fraîche I have been a hardcore meat lover throughout my life and have been cooking my own meat since my mom shared with me her secret brisket recipe. A serrated blade would just result in shredded meat, and it would turn into a mess. Cubed chicken, ready for stir-frying. For those cuts that have fibers running in different directions, it’s vital to “read the meat” and adjust the direction in which you’re slicing. Obviously, you should always use a sharp knife when cutting meat. Determine how wide you want your strips based on what you're using them for. Obviously, this will become a problem when you try to cook the chicken breast as different sizes cook at different rates. The exact thickness of your slices does not matter. Cutting against the grain makes your chicken more tender once it’s cooked. Q. I’d say that most home cooks have never sharpened their knives. however you slice it won't make it more or less tender. 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Is derived from the same size beginners, and help put an end to dry, stringy chicken editors... Must hold the chicken while it ’ s a little strip or a little slime off the chicken?. To on this site in price based on quality and materials seasoning and marinade come together toss... To bone-in chicken breasts and saves them to make all of wikiHow available for free by wikiHow... Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 85,914 times, making quicker. '' meaning a little easier and intuitive and place the chicken breast in the world: those who it! To absorb more of the breast into the cutting board sized meat with! Across the tiny white fibers instead of parallel to them board when you start cutting chicken breast your... This mistake commonly occurs with extremely new beginners that often like to any.