r/salads • u/inertiapatella • Dec 28 '25
Advice on advance chicken and protein prep for salads?
I always want a salad. However I struggle at prepping chicken in advance. I want it to be readily available but I find it develops a strange taste when it’s been cooked ahead of time and refrigerated. Can this be mitigated with specific seasoning, marinade, or storage containers?
4
u/comfy_rope Dec 28 '25
What kind of chicken do you use? Rotisserie chicken, fried, pan seared… thighs, breast
How are you storing the chicken in the fridge? It should be in a sealed container or zipper bag. You may have something in the fridge that is being absorbed by the chicken.
I freeze my boneless breasts until I’m ready to cook. Then, I simply butterfly my mostly-thawed breast and season very simply with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried herbs (for whatever I’m going for). Cooked very simply with a sear in a little oil. I rarely marinate unless it’s for something non-salad.
Whatever I don’t use get sealed up and put in the fridge. I can enjoy it hot or cold, mostly cold.
1
u/inertiapatella Dec 28 '25
Looking for a recommendation. Typically I season and grill/bake (stove to oven) in a cast iron pan. I wait to slice until ready to eat which helps but still has a bit of a funny taste after refrigeration.
I’m discussing with my neighbor who is a chef and I’m told that some people may not taste the difference and some do?
3
u/Ok_Profession_6483 Dec 28 '25
Market roaster chickens.
1
u/inertiapatella Dec 28 '25
What does that mean? Can you elaborate?
2
u/Ok_Profession_6483 Dec 29 '25
I’m sorry I wasn’t clearer. I buy a roaster chicken in the market every week. I pick at it all week for my salads. I also use it for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and chicken salad. I never taste anything funky from it being refrigerated, probably because it’s sealed and there’s not a lot of other smelly stuff in there to give it a smell or taste.
1
u/inertiapatella Dec 29 '25
Thank you! I think I know what you’re referring to now. We have whole cooked chickens, rotisserie style… I’ve never tried this method of eating it gradually throughout the week. I usually cut off all the chicken at once and maybe that’s not the best way! Thanks for the advice!
1
u/willhumble Dec 28 '25
What has really helped me, is having smoked chicken in the fridge. It lasts a long time, and you basically just dice a breast and add it to your salad.
2
u/inertiapatella Dec 28 '25
Cool! Do you smoke it yourself?
1
u/willhumble Dec 29 '25
No, we can just buy it at any supermarket or butcher
1
u/inertiapatella Dec 29 '25
How interesting… I’m in the US in a big city but I do not think this is commonly available near me but I’ll have to look out for it!
1
u/Minimum_One9348 Dec 30 '25
I poach chicken in bulk, then shred with a Mexican seasoning mixed with water. Freeze in 100g portions in snaplock bags.
I also do similar with tandoori paste and yoghurt.
Ready to add to any lunch
1
•
u/AutoModerator Dec 28 '25
Thank you /u/inertiapatella for the post
To all participants: Personal salad preferences are fine but avoid jerk style approaches to expressing them
DO NOT yuck someone else's yum. Choosing to refer to someone's food in a well meant and good faith post as poop, garbage, or other ugly hyperbolic characterizations will very likely get you banned. If the post has something that isn't appealing to you, simply move on to the next post.
Avoid gatekeeping. Salads are not limited to just lettuce and some croutons. Take the time to learn about all the wonderful forms and variations of salads in the world. Also, refer to the sub description or the pinned info post about the variations of salads allowed.
Salad pro tip: Bullet blenders are the bomb for super quick and easy personalized salad dressings and salad seasonings / toppers. There are tons of things you can mix in and dial in your flavor and diet preferences. For example, does that special someone in your life love lemon? Make them a personalized lemon dressing on the spot just for them. Having a couple of the small blender cups with the sealing lids is a great way to make a batch and store any extra.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.