How to tenderize chicken? The most popular tips on the internet revealed
Recently, the topic of "how to tenderize chicken" has sparked heated discussions on major social platforms and food forums. Whether it is home cooking or restaurant chefs, how to make chicken taste more tender has always been the focus of cooking enthusiasts. This article will combine the hot discussions on the Internet in the past 10 days to sort out the most practical chicken tenderization techniques for you.
1. Scientific principles of chicken tenderization
According to analysis by food science experts, chicken tenderness mainly depends on three factors: the integrity of muscle fibers, protein hydration, and the degree of breakdown of connective tissue. Here are the key factors that affect chicken tenderness:
| Influencing factors | Mechanism of action | Improvement method |
|---|---|---|
| muscle fiber | Excessive shrinkage leads to a hard taste | Control cooking temperature |
| protein hydration | Moisture loss leads to dry firewood | Pickled in advance |
| connective tissue | Collagen is difficult to break down | Acid treatment |
2. 6 chicken tenderizing techniques that are hotly discussed on the Internet
1.Physical tenderization method: Use the back of a knife to slap or prick holes on the surface of the chicken to destroy the muscle fiber structure. The video of "Tender Chicken Patting Method" recently released by Douyin food blogger @ Chef A Ming received 230,000 likes.
2.Salt water soaking method: Soak the chicken in 3% salt water for 2 hours. Actual test data from Xiaohongshu users shows that this method can increase tenderness by 40%.
| soaking time | salt concentration | Improved tenderness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 3% | 25% |
| 2 hours | 3% | 40% |
| 4 hours | 5% | Maybe too salty |
3.Acid pickling method: Marinate with lemon juice, yogurt or pineapple juice. The Weibo topic #yogurt tender chicken# has been read 18 million times, and the best ratio shared by netizens is as follows:
| Acidic substances | Proportion | Marinate time |
|---|---|---|
| lemon juice | 1 tablespoon/500g | 30 minutes |
| yogurt | 100ml/500g | 2 hours |
| pineapple juice | 50ml/500g | 20 minutes |
4.Baking soda treatment: Add 1 teaspoon baking soda per 500g chicken and marinate for 15 minutes. Comparative tests by the "Kitchen Laboratory" of Bilibili UP showed that this method has a significant tenderizing effect but may affect the flavor.
5.Slow cooking method: Simmer in water at 60°C for 1 hour. Zhihu hot post pointed out that this is a common professional technique in Michelin restaurants, and it can be implemented in an insulated box at home.
6.Starch coating method: Coat in starch and stir-fry quickly. In the Douyin "30 Second Chicken" challenge, this method was widely spread due to its simplicity and speed.
3. Tenderization plans for different parts
For different parts of chicken, professionals recommend differentiated processing methods:
| chicken parts | Recommended treatment methods | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| chicken breast | Soak in salt water + slow cook at low temperature | Control the temperature not to exceed 65℃ |
| Chicken thigh | Acidic pickling + grilling over medium heat | Retains sebum and increases juiciness |
| chicken wings | Baking soda treatment + high temperature quick frying | Rinse after pickling |
4. Common Misunderstandings and Expert Suggestions
1.excessive beating: Food blogger @老饭谷 reminds that excessive beating will lead to complete destruction of the muscle structure, which will affect the taste.
2.Marinate for too long: The latest research from China Agricultural University shows that acidic pickling for more than 4 hours will cause the meat to turn into powder.
3.Misunderstandings about high temperature and quick frying: Michelin chef Wang Gang pointed out in the live broadcast that when the firepower of the household stove is insufficient, high-temperature and rapid stir-frying will easily turn the chicken into wood.
5. Recommended popular tender chicken recipes on the Internet
1. Xiaohongshu’s popular item “Fried Chicken Breasts with Yogurt” has a weekly collection of 120,000+
2. "Lemon Chicken Salad" on Xiachuchi APP has been on the hot list for 7 consecutive days
3. The Weibo topic #袁热鸡Challenge# attracted 23,000 netizens to participate
Master these internet-buzzed-about chicken tenderizing tips and you can easily make restaurant-quality tender chicken. It is recommended to choose the appropriate method according to the specific dish needs, and pay attention to controlling the processing time and temperature, so that home-cooked chicken dishes can have a new taste!
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