Should you tenderize chicken?

Table of Contents

Quick Answers

Tenderizing chicken can make it more tender and juicy, allowing you to cook it quickly over high heat. However, it’s not always necessary, especially with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Here are some quick answers about when and how to tenderize chicken:

Tenderizing is most useful for larger cuts like whole chickens, bone-in chicken breasts, and thighs.

Pounding, marinating, and using a meat mallet or tenderizer can help break down tough connective tissue.
Enzymatic tenderizers like papain (found in papaya) also help tenderize through a natural process.
Over-tenderizing can lead to mushy chicken, so be careful not to overdo it.

Quick cooking methods like grilling, sauteing, and stir frying benefit the most from prior tenderizing.

So in summary, tenderizing chicken can definitely make it more tender, but it’s not absolutely necessary, especially for quick cooking boneless chicken breasts.

When Should You Tenderize Chicken?

Deciding whether to tenderize chicken depends on a few factors:

Cut of chicken – Tenderizing is most beneficial for tougher cuts with connective tissue and muscles that get a lot of use. This includes bone-in chicken breasts, whole chickens, and chicken thighs and legs.
Cooking method – If using quick, high-heat methods like grilling, sauteing, pan frying, or stir frying, tenderizing helps ensure the middle cooks through before the outside burns.
Desired texture – If aiming for fall-off-the-bone, shredable meat, tenderizing helps break down connective tissue for super tender chicken.

Time – Tenderizing does require more hands-on time. If you’re short on time, it may not be worth it for quick-cooking boneless breasts.

So in general, save the tenderizing step for bone-in cuts, longer cooking methods, and when you want ultratender, juicy meat. It’s less necessary for boneless, skinless breasts that cook quickly.

Should You Tenderize Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts?

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts already tend to be fairly tender. Since they have less connective tissue than thighs or other cuts, tenderizing them is usually not necessary, especially if you are cooking them quickly over high heat.

However, if the breasts are very large or thick, pounding them to an even thickness can help them cook more evenly. Tenderizing may also be worthwhile if you are looking for an ultra-tender texture or using a longer, moist cooking method like poaching or braising boneless breasts.

Should You Tenderize Chicken Thighs and Legs?

Chicken thighs and legs have more connective tissue and do well with tenderizing prior to cooking. The meat has more muscle that gets worked in a chicken’s life. Pounding, marinating, or using a tenderizer helps break down the tough muscle fibers and collagen.

Tenderizing is especially helpful when grilling or broiling chicken legs and thighs. It allows you to cook them over quicker, higher heat without drying them out. The tenderizing makes the meat juicier and helps it reach a safe internal temperature without burning.

Should You Tenderize Whole Chickens and Chicken Quarters?

Whole chickens and chicken quarters like split breasts or leg quarters also benefit from tenderizing. These bone-in cuts contain connective tissues that can make the meat tough if not properly broken down.

Gently pounding the chicken helps break down some of these fibers. Marinating 2-24 hours also provides time for acidic ingredients like citrus, vinegar, wine or yogurt to tenderize the meat. Apply a tenderizer like raw papaya to further help the process.

With a tenderized whole chicken or quarters, the meat will end up juicier and more evenly cooked when roasted or grilled. The tenderization allows you to use higher heat to crisp and brown the skin while keeping the meat tender and moist.

How to Tenderize Chicken

Here are some of the most common ways to effectively tenderize chicken:

Pounding

One of the easiest ways to physically break down the tough connective tissue in chicken is to pound it with a meat mallet, rolling pin, heavy pan, or even the bottom of a heavy pot.

– Place chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper to avoid splattering.
– Use moderate force to gently pound the meat to an even thickness of around 1/2 inch. Be careful not to overdo it.
– Pounding helps break down the long muscle fibers that make meat tough. This gives a more tender, evenly cooked result.

Marinating

Letting chicken marinate for 2-24 hours also helps naturally tenderize and add flavor. The acidic ingredients help break down tough collagen fibers:

– Buttermilk or yogurt-based marinades are especially tenderizing due to lactic acid.
– Citrus juice, wine or vinegar help tenderize too.
– Enzymes in fresh pineapple and papaya also break down collagen.
– Salt helps denature proteins, allowing them to retain moisture better.
– Marinate bone-in chicken, whole birds, and thicker cuts to maximize impact.

Enzymatic Tenderizers

Using enzymatic tenderizers is an easy way to tenderize without much hands-on work. These contain natural enzymes like papain from papaya that break down tough collagen:

– Papain, bromelain (from pineapple), and ficin (from figs) are common tenderizing enzymes.
– Create a rub by combining tenderizer with spices, salt, pepper, oil, etc.
– Rub the mixture directly onto chicken about 30 minutes before cooking.
– This helps enzymes penetrate and work their magic for tender results.

Vinegar or Acidic Marinade

An acidic vinegar marinade helps break down connective tissue without adding flavor if you want chicken’s pure taste.

– Soak chicken for 30 mins – 1 hour in a vinegar solution. Cider, white wine, rice vinegar all work.
– Use 1 part vinegar diluted with 2-3 parts water so acidity isn’t overpowering.
– Rinse after marinating to remove any strong vinegar flavor.
– Vinegar helps tenderize while keeping the pure chicken flavor intact.

Yogurt or Buttermilk Marinade

Yogurt and buttermilk are gently acidic, providing an ideal tenderizing marinade:

– The lactic acid helps break down tough collagen while also adding flavor.
– Let chicken marinate for 2-12 hours for best results.
– The longer time allows acid to fully penetrate and work into the meat.
– Wipe off excess before cooking so acid doesn’t prevent browning.
– Keeps chicken extra moist and adds tangy flavor.

Tenderizing Methods to Avoid

While the methods above safely tenderize chicken, some options are too harsh and can negatively affect texture or flavor:

Avoid over-tenderizing chicken to a mushy texture.
Don’t use very acidic marinades like straight vinegar or lemon juice.
Don’t marinate chicken for over 24 hours, which can lead to mushy meat.

Skip harsh chemical meat tenderizers that use sodium hydroxide.
Don’t use dull knives or forks that tear chicken tissue rather than cutting cleanly.

Stick to gentler, natural tenderizers and moderate pounding to avoid making chicken rubbery, mushy, or sour-tasting.

Tenderized Chicken Cooking Tips

To get the most out of tenderized chicken, follow these cooking tips:

Use high heat to sear, grill or broil tenderized chicken to lock in moisture.
Brush off excess marinade before cooking to ensure proper browning.

Bring chicken to room temp before cooking so heat penetrates evenly.
Cook tenderized bone-in chicken to 175°F for food safety.
Foil-tent chicken for 5 mins after cooking to let juices redistribute through the meat.

Avoid overcooking tenderized chicken, which can dry it out.

Proper cooking helps tender chicken stay juicy and become melt-in-your-mouth tender. Follow safe handling if marinating raw chicken.

Tenderized Chicken Recipe Ideas

Here are some recipe ideas that work great with tenderized chicken:

Buttermilk Fried Chicken – marinated in tangy buttermilk
Jamaican Jerk Chicken – pounded and marinated in spices
Chicken Parmesan – pounded thin, breaded, and pan fried

Chicken Marsala – pounded breasts sauteed in a wine sauce
Chicken Fajitas – grilled after marinating in citrus
Chicken Satay – marinated in Asian spices and grilled

Chicken Piccata – thin cutlets cooked in a pan sauce
Chicken Cordon Bleu – pounded thin and stuffed with ham and cheese

From Asian flavors to breaded classics, properly tenderized chicken works great in a variety of global recipes.

Tenderizing Chicken Breast and Thigh Comparison

Here is a comparison of chicken breasts vs. thighs when it comes to tenderizing:

	Chicken Breasts	Chicken Thighs
Muscle Use	Less used	More used
Connective Tissue	Less	More
Benefits from Tenderizing	Sometimes	Usually
Tenderizing Method	Pounding evenly	Marinating 2+ hours
Cooking Method	Quick sauté or grill	Braising, stewing

As shown, chicken thighs generally benefit more from tenderizing due to their extra connective tissue. Breasts need it less often unless very thick.

Conclusion

Tenderizing chicken can transform tough cuts into succulent, flavorsome meat if done properly. The ideal method depends on the specific cut, desired texture, preparation time, and cooking method. While not always necessary, techniques like pounding, marinating, and using tenderizing enzymes allows you to maximize the juiciness and texture of chicken. With the proper prep, cheaper cuts become just as delectable as expensive breasts. Tenderize thoughtfully, avoid over-tenderizing, and employ the right cooking techniques for chicken that is moist and tender.