Chicken. It's a swell lean poly peptide option--but It'south astonishing how easily this simple protein can be ruined. Take it out too early and you'll become nutrient poisoning, but leave information technology on for a couple minutes too long and you lot might as well go champ on some wood fries instead. Under-cooked chicken is like shooting fish in a barrel to set, (just put it dorsum in the darn oven!) Dry chicken, however, is slightly trickier to remedy.

Despite the challenges of creating a perfectly moist breast, dining halls continue to mass produce this perfectly cost constructive source of poly peptide--and frequently err on the side of no food poisoning (aka chicken sawdust). However, you can only have mac 'north' cheese for so many meals until poly peptide deficiency sets in, so nosotros student continue to consume it. Even if you have never experienced the classic dining hall dry chicken, maybe you get your fill up of it at your annual family reunion because Aunt Betty continues to insist upon bringing the main dish every year (judge what? Grilled chicken again). Whatever the case, dry out chicken need not be a cause for despair! These seven hacks can save your bird fifty-fifty after the damage is washed.

1. Moisten with a simple sauce

File:Soy Sauce Chicken.jpg

Image from WikiCommons

Barbeque sauce, pesto, and soy sauce all pair well with chicken, every bit do many other pasta sauces and condiments. If you're feeling fancy, you can even make your ain: attempt mixing some hot sauce and lemon juice to give the chicken a nice tangy kicking. These works best if you shred the chicken and then add the sauce, just you can put the sauce on the side and dip it too.

ii. Add together it to soup

chicken soup

stu_spivack on Flickr

This one can be used for flossy or clear soups—chicken pairs well with anything from minestrone to broccoli cheddar. Just cut it upwards and mix it in with your soup, or take each piece and dunk it.

3. Pair it with Pasta

Tagliatelle mit Hähnchen und Aprikosen

Katrin Gilger on Flickr

Pasta bar at your dining hall? Or peradventure at that place's some leftover pasta salad in the refrigerator? Mix in the chicken to give it a little extra poly peptide—the sauce from the pasta will cover up the dryness of the chicken.

4. Quesadilla that shit

Quick Apple Sausage Quesadilla

mealmakeovermoms on Flickr

Cut up or shred your chicken anyway yous want (or can), spread information technology out on a tortilla, so encompass it with your cheese of selection from the sandwich station and put information technology on a panini printing, microwave, or even in a waffle iron to melt the cheese (considering melted cheese fixes everything).

5. Salad toppings for days

Grilled Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken Salad

alanagkelly on Flickr

If you're looking for a lighter option, you can use the chicken as a topping for a salad (like this chickpea and quinoa salad). Both the wet in the lettuce (especially if you're using something similar romaine or iceberg) and the dressing will make up for the lack of it in the chicken.

6. Dip information technology

Peanut Butter

mrsdkrebs on Flickr

Pretty much any sort of dip that would usually keep fries is also be great on chicken: hummus, salsa, edible bean dip, you name information technology. If you're similar me and love peanut butter, spreading it on your chicken is some other great combo. (Or, if you actually like to live life on the edge, y'all tin endeavour two-in-i with this peanut butter hummus.)

vii. Sandwich it

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Lara604 on Flickr

Iii words: chicken salad sandwich. The mayonnaise (or avocado in this recipe) adds actress wet, and celery (if you accept information technology) gives a nice crunch. Or, you tin can even merely put the full craven breast in some bread and top with your favorite toppings—cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayonnaise—whatever your centre (or stomach) desires.

#Spoon tip: If you lot're feeling adventurous, add grapes to your chicken salad.

If you lot've been missing craven only non plenty to brave the sad chicken breasts sitting out in the dining hall (possibly left over from yesterday?), no longer do you have to avoid it—these tips can plough that flavorless chicken into a fabulous meal.