I made a horrible mistake!!!!!!

Kitchen Witch · #1 (**permalink**) July 18th, 2006, 09:09 PM

And it was a BIG one!!

I purchased Sunchef Farms (from Montreal, Quebec) frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 3 lb. bags which were on sale 5 bags for $20.00.

I love chicken, and there is so much you can do with chicken breasts. Compared to regular prices of other brands - when these were on sale at a local supermarket - I purchased TEN bags.

On the bag it says "contains up to 15% solution to enhance flavor and tenderness" in small print near the bottom. The colorful and well-pictured bag is designed to keep your eyes off all small print!

If I would have known I was purchasing McDonalds phosphate-filled, salt-injected chicken - I would NOT have purchased it.

Opened the first bag - (you cannot see through these bags) and I saw the biggests chicken breasts I have ever seen in a frozen chicken breast bag! Cripe - one piece was enough to feed 2 people! Yeah - right. Then I put it in a skillet and fried it. Typical skillet fry - a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic - nothing fancy. Not only did the chicken breast shrink to HALF it's size or less - but it was soooooooooooo salty!. No - I did not oversalt the chicken.

Second time - same thing - basic skillet fry - olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic. Using VERY LITTLE salt. Filled a large skillet with breast pieces all over-lapping; by the time they cooked - the pan was half empty. That didn't bother me - it was the SALT!!!!!

Now - if I want a basic skillet fried chicken breast - I place the frozen chicken breast in a large pot of water; bring to a boil; boil for just a few minutes; drain; rinse several times; fill the pot with cold water AGAIN; bring to boil; boil a few minutes (not to boil the salt back into it); drain; rinse several times; fill the pot with cold water FOR THE THIRD TIME; bring to boil; boil a few minutes; drain; rinse thoroughly; add to heated skillet with a bit of olive oil, pepper, parsley, garlic and NO salt. Skillet fry; and you can still taste the salt - but not as bad.

One thing is for sure - I will NEVER purchase another product from Sunchef Farms. And I will go back to my normal frozen chicken breasts.

Today I boiled a whole bag of chicken breasts - all 3 lbs. for just 2 people. I don't think each one of us had eaten 4 oz. And I have leftovers that match what we ate - about 8 oz. That is how much "solution" they have injected into those chicken breasts. MAYBE - tomorrow I will make a salad of greens and tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and chunk some leftover breast and toss it in. No salt. I'll try it - if too salty - there is this nice white trash bag ready for them!

There is no way I would BBQ them, or sauce them, or stuff them, or bread them, or batter them. I would be afraid of adding more sodium!!!

So until I either get fed up and throw out the remaining bags or pray for someone to break into my home and steal the bags out of the freezer - IT'S IN THE BASEMENT - A BIG CHEST FREEZER - PLEASE TAKE THEM!! - I will have to boil them THREE TIMES and rinse the crap out of them in order to fry them!

But anyway - today I boiled, rinsed, boiled, rinsed, boiled, rinsed and pan fried chicken breasts in olive oil with pepper, parsley and garlic (NO SALT), and made mashed potatoes, and butter beans for dinner.

And I can still taste the salt from the chicken.......grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

No more sale items that I have never purchased before are going into my shopping cart!!!!

Aline · #2 (**permalink**) July 19th, 2006, 07:09 PM

I would be leary on purchasing food from the internet PERIOD! Especially from another country. Especially SALE items. There's a reason why they're on sale.

I used to purchase frozen chicken breasts from a local butcher shop, about $18 for a 2 kilogram bag (6 oz breasts). The breasts, when thawed, were "water soaked" and slimy...yuk!!! I now buy them elsewhere at $40 a box for about 38-40 breasts at 4 oz each. There's no slim, and they have a nice colour. Well worth the price!

BTW... how do you know your chicken breasts were McDonald's chicken?

Kitchen Witch · #3 (**permalink**) July 19th, 2006, 09:13 PM

Aline -

I didn't purchase these on line - I bought them from a supermarket down the road!!!

I would never buy groceries on line - I'm too scared! I want to see what it is I am buying.

It was a big 2-day meat sale - and they have good meat there. And included in there sale were the frozen chicken breasts. I normally buy 3 lb. bags at a different store - and they are 100% chicken and not injected - usually $6.99 to $7.99. It's always nice to have them because you can do so much with them. When I saw that they were included in the 2-day meat sale I thought they would be like the others I had bought - but they weren't.

Regarding McDonald's - their chicken is injected and has phosphates in it. It's about as healthy for us as KFC's chicken. And KFC is soooooo good.

Have you seen the new Arby's commercials??? They even attack McDonald's chicken. Arby's chicken is 100% chicken and not injected with salt solution and phosphates.

sarahjanel · #4 (**permalink**) July 22nd, 2006, 11:10 PM

I wonder if instead of boiling the chicken three times, if you had added a potatoe to the boiling water with the chicken if it would have helped? Since potatoes tend to take in salt...

Kitchen Witch · #5 (**permalink**) July 23rd, 2006, 08:19 AM

I doubt it very much - these chicken breasts are PUMPED with that solution so horribly!

I found a taker for them anyway - Monday night is trash night - the big blue truck can have them all!!!

kellyburk · #6 (**permalink**) July 26th, 2006, 03:43 PM

You know its funny...but i think I bought the same chicken.They were grossssss. They were huge, even after I over cooked them they seemed uncooked. They were slimmy and rubbery .Mine went to our trash as well!!
My first clue should have been boneless skinless breast at $1.99 per pound here is unheard of!!

Kitchen Witch · #7 (**permalink**) July 26th, 2006, 05:34 PM

Eight and a half bags of salt injected, phosphate-filled crappy chicken took its ride on the big blue truck!!! I feel really sorry for the rats at the dumps if they eat those lousy chicken breasts!!!

I will stick to my usual brand of frozen chicken breasts and the fresh ones of course. No more chicken breast sales on any frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts for me! It's better to pay the extra amount and get something that is edible.

jmar · #8 (**permalink**) October 19th, 2006, 03:57 PM

I a little late here, but the only chkn breasts I buy & use is the Market Day boneless, skinless breasts. If you have the chance, try them. For those of you who are asking, Market Day? It's a fundraising project, usually thru the schools.
What I like about them, besides tasting good, is that they are individually frozen, and 99% fat free.

The Sara Lee store by me now carries a limited inventory of Market Day food also.

pmuhlhan · #9 (**permalink**) October 21st, 2006, 09:08 AM

KW,

You are so funny...poor rats at the dump LOL! I'll keep my eye on the media for the story..."Amazingly huge rodents were found leaving a local dump and struggling to enter the sewer system for water. Many were stuck in the entrance of the system. A local samaritan came to their aid with a pitch fork. After a few pricks, down they went."

On a serious note, I am fortunate to have this fantastic meat and seafood market very close to me. Everyday boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut to order are $2.29 a pound. They are fresh, clean and very good. I call in the morning with my order of meat for the week. If I'm making chicken cordon bleu, they will flatten the cutlets. If I'm making swiss steak, they will tenderize my round steak. I buy a fresh turkey from them every year and it is so good and clean! If I'm making stroganoff, they will slice my meat accordingly. All this is FREE! Sounds to good to be true, huh?

Anyway, I got a good laugh from your story. You and your McDonald's LOL.

Have a great day!

Kitchen Witch · #10 (**permalink**) October 21st, 2006, 09:26 AM

Glad I made you laugh! McDonald's and I have a "history" going back for some time now. One of these days they will have my picture hanging on the wall - in a circle with the line going through it! LOL!!

You're lucky to have such a nice butcher! We have one as well and it is always so nice to do business with him. You don't find that much anymore.

As far as frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts go - it was nice to have them once in a while for quickie meals - but after that episode I won't buy them again. I never bought that many of them - now I wont' buy any of them.

We can't buy chicken here and stock up the freezer with it - it all comes in frozen, then it's thawed and I won't re-freeze it. When we want chicken we have to buy it the day before. Unless we go to the poultry farm (the best little chicken house in the east! - LOL) and order it there.

PS - my condolences to the rat families!