supermarket curries ready meals cheapest way to get chicken soft.

jvjack

yes have tried the normal temperatures 
And yes the tray does splinter on top bits
And got oven thermometer from Amaon today. Does say oven reached 250 degrees on top shelf while cooking chicke jalfrezi from Saisburys

lohr500

I tend to agree with brock_the_badger.
I am sure they won't be using the finest corn fed, free range chickens in their ready meal offerings.
More likely "old boiling fowls" as my grandma used to call them. 

Krakkkers

I still say an hour at 260C would destroy anything.

Richard1212

There are some decent curries in the supermarkets and we get the ready-made ones sometimes from Ocado in case we need a quick tasty meal and follow instructions on pack for microwave.

My wife's message to O/P : first, leave product at room temp for 30 minutes before cooking ; second, if you overheat any product ( curry or anything) the chicken in it will dry out and become tougher and tasteless. And she is a good cook who likes making great home-made curries 

jvjack

But people are buying them like me. Just wonder if anyone else has better results. Maybe higher wattage microwave.

Krakkkers

Cook it less not more.
But basically buy better.

J63320

Richard1212 said:

… if you overheat any product ( curry or anything) the chicken in it will dry out and become tougher and tasteless.….

I agree. The chicken in a ready meal is usually cooked already (but do check the label). All you are doing is heating it up. If you overdo it, the meat fibres will become tough and chewy.

jvjack

ahh . i will cook it next time at lower temp. And leave it in room for 30 mins (thank you richard and all) 
Sure i've tried instructions before but will try again. 
Anyone else tried these these meals and chicken it not tough in microwave or oven?

BooJewels

I had one (without the rice, did my own) recently and the chicken was quite soft and palatable - only microwaved for something like 8 or 9 minutes - whatever it said on the pack - from frozen.  The only downside was that the microwave smelt of curry for days - despite various measures to rid it.

What I normally do (for ease, as I'm on my own) is buy a cook-in curry sauce in a jar and pre-cook my own cut up chicken breast and then add it to the sauce - it sort of splits the difference between a ready meal and making it yourself and the meat is nicer.  Plus, I love sultanas in a curry sauce, so always add a handful too.

With pasta based ready meals, like lasagne, that can be done in either the microwave or oven, I tend to microwave it for a good half of whatever it says, then put extra cheese on the top and finish it in the oven, for maybe 10 or 15 minutes.  It cuts down on the overall cooking time, but you get the finish as though it were oven cooked.

jvjack

My microwave is 700w  Is yours higher?  
Will test 2 or 3 ready meals next week at lower temps but don't think anything other than heating in oven at high temp and adding a bit of boiling water will soften that chicken.
Hope to be wrong.
Is it a case of to good to be true. Get home and 6 mins in microwave and dinner is done.