cooking chicken

[anniemae]

I have a recipe I am making and it calls for cubed cooked chicken to go into the casserole. Once everything is in the baking dish, you cook it in the oven for 30 mins at 350. Last time I put pre-cooked chicken in a casserole, the chicken was overcooked and rubbery. Would you put the chicken in raw and let it cook with the casserole? Partially cook it and let it finish in the casserole? I just don't want it to be tough and chewy. Advice?

 

[Disneylover99]

If it calls for pre-cooked chicken, I’d use precooked chicken. Don’t put it in raw. That time and temperature will heat everything thoroughly, but not allow enough time to cook the chicken.

Maybe your pre-cooked chicken was already over cooked when you put it in the casserole last time.

 

[DLgal]

The very best way to deal with a recipe like this is to buy a Costco rotisserie chicken the day before, so it can get nice and cold in the fridge. Then,cut up the chicken and add it, cold, to the casserole. It will warm up on that 30 minute bake time but not get overcooked. Costco chicken always remains juicy when used in this way.

Your other option is to cube and saute the chicken WHILE the casserole is cooking and just sprinkle it over the top during the last 5 minutes or so of baking.

Do NOT put it in raw. Not only is that unsafe, the chicken will give off a lot of liquid while it cooks and your casserole will be watery.

 

[Allison]

No-do not use raw chicken.

 

[neverlandsky]

Canned Chicken.

 

[DLgal]

Canned Chicken.

 

[anniemae]

The very best way to deal with a recipe like this is to buy a Costco rotisserie chicken the day before, so it can get nice and cold in the fridge. Then,cut up the chicken and add it, cold, to the casserole. It will warm up on that 30 minute bake time but not get overcooked. Costco chicken always remains juicy when used in this way.

Your other option is to cube and saute the chicken WHILE the casserole is cooking and just sprinkle it over the top during the last 5 minutes or so of baking.

Do NOT put it in raw. Not only is that unsafe, the chicken will give off a lot of liquid while it cooks and your casserole will be watery.

Do you think I can half-cook it and then finish in the casserole? I don't want to cook separately and put on top because it really needs to be mixed in with all the other ingredients (cheese, seasonings etc.)

 

[ronandannette]

Do you think I can half-cook it and then finish in the casserole? I don't want to cook separately and put on top because it really needs to be mixed in with all the other ingredients (cheese, seasonings etc.)

NO. You will have no way to ensure the chicken reaches a safe temperature and mixing half-raw chicken and it's juices throughout your casserole is not a good idea. Just either use a rotisserie chicken or roast your own until it's done and follow the instructions of the recipe.

 

[moniqueand2]

I find shredded chicken more tasty than cubed cooked chicken. Maybe that is why your last try with cubed chicken did not taste as good as you hoped.
So as mentioned above a rotisserie chicken would work, either store bought or your own.

 

[Meriweather]

I cut mine up and micro it until done.....all the juices are around it and it stays moist when it is cooked in the casserole

 

[disneychrista]

Similar to what @DLgal said with using chilled Costco rotisserie chicken you can make the chicken earlier in the day and chill in fridge prior to making the casserole.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I have a recipe I am making and it calls for cubed cooked chicken to go into the casserole. Once everything is in the baking dish, you cook it in the oven for 30 mins at 350. Last time I put pre-cooked chicken in a casserole, the chicken was overcooked and rubbery. Would you put the chicken in raw and let it cook with the casserole? Partially cook it and let it finish in the casserole? I just don't want it to be tough and chewy. Advice?

The 350 degree oven sounds solid for 20 to 30 minutes and the meat should not be rubbery unless that’s how it started. Without knowing all the ingredients used besides the cheese and protein you should be fine.

 

[slo]

The very best way to deal with a recipe like this is to buy a Costco rotisserie chicken the day before, so it can get nice and cold in the fridge. Then,cut up the chicken and add it, cold, to the casserole. It will warm up on that 30 minute bake time but not get overcooked. Costco chicken always remains juicy when used in this way.

Your other option is to cube and saute the chicken WHILE the casserole is cooking and just sprinkle it over the top during the last 5 minutes or so of baking.

Do NOT put it in raw. Not only is that unsafe, the chicken will give off a lot of liquid while it cooks and your casserole will be watery.

I suggest this too
I use a rotisserie chicken all the time.
Personally, I don’t always use mine cold. Most times I use it in a casserole shortly after bringing it home.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Another option if you're getting rubbery chicken - switch the recipe to cubed cooked chicken thigh. Dark meat is more forgiving to extra cooking than white meat is.

But, please, if the recipe calls for cooked chicken, don't use raw chicken. That's an illness and cooking disaster waiting to happen...

 

[Toolulu22]

For this sort of dish I might brown the chicken in a pan for 2-3 minutes per side and then cut it into strips or cubes (might have some pink in the center), add to the dish and let it finish cooking in the casserole. Chicken doesn’t take long to cook on the stovetop, so you may be overcooking your chicken and getting a rubbery texture. I wouldn’t add raw meat to a casserole, unless it was a slow cooker or Dutch oven and planned to leave it for a few hours.

 

[Allison]

Do you think I can half-cook it and then finish in the casserole?

No.

 

[DuskKodesh]

If you're worried about the chicken being dry and rubbery make sure you brine it before cooking. Gives an extra layer of protection against the chicken drying out but absolutely do not put the chicken into the casserole raw.

Also could use Tyson precooked chicken strips.

 

[Micca]

Another vote for a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (Costco...even better!) Curious what the other ingredients are in the casserole. If the other ingredients are cooked and you're just warming it up, you probably don't need 30 minutes at 350. Check it after 20 minutes, and see what you think.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Another issue you may be having - are you cutting the chicken immediately after you cook it? If so, you're letting all the juices run out and no matter what you do, you'll have a dry chicken...

To prevent that, you can do 2 things - 1. let the chicken cool for 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) before cutting it into cubes or 2. cut the raw chicken into cubes and cook it - so no juices leak after cooking...

 

[Skywalker]

I do have some "dump and bake" recipes that call for raw chicken, however the cook time is usually longer and at a higher temp than what you said. So, I wouldn't sub raw chicken in your recipe. I would use cooked, cubed chicken as it calls for! It really shouldn't be dry and rubbery unless the chicken was dry and rubbery to start with!