Spicy Rub Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts each
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of vegetables
2 ea garlic cloves, minced
Dry the chicken breast pieces. Combine ingredients for rub. Rub the smear over both sides of the chicken breast; the more you use, the spicier it will be. Heat the barbecue. Brush grill with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the chicken breasts on the grill, skin side down. Cook over medium heat, 10 to 12 minutes per side, until chicken breasts are cooked through. (If the heat is too high, the coating will burn; if it is too low, the cooking time will be a little longer.)
Chicken Breast Handling, Safety, and Storage
When working with chicken breasts, it is essential that proper handling and storage be used to ensure safety. You cannot see harmful bacteria on chicken breasts, so you must handle them as if they are present. Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause foodborne illness and is sometimes found in chicken. Follow the guidelines below to ensure safety from foodborne illness when handling chicken breasts.
Safety when cooking chicken breast
Make sure the chicken breast is fully cooked to eliminate the possibility of foodborne illness. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer in several places to make sure it’s done. Internal temperature should be a minimum of 170°F when checking in the chicken breast area. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, check for doneness by piercing the chicken breast with a fork, making sure the juices run clear.
If you cook a chicken breast that has been stuffed, be sure to check that the stuffing is done. It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Do not fill until just before cooking and remove immediately once done. It is recommended to cook the stuffing outside of the chicken breast in a separate dish to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
Do not partially cook chicken breasts and then save them to finish cooking at a later time. Chicken breast should be fully cooked.
Proper Storing of Chicken Breasts
Chicken breasts should be stored at a temperature outside of the temperature zone in which bacteria that cause foodborne illness grow rapidly. The temperature danger zone is a range between 40°F and 140°F. Raw chicken breasts can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. If it is not going to be used within the recommended time, it should be frozen to prevent it from spoiling. Leftover cooked chicken breasts should be wrapped tightly and refrigerated as soon as possible.
Don’t leave chicken breasts out at room temperature for more than two hours. If cooked chicken breasts are not going to be used within four days of cooking, they should be frozen.
Chilled Chicken Breasts
Raw or cooked chicken breasts can be safely stored in a refrigerator at 40°F or below for several days. The amount of time it can be refrigerated will depend on how fresh the meat is when purchased, the temperatures it is exposed to during transportation from the store to home refrigeration, and the type of packaging used.
If raw juices are leaking from the original package, you should remove it and place the chicken breasts in a bowl and cover with waxed paper, aluminum foil, or wrap tightly in plastic before placing in the refrigerator. The package should be placed on a plate with sides to prevent meat juices from dripping onto other foods. It should be kept away from other foods so that they do not come into contact with the raw juices. Meat should be stored in the coldest section of the refrigerator.
Chicken breasts can be safely stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Chicken giblets and ground poultry should only be stored in the refrigerator for 1 day. If you are going to store for a longer period of time, the chicken breasts should be frozen. Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator just before you are ready to cook them.
Leftover chicken should be chilled and refrigerated as soon as possible, limiting the amount of time it sits out at room temperature. Never leave chicken breast at room temperature for more than two hours. Cooked chicken breasts can be stored for up to three to four days in a refrigerator at 40°F or below. If the leftovers are not going to be used within this time, they can be frozen and stored for up to three to four months. Leftover stuffing should be removed from the chicken as soon as possible to minimize the chance of bacterial growth and then stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. The filling can be stored for up to three days, but if it is not going to be used within that time, it should be frozen. The filling can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.
Prevention of chicken breast contamination
Cleanliness: A clean work environment is essential to prevent contamination when working with chicken breasts.
Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw chicken breasts. Work area, cutting boards and utensils should be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water after exposure and should not be used for other foods until properly cleaned. This will prevent bacteria from cross-contaminating the chicken breasts with other foods.
When working with other foods at the same time you prepare and cook chicken breasts, be sure to use separate utensils for each food item. Do not use the same cutting board for cutting cooked chicken breasts as you used for raw meat, unless it has been properly washed and dried before use. Cutting boards should be thoroughly scrubbed with hot, soapy water after each use and cleaned periodically with a bleach solution containing 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.
Handling: Raw chicken breasts should be purchased just before checkout at the store so they are exposed to unsafe temperatures for the shortest amount of time possible. It should be placed in a plastic bag to prevent any leakage from contaminating other foods. After buying it, it should be taken home and refrigerated as soon as possible. In hot weather, make sure your vehicle has air conditioning or bring a cooler to store chicken breasts on the way home.
When cooking and serving chicken breasts, the meat must be handled properly to avoid contamination. Use a different pan and cookware for cooked meat than you used for raw meat, unless they have been properly cleaned and dried after exposure to raw chicken breasts. Make sure that raw meat does not come into contact with food that has already been cooked or food that does not require cooking before being eaten, such as raw vegetables and fruits.
If you are bringing cooked chicken breasts to serve elsewhere, be sure to package the chicken breasts to maintain proper temperatures. If you keep it hot, it should be kept at least 140°F and if it’s cold, it should be kept at 40°F or below.
freeze chicken breasts
Fresh chicken breasts should be stored in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. It must be used within two days of the package date and if it is not going to be used within that time, it must be frozen. Freezing should be avoided if possible because it makes the chicken breasts less tender and juicy but if it is not going to be used in that time, it should be frozen to avoid spoilage.
When freezing, make sure the chicken breast is as fresh as possible. Remove it from the package it came in and wrap it well, using plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or freezer paper. If you are going to store for more than two months, double wrapping is suggested. Make sure the wrap is tight against the entire surface of the chicken breast to prevent ice crystals from forming on areas that are not tightly wrapped. Ice crystals form in these areas because moisture has been drawn from the meat, causing the chicken breast to toughen in these areas. This condition is known as “freezer burn.” Mark the wrapped package with the contents and the date so you can be sure how long it has been stored in the freezer.
Chicken breasts should be frozen as quickly as possible. The faster it freezes, the better it will be when it thaws. To speed up the freezing process, place the package on the floor or against the freezer wall as these are the coldest parts. It is always better to freeze and store frozen food in a freezer unit, rather than a refrigerator with a freezer. Freezer units will maintain a temperature of 0°F or below, allowing food to be stored for longer periods of time. A refrigerator freezer will typically only maintain a temperature of 10°F to 25°F and is opened more frequently, causing fluctuations in temperature. If the meat is stored in a refrigerator with a freezer, it should be used within two to three months. Whole chicken stored in a freezer unit can be safely stored for up to one year, and chicken parts can be stored for up to nine months.
Freezing Tips for Chicken Breasts:
* Use moisture-proof bags or wrap when freezing chicken breasts. Waxed paper is not moisture proof and should not be used because it will not retain moisture in the meat.
* Make sure all packages are marked with the contents and the date it was frozen.
* Wrapping individual chicken breasts in foil or freezer wrap and then placing them in a freezer bag will allow you to get only the number of pieces you will need.
* Freeze fresh chicken breasts as soon as possible to maintain the best quality.
* Store frozen chicken breasts in a freezer unit for maximum storage time.
*Thaw frozen chicken breasts using one of three methods: in the refrigerator; in cold water, changing every 30 minutes; or in the microwave. NEVER thaw chicken breasts at room temperature.